Beat the heat with finesse …

Khosi Nkosi Bongi Boobtube Dress

IT’S blazing hot these days and believe me; nothing is as difficult as getting yourself swagged up for 33 degree Celsius weather. You just can’t seem to get it right because you’re trying to get yourself as comfortable as possible otherwise you’ll be miserable in your discomfort all day long. I thought winter was brutal but this heat is murdering!

In trying to get comfortable, most of us are losing the plot. I was just out of it the other day and realised how bad it was when a colleague said, “You’re now wearing T-shirts and flip-flops to work”. Of course I wasn’t in a T-shirt and flip-flops, technically speaking, but her point was you’re not looking as good as you should, in spite of the heat. Before I even think of wearing a button up blouse or shirt, I’m already fretting about closed shoes. Peep toes won’t even cut it; they’re as bad as court shoes. And let’s be realistic, how many of us own at least three pairs of strappy high heels? 

The heat even causes your feet to swell, once you remove the shoes – getting them back on is a hassle and a half. They’ll go back on but they’ll be so tight you can barely walk.

And for the gents, having to wear a pair of socks, tie and blazer must be a nightmare! But you know what they say – a gentleman knows no weather. There’s not much you can do about the weather but you can try and make a few adjustments that’ll ease things up a little bit for you. The way you dress can go a long way towards keeping you comfortable in this sweltering heat. The white linen shirt every male movie star wears on the beach isn’t just fashionably conscious; it’s also intelligent for hot, sunny days.

Dark clothing absorbs more heat, and tight clothes don’t let sweat – your body’s natural cooling system – evaporate. Try remember this whenever you’re getting dressed. If you want to have a less crappy day under the sun, avoid dark coloured clothing and pieces that won’t let your skin breathe. 

 

You need to try and keep your skin dry otherwise you might find yourself nursing rashes and skin infections as a result of excessive sweating. Dresses are such a clever investment for times like these – they go on easy and let in air through all the right places. Make them your best friend and if you don’t already own any – put them on your budget for the next time you go out shopping. Sunglasses are chic and functional. They prevent harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from scorching your corneas and protect your eyes for many more summers to come. Choose sunglasses that block 90 to 100 percent of UV rays. It might be a long shot maybe, but if you can afford it, don’t settle for those $5 sunglasses sold by the street corner – they might hurt your eyes over time.

Unlike eight-inch high heels at the park, a hat is smart summer fashion. Throwing on a wide-brimmed hat prevents UV rays from hitting the sensitive spots on your face and keeps your skin looking young and wrinkle-free.

Nothing knocks good days off a summer calendar like nasty sunburn. When outdoors, use sunscreen with an SPF rating of at least 15. Use a higher-rated, waterproof sunscreen if you’ll be under the sun for prolonged periods. Don’t forget to cover areas that burn easily such as the nose, ears, shoulders, and the back of the neck. I know most of us don’t think we need sunscreen neither do we value its purpose but believe me when I say whether you’re yellow bone or chocolate brown, you need sunscreen.

Just like sunscreen protects the rest of your skin, a lip balm with SPF protection blocks out the sun and locks in moisture for your lips. There’s a lot to do when the weather is right: family picnics, endless hours on the golf course, or lounging in your backyard hammock. Unfortunately, too much fun in the sun can be dangerous. Excessive heat exposure can cause dehydration, which in turn can cause dangerous conditions such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. No matter what your plans are, combating the toll of the heat and sun on your body will keep you healthy and active.

When you need A-list threads but don't want to spend...

 EVER notice how important events which require killer threads always come up when you’ve got nothing in your wallet? It happened to me just last week when I had the attend the National Journalism And Media Awards in Harare. I wasn’t prepared to spend any money neither did I have anything worthy of the event in my wardrobe. Well, I thought I didn’t. It wasn’t even month-end yet, my hair wasn’t due for another two weeks! Just as well I’d done my nails the week before.

On top of not having anything special to wear, I didn’t have the time to find something decent on a budget. I pretty much had 24 hours to figure it out. Of course I panicked a little; I needed to think carefully about the look I wanted and how I was going to do it with no money in my wallet. My first instinct was to decide, which among the pairs of shoes I already own, would do the trick. Of course there were quite a few options to consider so I really wasn’t about to buy a new pair of shoes! We all have those couple of pairs which swing a million ways – to work, church, the club – pretty much anyway that requires A-list game.

So I decided I’d wear the gold heels – they’d be perfect for an evening do, I thought. With that figured out, the next thing was to decide what goes well with gold. And that’s easy – black! I needed to get myself a black dress. I already had one in my wardrobe but its pencil and sleeveless – it wasn’t exactly what I wanted. I needed to look all shades of classy and not worry about whether or not the dress was too tight or showing too much skin. I was going to be meeting one of the country’s Vice President after all; surely I had to smash it!

Lace is elegant and I knew no other material would spell class as well as lace would. I pulled out a picture from the Internet and sent it to my sister who would show it to her trusted tailor. The tailor, Cathy, would sew me the dress overnight and have it ready for fitting the following morning, when I arrived in Harare. The event was starting at 6.30pm on the day I was arriving in Harare and fitting the dress. This was one of the biggest fashion risks I’ve ever taken in my life! I really wouldn’t recommend anyone to do the same. 

It’s nerve wrecking and there’s always the possibility that your vision won’t come to life. I took the risk anyway but me being me, I’d packed an emergency dress – in case Cathy disappointed me. I’d settled for a round neck dress with a lace bodice, three-quarter lace sleeves and a tulle skirt.

Tulle is a hot fashion trend right now – I thought it would bring some funk to the look. Plus, it fits loosely on the body; I wouldn’t worry about who’s looking at my booty. The lace bodice would be the focus of the dress with the difference between the two fabric textures drawing attention to the waist area where they join. The dress cost me – wait for it, $39! A similar dress would’ve cost me between $150 and $600 had I thought of myself as high and mighty and walked into some clothing shop to buy a dress.

That would’ve been such an unnecessary expense, considering there was a cheaper option available. I know a lot of women do this but never get yourself into debt just for a fashion piece – look at what you already have or other equally good options which are within your means. So, I’d accessorise the dress with a pair of gold earrings and a gold big-face watch, which I already owned. I went for the most simple of hairstyles. For $10, I had my hair in a bun – to show off my jewellery, face and that lace bodice I wanted so much.  Of course I needed some elaborate make-up – I got a friend to do that for me – for free!That was some $30 saved.

We all have that one useful friend, make use of them already. With everything having come together well, thankfully – I looked like a million bucks, if I may say so myself. Understand that you don’t have to always part with your hard earned cash to look good. For your next event, look around you and open your eyes to the gems you already have in your wardrobe. You’ll be surprised what magic you can work without spending a cent.

Keep your lips kissable...

NOTHING is as irritating as dry flaky lips that make you look like you haven’t had a decent meal in days. It gets even more annoying when you want to apply lipstick on them. It just won’t go on right – it’ll be crumbly and definitely nothing close to sexy. Peeling lips combined with lip gloss or lipstick actually look like dirt – it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that something is not right. There’s need to take better care of your lips if you’re going to get a better pout out of them.

Think of your lips as a sponge – when exposed to moisture, they absorb water and plump up but when dehydrated, they dry out and shrink. And, because they’re always exposed, they’re prone to dehydration. I recently read that the skin on the lips is also unlike skin anywhere else on the body – its thinner and has no oil glands which act as a barrier for skin, helping to protect it from the elements. The result can chapped lips that couldn’t hold lipstick colour even if you spray-painted it on.

With a little loving care, your lips can be perfect in no time. Take a water bottle with you wherever you go. Drinking enough water – the equivalent of at least 8 glasses of fluids daily – will keep the body, skin and lips hydrated. Licking your lips damages the protective barrier, which can dry out the lips. Saliva contains digestive enzymes that can break down this barrier. Instead, regularly apply lip balm.

Know thy balms. Look for hydrating ingredients like beeswax, shea butter, vitamin E and almond, jojoba or coconut oils. Good old petroleum jelly works well too. If you have sensitive skin, use camphor-based medicated lip balms sparingly – they can be irritating on the skin. Exfoliate when necessary. Weird, I know but lip exfoliators slough off dead skin much like the ones you’d use on your face. But if you have sensitive skin or your lips are severely chapped or cracked, use these products cautiously as they contain acids that can irritate skin.

Lips are susceptible to sunburn since they lack melanin, the pigment that helps shield skin from the sun. Apply a layer of a sun-protective product daily with a reasonable SPF of about 15. These are found in pharmacies and departmental stores with cosmetic sections such as Edgars, Truworths and so forth. Don’t make matte forever. Matte lipsticks can be extremely drying –which helps these lipsticks stay put for so long. That’s why you should use them sparingly when your lips are extremely chapped.

Instead, alternate them with hydrating lipsticks as indicated by ingredients such as vitamin E and glycerin or add a layer of moisturising lip balm underneath. Opt for the non-matte, hydrating lipstick with primrose oil and vitamin E. To plump up your pout, use lip liner in a shade slightly darker than your lips, apply the lipstick, and then in the center of your lips, blend in a drop of foundation and top it off with a gloss. Always try to treat your lips right.

Peeling lips could be an allergic reaction to a lipstick, toothpaste, food, beverage, or medication you’re taking. It may be difficult to trace the source of the problem but always try to take note of any new food or products you try. Wrinkles around the lips are caused by sun exposure, age, and smoking. These wrinkles should be treated like wrinkles on the rest of the face, with chemical peels and creams that contain anti-aging ingredients such as retinol. Maybelline has good products that you can use to help keep your lips plump and healthy. Try avoiding, cheap, fake products which will cause your lips to peel.

Clinique is also a great product especially products with green tea extract, vitamin E and salicylic acid. Revlon, Clarins and Elizabeth Arden also have good ranges. It may seem odd or unnecessary but before you buy any product, always read the packaging to see what went into it.

“Sunglasses indoors is 80s swag”

MY mornings are very thoughtful. I think about a lot of random things and make most important decisions in the morning, for some reason. As I was going through my regular morning routine the other day, I just wondered why people think it’s cool to wear sunglasses indoors or at night. The thoughts were triggered by a conversation we’d had the previous day – of course we’d agreed sunglasses indoors are unacceptable. But out of interest sake, I asked my brother whether or not he thought wearing sunglasses indoors; particularly at the club is a thing. I got a surprisingly passionate response! He even logged us onto Google to validate his assertions. 

Apparently, since the first mass-produced sunglasses were sold in Atlantic City, in the United States, by Sam Foster 85 years ago, darkened spectacles have been widely considered stylish. In the early days, wearing sunglasses was a privilege limited to explorers, military heroes, and celebrities. They’re considered the early 80s idea of sophistication. And now, someone wearing a good pair of sunglasses does seem sophisticated – they appear somewhat hotter. Even when the sunglasses are hung on the front of their shirt or blouse or perched on the crown of their head – they just look more fashion savvy. It’s a great accessory, that’s unquestionable. I recently got my first designer sunglasses by Marc Jacobs and I absolutely love them. They’ve mirrored lenses, which are trending right now.

Sunglasses make people look more attractive for a whole variety of reasons. They are a tease – they invite someone looking at you to speculate, to think about what might be going on underneath them. Are you looking back at them? They can’t tell. That means you might be looking right at them, or you might be totally uninterested in them. They also cover up the emotional expression of the eyes, which makes a person look less anxious, less care-worn and less needy. Now, of course, even children wear them for different reasons such as eye health. Sunglasses do more than “dim” the light on sunny days.  The primary reason anyone should wear sunglasses is to protect one’s eyes from harmful UV light.   

UV light is damaging us on cloudy days and even more so on sunny days.

Polarised lenses that are used in most “good” sunglasses allow the user to see clearly even when it may not be very bright outside. People wear sunglasses when they are hung-over or when they’ve been crying. They wear them so they can stare at hot men or women in them without being noticed. Sometimes it’s because they didn’t notice it wasn’t quite as sunny as the previous day and are wearing them out of habit. The reason could be as simple as them thinking they look good in them. The problem, for me, and many other like-minded people is when sunglasses are worn indoors, especially at night – at the club or anywhere else.

I personally think it’s absurd – why are you wearing sunglasses where the sun doesn’t shine? But my brother thinks I don’t know the half of it. Sunglasses, especially at the club are a thing, he says. They “complete” a look and make you look fresher than fresh. He says sunglasses have a way of bringing the pizazz to any outfit. I agree, but must they REALLY be worn indoors? Apparently lots of celebrities do it. The likes of Lady Gaga, Victoria Beckham and Kanye West each rock tinted eyewear in all conditions. Only they know why they do it. Maybe it’s to evade camera flashes from paparazzi. But who’s flocking to take pictures of you?