Gents, don’t just slap on a blazer!

Photo Credit:Henry Koffi

Not too long ago, the dancehall igwe, Winky D (real name Wallace Chirumiko), sang about “bhachi nejean”. He chanted, “usina bhachi nejean wakasara seTarino”. It was the in thing then, slapping on a blazer onto a pair of jeans. Looking back, there was one problem with this trend. Men were wearing any sort of jacket with any kind of jeans and thought they were slaying. In most instances, it was suit jackets over baggy jeans paired with a T-shirt even. The niggers were in too deep! As time went on, the “bhachi nejean” Winky D chanted about turned into different colour jackets which in most instances had embroidery on the back. The embroidery could have been of any motif – an eagle, lion, pretty much anything! Of course this was a big shift from the three-button oversized suit jackets which looked beyond weird but it still wasn’t quite coming together just right. The trend got perfected over time and more men started to get the hang of it. But some got carried away. They’ll slap on a blazer onto pretty much anything; even when it’s not necessary.

The blazer manufacturers have come right and started manufacturing cutting edge stuff but more and more men have become confused about what should go into a blazer look. There’s just so much on the market it has become increasingly difficult to determine what works and what doesn’t. A blazer is a definite must have but the cut will be determined by your body shape and height. Chubby cheeks wouldn’t look so handsome in a six-button blazer. It may add weight to your look as you try to keep it closed. Rather go for a two-button with a vent at the back. It will have a slimming effect and give you the perfect silhouette. If you don’t already own any, you want to have your first blazer in a neutral colour and then go adventurous as your collection grows. Start with the blacks, browns, navy blues, greys and then move over to the checkered and bolder colours. But if you’re charismatic – go for the bold colours and a single vent from the onset. Just remember not to wear it every other day. That’s the down side of elaborate pieces; they can’t be worn too often.

To pull off the blazer look well, invest in a crisp white shirt. Any woman worth her salt loves a man in a clean white shirt! And guess what; you won’t need to wear a tie on a crisp white shirt and classic blazer. All you’ll need is a well-fitted pair of chinos, the perfect belt, good shoes and you’re good to go. The blazer look can be taken to different occasions – day or night. The secret is in your accessories. For a polished evening look, wear your blazer with a pocket square and a lapel pin; those who know will appreciate your sense of style. Take it a notch higher and wear a bow tie or a cravat in a bold colour if you’re feeling a little fancy. The secret is making sure your blazer, shirt and pants hug your body perfectly. If you’re going to wear a brown belt, wear brown shoes and if it’s going to be black, let it be black waist and feet. Men generally don’t have much to accessorise with so the secret is getting maximum style from the few pieces you have. A watch is really nice to have.

It all comes together with a good fragrance. Nothing is as attractive as a man whose fragrance announces his presence. Many people don’t get this but investing in a good fragrance speaks volumes of your sense of style and how seriously you take your personal hygiene. Make sure it’s not harsh and it doesn’t harass the next person’s nostrils – the scent has to be nothing but salutary. No woman wants to sit next to a man who stinks or one whose fragrance is overpowering. It has to be just right. Ever met men whose fragrances linger after they’ve left? Now that’s hot!

Say no to $1 deals…

I WAS having my toe nails done at the salon the other day when a lady selling nail polish, lipstick, face powder, foundation and concealer came to my pedicurists work station to advertise her products. I was interested to see what she had because I’d been looking for red matte lipstick for a while now. I can’t seem to get the perfect shade of red so I haven’t settled for any quite yet. So as this lady was showing my pedicurist, Sammy, her products, she kept going on and on about how her stock had diminished and if Sammy didn’t pick anything – she would have to wait a long time until her next order. This woman’s products must be sought after, I thought to myself. Perhaps this was going to be my God-sent, the person who would have the perfect red matte lipstick for me.

I got the shock of my life when I asked how much the lipsticks cost to begin with. Wait for it. They cost $1! I honestly couldn’t believe it. Just $1 for lipstick! Call me corky but I’ve often part with not less than $20 for a good quality lipstick. And to think this lady was $19 cheaper was unbelievable! While I was still in a state of shock, some ladies in the salon had started going through the merchandise to see if there was anything they liked. Some literally horded lipstick upon nail polish upon face powder – I just couldn’t believe it! Of course this lady is trying to earn a decent living but please don’t complain about dry, chapped lips after using that $1 lipstick.

Stop complaining to your friends about regular break-outs on your face – they were not there when you were buying that $3 face powder. Of course buying a $100 product doesn’t guarantee that your skin won’t react to it but if it does, you’ll know exactly what went into the product and it’ll be easier to trace what you’re allergic to. Unlike these imitation $1 deals whose specifications are not clearly stated. God knows what chemicals you’re subjecting your skin to! No wonder why it’s hardly even-toned. Be very careful about the products you choose to apply on your skin. Be very specific. Choose brands that are dermatologically tested and make it a point to check the reverse label for what went into the product.

Try by all means to purchase your cosmetics from reputable dealers such as departmental stores, supermarkets or pharmacies. I know the $1 price tag can be tempting but think of the long term. Think about the investment you’re making by purchasing a genuine product of anything. It will do a better job at taking care of your face and lips than products that cost 99 percent cheaper than the original. If there’s anything I’ve learned over the years is to be extra careful with my skin. I realise that a moment of madness can cost me a couple of weeks of misery. Squeezing and nursing pimples is no fun. Trust me, I know. I’d rather apply Vaseline on my lips to keep them plump and moist instead of settling for a $1 lipstick that will deprive them of moisture, making them dry and flaky.

That’s the worst. Flaky lips are just unsightly. Women have varied reasons for wearing make-up and there’s really nothing wrong with that. Just don’t settle for cheap products that will degenerate your skin. Even when you go for the genuine products, never take your skin for granted. Don’t be lazy to wash your face after a day with make-up on. Don’t go to bed with it. If left on, make-up clogs your pores and causes blemishes. Be good to your skin and believe me, it will be good to you.

#NAMAzw The good..The bad..The ugly

Sandra Ndebele

 THERE must have been some dress code in line with a theme of some sort given out to people attending the National Arts and Merit Awards recently. That theme could’ve prompted the “outside the box” outfits I saw on the red carpet. Probably we’ve put so much pressure on celebrities to slay they end up trying too hard. But maybe we really have got nothing to do with this. Some celebrities just have poor dress sense and even when they consult a stylist, they really don’t know where to draw the line. While some brought their A-game to the red carpet, others completely blew it. I’m really glad renowned poet Albert Nyathi finally got the memo! Last year, he wore a pair of denims and a checkered shirt; really underwhelming to say the least. But this time around, Mr Nyathi went all out! He went in and he slayed! He even had a pocket-square and a label pin.

Mr Nyathi was dressed to the nines in a grey suit paired with a white shirt, navy blue waistcoat, tie, pocket square and lapel pin. I must hand it to him, he looked dapper than dapper! Another memorable outfit was by radio personality and Zimpapers Social Media manager Chief Koti. He kept it clean and simple in a black suit paired with white Converse All Stars. I thought that was sleek – pairing the suit with the chucks. It takes a certain kind of swag to be able to pull that off. Rumbidzai Takawira, better known as NewsBae also brought her game to the show. I loved how she kept it simple and chic in a black ball gown. She had her hair done in a bun, beautifully showing her face and bringing a purely elegant look to her outfit. Its songstress Nomathamsanqa “Nkwali” Mkhwananzi and dancer cum singer Sandra Ndebele I’m still wondering about.

From left, Iyasa director Nkululeko Dube, songstress Nkwali and poet Albert Nyathi

 Nkwali’s dress was beyond disastrous. It was apparently made by Bulawayo designer Yvette Ndaba but was a gun held to her head for her to wear it? Yvette is extremely talented and has taken her work to ramps in New York but she missed the mark completely this time around. There was no box – she went out of the box and destroyed the box completely with Nkwali’s dress. It was a mix of too many colours and ultimately made Nkwali look like some tropical island of some sort. The dress also had a hideous green flower at the waist which matched a green fascinator on her head. The white and yellow dress with a red and black print overlap did nothing for Nkwali’s figure. If anything, it drowned her to a point where the dress looked like it was hung on a coat hanger and her head just dangled over it. Trying to be different cost her quite a bit if you ask me! And then Sandra Ndebele rocked a white body-hugging jumpsuit. And the woman is endowed! She’s got flesh in all the right places. And didn’t she just flaunt what her mama gave her! I felt her outfit bordered on vulgar. She could’ve worn something more elegant and befitting for the event. 

A dress is always the safest option. Unless you’re Nkwali, it’s really difficult to mess up a dress! Being conscious of your body type and the message you want to put across about yourself is key if you’re going to smash the red carpet. If you’re thinking classy, pick a dress with an Empire waist that will give you the perfect silhouette. If your tummy still needs a few more sit-ups – try steer clear from body-hugging outfits and don’t be like comedian Samantha “Gonyeti” Kureya. She’s plus size and something loose fitting and flowing would’ve looked better on her. Instead, she chose to wrap herself up in stretch material and torture us with all her cellulite. I’m not model-slim myself but I know how far I can go with tight; not as far as Gonyeti took hers! There’s nothing wrong with being plus size, it’s just really important to understand your body shape and how best to dress it. Let’s not shock each other! 

A WALLET MAKES THE MAN

I DESPERATELY needed 50c the other day. Never mind what for but I didn’t have it and had to ask a friend. When I did, he took out his wallet and I haven’t fully recovered from the sight of it. The wallet was in tatters, literally, I couldn’t believe it.

I laughed so hard at the wallet and couldn’t believe the confidence he had to even bring it out! He definitely won’t be hearing the end of this anytime soon. Well, at least until he gets a new one. After I was done laughing at him, I asked why he hadn’t bought a new wallet and his answer was quite simple. He said while he needed a new one, he didn’t necessarily want one. The one he has quite perfectly still serves its purpose. He said a lot of men don’t really own wallets. They would just rather just shove their money directly into their pockets. I see this quite a lot actually. A lot of men would rather keep their driver’s license and bank cards in the glove compartment of their cars and shove their money directly into their pocket.

Apparently men don’t like how wallets make their pockets bulge. It’s not quite the pretty sight I must say. A thick wallet makes an asymmetrical bulge under your clothes.  It looks like some sort of tumor.  Not stylish. A heavy wallet in one jacket pocket makes the whole thing sit slightly lopsided.  Your shoulders will look uneven and a little hunched. Using the same thick wallet day in and day out will eventually create faded creases in whatever pocket you use, in the shape of the wallet, shortening your clothes’ lifespans. If it’s really overfilled you look bad when you pull it out, too.  There should never be fringes of tattered paper or badly-bent plastic cards sticking out when you produce your wallet in public. A wallet is not just nice to have but it’s also useful.

It shows that you’re organised and it would quite frankly make your life so much easier. You wouldn’t have the headache of where to keep your important and frequently used cards such as identification and banks cards. You also wouldn’t have to worry about losing track of your money or forgetting it in your pants pockets.

It will either get washed with your laundry or the lady that does your laundry will have a very good day when she finds it in your pocket that weekend. Wouldn’t it be nice to feel confident about getting money or anything else out of your wallet though? There are five things to look for when choosing a new wallet. The first thing to check is the quality of the leather. A lot of leather these days is sanded to remove imperfections and then coated in resin, which make it feel plastic. This is called top-grain and should be avoided. Instead, look for wallets made of full-grain leather. Full-grain has not been “corrected” making it stronger and more durable. Most important of all, it has more character because you can see each pore and crease that makes the leather unique. Next you should look at how the wallet is made. There are two main types of wallet construction: turned or cut edge. Cut edge is where the leather is cut and stitched together leaving the raw edge visible. The edge is usually coated in black resin but will eventually degrade and deteriorate. Turned edge is where the edge of the leather is thinned and then turned before being stitched in place.

Always buy a quality turned edge wallet. It’s important to check the craftsmanship that’s gone in to making a wallet. A good test is the width of the turnover and position of the stitching. A well-crafted wallet should have a narrow turnover with the stitching positioned centrally. A poorly crafted wallet will have a wider turnover, allowing a greater margin of error, and often crooked stitching. The corners are another key test of craftsmanship. When properly crafted, they are thinned down, pleated in to a rounded corner and then stitched in place. No cuts are made to the leather as it weakens the wallet as a whole. Any wallet with right-angled corners is a sure sign of poor craftsmanship. If you can see a diagonal cut then the wallet has been made on the cheap. Any quality wallet should have creases made by a hot iron alongside the turned edge stitching, on the credit card slots and the note dividers. It is purely aesthetic and accentuates the clean lines of the wallet, but it’s the kind of attention to detail usually missed or poorly executed on a badly crafted wallet.