Drag queen or classy princess?

A LOT of people mistake extravagance and bling for being fashion savvy.

Women in particular think an extra layer of foundation, flamboyant hair; embellished clothes and glittery shoes are what translate to looking good.

Well, not all women but a significant number of them feel looking good is about the bling, in all aspects of the word.

She’ll wear a tight-fitting yellow embellished dress with an equally bright pair of shoes.

She’ll have her nails so long they look like claws. The hair is in some bright shades of highlights, make-up is done to the last tee and she’ll wear gallons of perfume that will sting your nostrils.

It’s terrorising. The perfume is the kind that will either leave you with a headache or an irritated and runny nose.

But it’s because they want to walk past and leave their fragrance lingering, right?

As much as this may be your goal, it’s classier and fresher when your fragrance is worn enough for you to smell it off yourself and leave the next person curious what it is.

Only when someone gives you a hug or stands close enough to you should they be able to smell it.

Don’t be your offices’ walking air freshener by putting on so much perfume it diffuses through the entire building!

There’s quite a bold enough line between looking like a drag queen or a classy princess.

Don’t over-step it by doing a little too much with yourself.

The moment you see yourself trying too hard, restrain yourself and take note of where you’re starting to mess up. This will help as a guide the next time you have to step out.

It’s really easy over-dressing a perfectly simple outfit and turning yourself into a Lady Gaga.

Being fashion savvy is about creating a balance. You do this by either adding or removing colour or accessories.

If you’re wearing a red dress, you can’t go in with a pair of red shoes as well. That would be treacherous to the eyes!

Instead, go for a different colour pair of shoes to “break” the red, so to speak.

A nude colour, animal print or something subtle like black would do the trick.

The idea is to create a balance of colour to give you a somewhat polished and yes, classy look.

I find monotony in wearing a halter neck dress with a neck piece and earrings. I mean, the design of the dress itself is already elaborate – why add more bling to it.

Rather just wear a pair of earrings and something on the wrist. Why? Because the moment you over-accessorise, you’re trying too hard and when you try too hard – you end up looking cheap.

No jewellery at all can be a good thing, believe it not.

There’re no hard and fast rules when it comes to fashion, you use your discretion but even then, know when you’re headed for disaster.

If your shoes are going to be the star of the outfit, give them room by wearing something simple and laid back like black, white or denim.

The idea is not to match everything with each other. Blue dress, blue shoes, blue nail polish; blue eye shadow is so 1990s.

Sometimes, all it will take to look clean is wearing the same colour shoes as your lipstick with a black dress.

Remember, you always want to create a balance of colours, whatever colours you’re working with not a colour sheet of the same colour in different shades.

Looking good is in the simple things worn well. Too much detail may work against you if you’re not careful.

Fashion at a funeral

Photo Credit: The Grown & Classy

MY aunt would not attend a funeral service for my late uncle without a fascinator on her head.

It had to be a black one, to match her black suit and court shoes. There was a black clutch bag to go with it all.

We all refer to her as Mai Thatcher, likening her to Britain’s first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.

She got the nickname for being a powerful and meticulous woman.

She’s generally organised and quite precise.

Mai Thatcher likes pretty things when it comes to fashion – she’s never on the downside of her wardrobe.

So she would not leave her car to get into the church service before the person who was sent to buy the black fascinator delivered it to her.

She issued out instructions from her car until the fascinator arrived.

It came wrapped and boxed.

Of course she had to look pretty while mourning the death of her husband. I was shocked for days and couldn’t understand why the fascinator was so important to her.

But she later mentioned, passively, that it was because she didn’t want to embarrass her husband – even after death.

That’s consistency, which comes with respecting yourself, the people around you and your brand as a person.

I had never thought much about dressing up for a funeral for obvious reasons.

You’re mourning or celebrating a life, you really don’t have the time to fuss about fashion.

For years, it was always an African print cloth around the waist, head gear, a pair of strappy sandals and I’m out of the house.

But I was wrong. Grief should not be reason to look scruffy and unkempt. A little effort while you pay your last respects for the dead has never hurt anybody.

The bottom line, of course, is looking as conservative as possible and being stylish while you’re at it.

Black, navy, grey or other dark colours usually appear more conservative. Revealing clothes are not appropriate, as some churches prefer shoulders and knees to remain covered.

Leave your flip flops, Timberlands and athletic wear at home. Opt instead for more sensible and appropriate shoes.

Remember to polish those shoes. Don’t wear scruffy shoes to a funeral. It’s disrespectful.

Dress as you would for church and if you don’t go to church think about what you’d wear to a job interview.

Avoid sundresses, unless you have a wrap or are under 12.

Celebratory patterns on shirts like martini glasses or wild prints, or anything too flashy should be left at home.

Imagine showing up at a funeral with a T-shirt written “DOPE” in bold gold. No one will ask you but best believe they’ll gossip about you.

They’ll refer to you as the guy who came in a “DOPE” T-shirt or the girl whose back was exposed for all to see.

You know those old ladies – they’ll even give you something to cover your shoulders to save the family the embarrassment.

A black dress with sleeves, dark suit with a jacket or a dark blouse with a skirt will do.

It is possible to wear a not-too-brightly coloured dress under a black coat.

Consider the temperature and dress accordingly. Men can opt to remove their jackets for anything outside but should at least wear them inside for any services.

Some do not believe that funeral attire should be strictly black.

While the person’s death should be grieved, it seems also appropriate to celebrate the person’s life with some colour.

Don’t wear anything too colorful like lime green or neon yellow, purple, or yellow but perhaps red or a pale blue.

Gentlemen, wear a black suit with a white shirt and accessorise with a long, neutral necktie. Think twice about wearing too much jewellery.

There’re always exceptions to the rules. A blue or grey suit with a black shirt and a tie will do.

If you’re a pallbearer, you should expect to wear a suit or a dark blazer at the very least.

A pair of shades wouldn’t hurt anybody. Just make sure you wear them outside only.

When the going gets tough – re-invent

Nothing is as depressing as feeling like you’ve no stylish clothes to wear.

Every day is a struggle between looking fresh and feeling good.

Often you stand in front of a wardrobe full of clothes yet you feel like you have no clothes decent enough to wear.

You flip through every hanger to check exactly what’s there, in case you missed something. But there’s nothing new to captivate your heart a second time.

It stirs up some impatience in you and even gets you a little agitated.

Time is usually not on your side on such a day – the pressure mounts and your stress levels begin to peak.

Now you stand akimbo and simply stare at your clothes clueless on what your next move will be.

It’s not until you learn rotation and re-invention that you realise getting your threads ready for the day doesn’t have to be an emotional roller coaster ride.

Sometimes, all it takes to look good is matching a bright red pair of shoes with an equally bright red lipstick.

Instead of wearing the same blazer with the same pair of jeans and shirt, layer the blazer with a different top and pair of pants or shorts.

Rotation is key in ensuring your wardrobe remains vibrant and give people the impression that your wardrobe is a clothing boutique, which you and I already know it’s not!

Dressing up otherwise simple pieces with jewellery or shoes could be the difference between fabric “slayage” and a fashion faux pas.

My all-time favourite re-invention is dressing up an otherwise ordinary maybe old checked or denim shirt.

If done well, this is a look you can pull off to so many spaces you won’t believe it.

The trick is in how you decide to layer the shirt, your choice of pants and of course the shoes.

I can’t emphasise the importance of the shoes enough. In most instances, your shoes will either make or break your outfit.

A checked or denim shirt can be paired with denims that have a clean wash and a pair of heels.

An ordinary looking combo – jeans and shirt – can be dressed up by a pair of heels. The shoes will add some vava voom to an otherwise boring combination.

Bring some sexy back with a pair of shorts, a checked shirt and strappy sandals or sneaks.

Depending on what tickles your fancy – a pair of Converse All Stars or air force sneaks will do the trick.

This can’t be any kind of shorts by the way – certainly not one of those that are knee high.

I’m talking something a little shorter, if your body allows it of course.

A white vest and the shirt either buttoned half-way through or tied around your waist is unbelievably fashionable.

Of course you don’t want to boarder around rural with the shirt around the waist.

Don’t tie it like my late grandmother, Gogo MaKhuboni, would do after a long day in the fields.

On a blazing hot day, she’d come back to the homestead with her jersey or extra layers scruffily tied around her waist.

Pay meticulous attention to how you tie the shirt. Cut yourself some slack in this heat and dress up what you already have. No one will know how old the fashion piece is if you dress it well.

#YoungNiggersWinning …One suit, five ways to wear it

Photo Credit: House of Gentlemen

YOU know what they say about a well-fitted suit? It is to women what lingerie is to men.

Nothing looks hotter than a guy in a well-fitted and carefully thought out suit.

I had sundowners with one of the best dressed men I’ve ever met the other day.

He arrived at our meeting place, an almost exclusive restaurant and coffee shop, a few minutes after I’d got to the venue.

He showed up while I was lost in my thoughts as I waited for him at a cosy spot by the patio.

The guy waltzed in my direction in a crisp white shirt, black blazer, grey pair of pants, black shoes and belt.

He wore a classic time piece and still had his car keys and cell phone in his hands.

The gentlemen exuded so much confidence my piercing eyes didn’t deter him.

After we’d exchanged pleasantries, we sat to order.

Did I mention I could smell him from across the table? I later learnt he was wearing Aramis Blue – subtle but enough to capture the attention of your nostrils!

I thought this was one well put together gentleman, largely because of the blazer he was wearing.

Black seems like a dull colour but it dressed up his grey pants and white shirt pretty well.

But often, men feel it’s not practical rocking a fresh suit every other day. They think it costs an arm and a leg.

I’ve got news for you – looking good doesn’t have to cause a big dent in your wallet.

You don’t have to own lots of suits to look fresh.  All you need is one good suit and you’re set. The secret is in the fit and knowing how to wear it.

A three-piece suit is one of the most versatile menswear pieces a guy can own.

You can get a ton of mileage by mixing it up and pairing the pieces together or as separates with other items in your wardrobe.

No one looks as powerful as a man in a full three-piece suit. It’s masculine and elegant; it’s a full business power suit.

When you wear a three-piece suit, you look like you own the place and you’re trying to decide whom you’re going to fire first or which million dollar deal is top on the list for your signature.

The best thing about a three-piece suit is that you can turn it into a two-piece suit anytime you want.

A well-tailored two-piece suit is timeless and classic; it shows you mean business without trying too hard.

The waistcoat and suit trousers combo is one way to dress down your suit. It’s a more laid back look that can do for less formal occasions.

The waistcoat is capable of transcending social situations and dress codes and gives you enough room to experiment with layers.

When you wear a waistcoat and suit trousers, it creates a manly silhouette.

Wearing your suit jacket as a blazer instantly sharpens your image and dresses up your jeans.

It’s an excellent way to rock the smart casual look.

The blazer will give you a clean and well put together look – like the guy at my sundowners meeting.

But be very careful – not all suit jackets can be worn as a blazer; it all depends on the suit’s fabric, pattern and design.

Aside from wearing your waistcoat with a suit or in a suit trousers combo – your waistcoat can be separated completely from the suit and paired with a pair of jeans.

The waistcoat will dress up the jeans and make you stand out in a crowd. It says you’re a fabric slayer, you’re willing to take fashion risks and definitely separates you from the boys.