Are you wearing red on Valentine's Day?

I DOUBT I will. Red is such a beautifully rich colour but I don’t think I’ll be in red on Valentine’s Day this Tuesday. The reason is quite simple – I think it’s pretty cheesy. I don’t think I need to wear red on Valentine’s Day to celebrate love or as an expression of love. If I’m in blue or yellow, does that make me less in love or mean I’m protesting against St Valentine? It surely doesn’t. But, I know there’s someone out there somewhere who’s been planning they’re Valentine’s Day outfit for days and that’s really okay. They’ve probably even bought a pair of red shoes to go with the red dress and the red Alice band. If they could, they would probably get a red watch, red earrings and red underwear. Maybe someone has already planned that out and it’s really fine. We’re different and diversity is what makes the world a more interesting place. But if you’re going to be in red this Valentine’s Day, at least do it right. Too much red could be a buzz kill. It actually could be blinding – you’ll look like a red mess and you won’t want to look at your Valentine’s Day pictures for a long time to come. Red can be overwhelming so striking a balance with a second colour or pattern is extremely important. If you decide to wear a red dress or jumpsuit, eliminate red shoes from the equation. Instead, if you have an animal print, polkadot, black, gold or beige pair – wear those. 

The shoes will do a good job nuetralising the red and giving you a more polished look. The alternate colour will balance out everything and you won’t look like Father Christmas or one of his elves. If you have a red shirt or blazer in mind, pair them with black and you’ll look super chic. A black skirt or pants will make a good base which would do well with either black or red shoes. Depending on how confident you are, a pair of red heels really wouldn’t hurt. I somehow feel no man should own a red shirt. It’s a bit too much. But if you do and plan on wearing it this Valentine’s, pair it with black or denim. Denim is a sleek way of balancing out your reds. You could decide to wear denim on denim with red heels or chucks. Another classy way of wearing red is by pairing black and white with red shoes. Your black and white combination could be of a black skirt or pants with a white shirt or a white shirt over a black and white patterned skirt. The red shoes will give the outfit a healthy pop of colour. And that’s all you really want – a pop of colour that will show us you’re not trying too hard and tell us you know exactly what you’re doing. Nothing sucks like looking like you’re trying too hard. As if you’re desperate to be crowned some slay queen of some sort. 

All white can also be beautifully accessorised with red shoes but this would be more of an evening look. It would be too much for day time unless you’re going to a party whose invitation says “Dress to Kill”. The red and white combo can be really overwhelming – it would be in your best interest to save it for a night out on the town.

If you’re into Afrocentric jewellery and you happen to have it in red, wearing it on all black would be super chic. This will allow your jewellery to shine while the black brings elegance to your look. Red t-shirts are the easiest. Simply pair them with black, grey, white or blue denim and you’re good to go. Because its denim, no one will really care about the colour of your shoes unless they’re hot pink, green, orange or yellow.

Just make sure whatever colour sneaks you choose don’t compete with your red T-shirt. 

After the Valentine’s Day styling, I really hope at the very least you get those flowers and chocolates you’ve been having chest pains over for most of January.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

HAPPY FEET, SEXY YOU...

Photo Credit : Online

WE were at the Zonkizizwe Shopping Centre parking lot when I couldn’t help noticing one woman walking towards her car. She was in a well-fitted grey pencil skirt suit with a white shirt and a lime green scarf. I remember admiring the suit and thinking how professional it looked. But I was distracted by her walk. She was in a pair of black stiletto heels but I’d be lying if I said she looked graceful in them. She walked with a slouch and appeared as though she was about to curtsy. Actually, she looked like a new born calf trying to find its feet. I was worried she could’ve even sprained an ankle. The walk was so clumsy and she looked completely out of her comfort zone.

I could’ve sworn she was even counting the steps and dying to get to her car so she could give her feet a break. She left me wondering why we even put ourselves through all that. Well, besides the fact that we love heels and they help improve our silhouette – they really aren’t for everybody and all destinations. I feel the pinch sometimes. I love my high heels, I even have a serious shoe collection but they sometimes kill me. Just the other day, I had such a difficult time swapping my heels for flats because I needed to do some walking around town. I had been in heels all day and my feet were killing me. I could barely make it down the stairs let alone across the road. It just wasn’t happening so I had to grudgingly make the switch.

Flats can really throw you over and mess up an otherwise hot outfit. And it’s on days like this that you bump into so many people that need to see you at your best. When this happens, you even feel compelled to explain to them that you were in heels and were looking smashing hot but had to wear flats for practicality purposes. It takes a lot of courage and honesty to swap your heels for flat shoes. Unless you’re going to be sitting most of the time, it would be in your best interest to always have a pair of flats on stand-by. If you use public transport to work or anywhere else, there’s absolutely no reason why you should walk all the way to the bus stop in heels. Who are you trying to impress? You’re killing your shoes and your feet.

Wear your flats and walk to the bust stop at ease – you can always wear your heels when the situation permits. And don’t just wear any pair in rainbow colours because they were not the main shoe and you were going to change them anyway. We don’t know that for sure. Make an effort to wear a pair that would still complement your outfit well. Black and beige are always the best picks – they work with pretty much anything. If you don’t have to walk to the bus, maybe your job requires a lot of leg work.Go for a shorter pair of heels if flats are not an option for you. These are manageable and if the shoe is comfortable enough, you could even run a marathon in them. I find driving in heels quite uncomfortable. I always think, “what if the heel somehow gets stuck in-between the pedals somehow”. I would just rather put on flats and trade them for a sexy number when I’ve arrived to my destination safely.

You lose absolutely nothing by wearing flats and looking good in them instead of continuing with heels that do nothing for your image and your schedule. They actually slow you down when your feet can’t wear them anymore. My mother is always warning me about how arthritis could become a real problem because of my high-heel wearing. I’m not sure of the long term effects of high heels on the body and I can’t say whether or not they would actually cause arthritis in the long haul but I do know heels could mess up your feet and ankles if you abuse them.Understanding where you’re going and what you’re doing in your heels is important. The good thing is your feet will always report the state of affairs. If they can no longer take it anymore, girl, you’ll know!

You can actually feel the pressure on the big toe mound, the outer arch of the foot and the ankle. Just don’t cheat your feet; when they’ve had enough, let them rest. And when you get home after a nasty day, soak your feet in warm to hot water – it’s therapeutic.