These are the words of Shinel Schoeman, who finds beauty everywhere. This is a concept that most people miss but if you find enough time to stop and appreciate what is around you \u2026 you might just find that there is more to everything than what meets the eye.<\/p>\n
Nestled in a fairly quiet part of the ever-bustling friendly city, is a home turned shop that welcomes patrons with a burst of colour. The tranquil splendour that the vintage set-up boasts, is brought to life by the owner, Shinel, who finds beauty in everything. Literally!<\/p>\n
We asked what beauty is and her answer encapsulates exactly who Shinel is.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeauty is \u2026 When you accept yourself so much that you don\u2019t have to fit in with anybody.\u00a0You belong wherever you are.\u00a0The soft whispers inside are louder than the shouting from outside,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Shinel has always had an appreciation for dressing up and thus she started a business that helps her live out her passion for the finer things in life.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince I was a very small child I was dressed up and my mom used to put make up on for me \u2013 it was a huge treat.\u00a0I would have my hair curled and I\u2019d wear beads and always play in the jewellery box \u2013 it felt like heaven.\u00a0I loved living in my pretend world of fantasy.\u00a0It was a wonderful place.\u00a0Even today \u2013 every day is a get-up, dress-up, makeup, show-up and chin-up day,\u201d<\/p>\n
That little girl never imagined that she would be the proud owner of Hallo Dolly, a local \u201chuiswinkel\u201d located in Dan Pienaar.<\/p>\n
\u201cHallo Dolly was born \u2013 absolutely by accident. I never wanted to have a business and I definitely never wanted to be in a position of managing people.\u00a0I fought against it because I knew I would be unhappy.\u00a0I was quite happy to work for a boss forever more.\u00a0 I wanted to.\u00a0 So, Hallo Dolly happened quite by accident.\u00a0 I had no idea what I was doing, I just did it … Basically a house I converted into a shop \u2013 one room with d\u00e9cor, one room with fashion accessories and jewellery, and another two rooms with make-up and bath and body products.\u201d<\/p>\n
Inspired by rejection and a town that was not the right fit when she left Bloemfontein in 2016, the Bloemfonteiner at heart moved back to the City of Roses in 2021 and like they say \u2026 home is where the heart is.<\/p>\n
\u201cBloemfontein accepted and welcomed me with open arms.\u00a0The ladies here have been incredibly good to me and kind and nice! I feel like the luckiest person in the world,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy value had always been what I could contribute.\u00a0It feels important to me that you can feel good about yourself \u2013 regardless of looks, income, education, or anything else.\u00a0 We all want to be accepted.\u00a0 By others and by ourselves.\u00a0 And what a privilege for me to help ladies find and embrace their alter egos.\u00a0 To help them be more comfortable and accepting of themselves.\u00a0 When ladies visit my shop, I leave them to find their own way, but often we end up choosing things together and really just play.\u201d<\/p>\n
She encourages women to live their lives by their own rules and of course, to remember that acceptance is key.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s your space and your body and your face.\u00a0 Do what you like! When you accept yourself, everybody else also does, ironically.\u00a0Often I\u2019m asked what I do \u2013 based on the colourful, crazy and mismatched outfits I like to wear.\u00a0 And often they are bizarre.\u00a0But they work.\u201d<\/p>\n
The journey is not always the same for everyone, it can go from leaving your home town to living in Swellendam, and eventually coming back home, but the lessons always make it worth the while.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing on my own journey and allowing you to be on your own journey.\u00a0My lessons are for me to learn.\u00a0Your lessons are yours to learn.\u00a0I believe in letting people bang their own heads. It\u2019s not my place to fix you or learn from your mistakes or for you to learn from mine.\u00a0We are here to live our lives.\u00a0You get to choose each day what your life is going to be today.\u00a0So choose well,\u201d she advised.<\/p>\n
For those who feel a little less brave when it comes to living out and finding a balance, the silence and creativity that can be found in the different spaces curated by Shinel, will definitely inspire you to take a leap into a world of colour and freedom.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy Hallo Dolly space is for you to also play and have fun and find things you\u2019d not necessarily have thought could work \u2013 and discover how amazing you look by adjusting a belt, a collar, an earring style …\u00a0combining different things on a table setting or in your lounge, bathroom or dining room.\u00a0I love it!\u00a0Hallo Dolly\u2019s slogan is \u2018Nothing matches, everything works\u2019.\u00a0If you are comfortable with something, you will pull it off and you\u2019ll be amazing too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Text: GYPSEENIA LION <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Often our greatest disappointments become our greatest gifts and advantages in life. There is nothing mundane in this life. Nothing. Everything matters. Everything. Normality is a huge privilege. What you complain about some people are praying for today. These are the words of Shinel Schoeman, who finds beauty everywhere. This is a concept that most […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":103,"featured_media":14350,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,20],"tags":[502,5968,5971,5970,5969],"class_list":{"0":"post-14349","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-people","8":"category-personalities","9":"tag-city-of-roses","10":"tag-finding-beauty-in-everything","11":"tag-hallo-dolly","12":"tag-shinel-schoeman","13":"tag-with-shinel-schoeman"},"yoast_head":"\n