Fashion is the law on the street

If law is the bread and butter of attorney Siyaam Ally's life, fashion is the strawberry jam in between.

The fashionista from UCT's Law Clinic was Runner Up for Best Fashion Blog at the 2012 Blog Awards, just nine months after launching into the blogosphere. She calls it her 'personal style diary' and it joins the seams of fashion, law and life.

Fashion bloggers like Ally have become the style icons of the woman-in-the-street; they shop online, know how to rework a look and can dish up runway trends on a budget.

And while she's a brand ambassador for names like Birlin Eyewear and 4Flavour Accessories, she's not a brand slave. Ally's favourite store is that emporium of oh-so-fast fashion, Mr Price.

"You must know what to choose - and check the fit," says the fashionista.

It's advice her readers are soaking up, via her personal style diary.

Ally's personal style polished, elegant and classic. Her inspiration is Kate Middleton and fashion bloggers Chiara Ferragi (The Blonde Salad) and Wendy Nguyen (Wendy's Lookbook).

"I feel really happy that people are listening and that I can influence what they wear and buy.

Ally has appeared in magazines and brochures for Clicks and she's an official Cape Town fashion blogger for Blackcherry Handbags.

But the six-inch heels support a serious lawyer. Ally is working steadily towards a Master of Laws (LLM) degree in international law at UCT, having worked as an attorney in the litigation department at the UCT Law Clinic since 2006.

The clinic specialises in civil matters such as divorce, evictions, contract disputes care and contact matters and winding up estates.

"This has given me a broad range of drafting and court experience.'

Ally also runs a satellite clinic in Athlone where she supervises a team of final-year law students and candidate attorneys who meet and provide legal advice to disadvantaged clients.

(Helen Swingler)