It takes a certain kind of man…

OUT of interest, I asked a friend if he owned a pink shirt. He didn’t, he said. I asked why and his response was two-fold. First, he said his complexion wouldn’t go quite well with pink and secondly, he said pink was for rich men. He said “it took a certain kind of man” to wear a pink shirt and look good in it. I argued that the likes of rapper Desmond “Stunner” Chideme and Zimbabwe Style Icon Craig Zoowie effortlessly rock pink shirts but neither of them are light skinned per se. I wouldn’t know about either their bank balances but don’t crucify me for saying they probably don’t sign off millions at a time.

My friend’s argument was baseless, I thought. He probably just didn’t like pink and would feed his mind with all sorts of theories about why a pink shirt wouldn’t be any good. Pink is a good colour which transcends both genders pretty well. You certainly don’t have to be rich to wear pink. Maybe your complexion counts but not so much. Pink is one of those colours which will make a woman look at a man twice, just to see if he wore it right. So it does matter what you’ll pair your pink shirt with and what shade of pink it is.

Blush pink is obviously more luxurious than ceres or hot pink. Hot pink could actually be beyond hideous on a dark skinned person – it would become somewhat the battle of the colours –blue-black complexion against a hot pink. To be safe, I’d say go for a more subtle pink, something that would be easy on the eye.You could pair the pink shirt with a number of basic pieces. For instance, a navy blue blazer over a pink shirt and khaki chinos with brown shoes and a matching brown belt would be a smooth business casual look.

A pocket-square would be an excellent addition to the look – women like men who pay attention to detail. A pink shirt would also work pretty well with a black, grey or navy blue suit and a matching tie. With a black suit, black shoes are more ideal while navy blue and grey could swing quite easily with brown shoes. The secret lies in always making sure the shoes and the belt match. This creates a sense of cohesion and obviously looks neater.Pink is such a delicate colour that if handled well, would give you a super clean look.

I see a lot of men pairing their pink with brown and sometimes baby blue. Now, that takes a certain kind of man to pull off! You’d need apples of steel and your confidence levels would have to be at 100, almost bordering on arrogant to do two bright colours at once. But this isn’t quite your everyday look. It would work for a wedding or when the invitation card says “Dress To Impress”.

I saw a picture of a man in a black and white plaid suit with a white shirt, a navy blue tie and a matching pocket-square and was convinced it truly takes a certain kind of man to pull off certain clothing items, a pink shirt included. The man has to be clean and well-groomed. He has to pay delicate attention to detail. The man has to carry some aura, the kind that would leave you convinced he has a seven figure bank balance, even if he doesn’t.

Rule #1: Never wear white to a wedding

Source:Online

AS wedding season approaches, please don’t be the girl who tries to upstage the bride by showing up in a white dress. If you don’t already know this, age-old wedding etiquette doesn’t allow you to wear white to a wedding – unless if you’re the one getting married. It’s pretty simple the way I see it. It’s her day, not yours. It’s probably the only day she’ll ever look as flawlessly beautiful, be the centre of attraction and you go ahead and spoil that for her! Come one now, don’t be the party pooper – the bride probably spent most of her life dreaming about this day, she spent months planning for it and maybe a fortune paying for it then you spoil her day by showing up in a white dress.

The bride should get to stand out on her wedding day, and one of the ways she does this is by being the only one wearing white. Let the big day be about the guest of honour – the bride – and save your white dress for a special occasion that doesn’t involve vows. The only exception – the only one – is if the bride and groom specifically request that their guests wear white. Only then can it be acceptable for you to wear white. You may argue that the cut of the dress is nothing close to what a wedding dress would look like but you could be the only one who may think so. For the avoidance of stepping on any toes, try by all means to stay clear of wearing white.Of course you can wear something with white accents but don’t get carried away and let your dress steal the bride’s thunder.

 

Source:Jason Porshe

Think of the royal blues, red, yellow, olive, peach, black or even African print, which is a great way of achieving a dramatic but classy look you can take to a wedding. There’s so much to do with African print material – if you plan your look in good time, you’ll be the best dressed guest to ever walk the face of the earth. Jumpsuits have recently become acceptable wedding attire although they’re really not a personal favourite. I just think dresses are the easiest way to look classy. Depending on your body type and what generally tickles your fancy, go for a dress that will show off your legs or your upper torso – not both at the same time. If it’s going to be a maxi dress, bring some sexy back with a flattering bodice and if you’re showing off some leg, go for a more covered up bodice. This way, you create the perfect silhouette and won’t seem like you’re trying too hard. If you can avoid it, don’t wear jeans to a wedding. Weddings are for girly dresses and pretty shoes. Shorts are a definite no-no; you really don’t need me to tell you that!  

 
Stay clear of T-shirts and flip flops, please. Men are the biggest culprits when it comes to showing up for weddings in T-shirts and jeans. We know this is probably not your scene but at least look like you’re trying. You don’t even have to wear a tie – a decent suit, a crisp white shirt and a pocket square will do the trick. This is assuming you have a decent pair of formal shoes and belt. If you’re not into the suit look, a pair of chinos and a good shirt will do. You could go the easy road by wearing a black shirt on black pants and black shoes then throw on a blazer. The blazer could be as elaborate as you would like – to brighten up the all-black affair. Depending on how romantic you are – you and your better half could wear coordinated outfits. Your dress could pick up on some elements of his outfit. For example, if your man is in a royal blue suit, brown shoes and a brown belt, you could wear a dress in the same shade of brown with a nude pair of shoes. I see a lot of people going the matching African-print outfits’ route. That’s also cool – anything to make sure you don’t wear a white dress!

Don’t deceive that brother with make-up!

BACK in varsity was a girl who wouldn’t step out of hostel without the right amount of make-up on. She would turn a lot of heads with her ever flawless face. We were jealous of her beauty and popularity and felt she didn’t deserve it – you know how quickly anything can become a competition in varsity. Most people had actually never seen her without make-up but she couldn’t fool us all. The haters were always lurking. We knew exactly what the “real her” looked like but we let her flourish.  I was reminded of this girl a few days ago when I saw a meme with a before and after of some woman who had had her make-up done to the nines. 

I could relate to the transformation – it was as though they were two different people. She had gone from zero to 100, it was unbelievable! But that really shouldn’t be the case. We’re all beautiful in unique ways and should embrace our individuality. Make-up is meant to enhance your facial features not deceive people by making yourself look like a completely different person. You wash your face and bam – there’s a whole new you – how mean is that? Of course your face and how you decide to “dress” it are an important aspect of your everyday life because it’s the first port of call when you come into contact with people. But when you decide to wear make-up, understand why you’re wearing it. It better not be to win over that brother because when the lights go on and your face is all washed up, things won’t be so cute when he discovers how you really look.

The goal should always be to look as natural as possible. We all have different skin tones and textures so our make-up needs are different. Before you start applying anything – ask yourself if you’re trying to cover up some acne, you’ve uneven skin tone or darkness around the eye – whatever the scenario, know your reasons for wearing make-up. They’re some people who don’t need foundation; just some concealer under the eye, around the nasal fold and a little bit of powder, lip gloss and mascara to lift the eye and it’s done. Concealer is used to brighten up the face and “conceal” certain dark patches which drag down the face.

Foundation should be applied only on the areas it’s needed. If you’re not wearing foundation to cover something, you’re wearing it to highlight. Your concealer and foundation should be the same pigment as your skin so that it blends well. Always be honest with yourself and get the right shade – nothing looks as hideous as a yellow bone looking face and charcoal hands and feet! The brow is a big one when it comes to doing the face. That’s when women’s different “drawing” abilities come out. Not everybody was born with a perfect brow so to enhance their features, a significant number of women try to mix it up a little but it doesn’t quite come out right between the tweezing and “drawing” them in. You need to see a professional who’ll understand your eyes and the shape of your brow in order to trim them well enough for you to be able to fill them in yourself.

 

Do tutorials if you have to. It’s actually not that difficult – I’m proud to say I’ve learnt to fill in my own brows and it takes me a few minutes to do my face. Make sure your brows don’t turn out blue-black. They should appear as natural as possible and you can achieve this by using an angling brush to fill in the brows as opposed to using the liner directly onto the brow. Mascara is important because it makes the eyes pop. Most of us have curly lashes, making it difficult to put in the mascara but instead of using the whole brush, just use the tip of the brush, from the inside going out.

If your eyes are really small, don’t wear liner under the eye because you’ll end up with dark circles. I’d just stay away from fake lashes if I were you – they’re hideous. Lip stains are a convenient way of keeping the lips plush. You apply the lip stain, lipstick over it and it’ll last the whole day. You could even wear the lip stain on its own and have your lips matified – if you don’t already have matte lipstick. There’s no prescribing what lip colour to wear – it’s a personality thing. Whether you go for a bright red or a nude lip is entirely up to you.

FASHION AND FOOTBALL

I’D be lying if I said I’ve ever watched a Liverpool Football Club match. Maybe I have and just can’t remember but I’m sure I’d know about Philippe Coutinho or Daniel Sturridge had I sat through an entire 90-minute Liverpool game. I own a Liverpool replica jersey with “Ma’Zebra 1” inscribed at the back and a cap straight from the Liverpool Store but until a few days ago, I didn’t know Sadio Mane was a new signing at the club. Before you’re quick to judge and think I’m out of my wits, understand that to me – red and white are just plain pretty. Of course I know they’re called the “Reds”, I know about the whole “You’ll Never Walk Alone” phrase just like I know Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba are quite a thing at Manchester United but that’s just about it.

I’m generally a sports fan and would watch literally any sport – live or on television but it’s really when Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil come to play that I’m in my element. We’ll scream and shout at the TV set when the Gunners are playing – like they can hear us – but what’s a game of football without catching some feelings. I don’t own a Liverpool jersey because I’m a staunch supporter of the team. And I know I’m not the only one. A significant number of women have the football jersey they do because that’s the team their partner supports, not necessarily because they know anything about the team, love it or watch it play. It could be because their significant half thought it would be cool to wear matching football jerseys on a date out at the dam, for a photo shoot somewhere or to the stadium.

Maybe it was because they thought it would be rich to have “Mai Sigauke” inscribed at the back of the jersey – just to declare their territory. But I got my Liverpool one because I just loved the red and white away jersey and thought it would look pretty cool with my white Converse All Stars and jeans on a sporty day out. I’m certain I’m not the only one out there who views football jerseys’ as purely a fashion statement and not necessarily a reflection of one’s allegiance to a particular team. Of course most would naturally get a jersey belonging to the team they support and reflect their loyalty to the team but let’s be honest; yellow is really not my colour. The Arsenal 2016-17 away shirt combines the main colour, yellow, with grey. Although their home kit is made up of the Gunners’ traditional red and white colours, stylistically speaking, it’s not my type of thread.

The Arsenal one is mostly red with white accents while the Liverpool jersey is white with red twangs. I made the Liverpool purchase because of the mostly white bit – I thought it would look all shades of classy. But even when a conflict between your preferred colours and those of the team you actually support clash doesn’t exist, take a minute to think about where and how you’re wearing your football jersey. For starters, do us all a favour and don’t wear it to a wedding, cocktail or a night out on the town.

Where’s your respect if you’re going to show up in football regalia at a place where you’re at the least bit expected to dress smartly. 

 
You’d just spoil the pictures – weddings, cocktails and date nights are for pretty dresses and trendy blazers, not clima-cool material. Even if you’re taking your jersey to the stadium – please don’t pair it with formal shoes – pretty pretty please! Formal shoes were never made for the pitch, and that you’d wear them with football regalia is just beyond! Also, forget about that skirt and jersey combination. That can’t honestly be an option; even I don’t wear skirts and T-shirts to sweep my back yard! A football jersey will do well with a pair of shorts or jeans and a decent pair of sneakers. I wish I could undo the checkered shorts trend because of the people who wear them with football jerseys! If it’s not denim, try khakhi, black or white. Keep your checkered shorts for a plain colour T-shirt – we don’t want you looking like a Christmas tree. You could get away with flip flops on a pair of shorts and a football jersey on a Sunday, but I wouldn’t take that combination anywhere else other than a chilled braai on my front lawn.