#BAAzw is rolling out a red carpet…what are you wearing?

THERE’S been so much hype around the Bulawayo Arts Awards I can’t say I’m not excited. The organisers of this inaugural event say they’re rolling out a red carpet – that makes me even more excited. Come June 30, I know I’m going to see lots of gorgeous gowns and dapper suits. Of course I’m ready to see a jumpsuit or two, maybe a bandana and sneakers as well. There’s just no telling what people will wear to the City Hall on this day. I can’t say I know for sure what I’m going to wear yet. I’m still battling with a few ideas.

I thought I’d wear a short dress with a tutu skirt and an embellished or African print bodice. But one fashion designer I consulted said that wouldn’t work. I needed something that would give me height because I’m short. I wasn’t exactly sure what this meant but she said a short dress would make me look even shorter. She instead suggested I wore a gown that would accentuate my figure. Apparently my figure is a tailor’s dream – I had no idea! Instead, I’ve been trying different diets so I can shed a little weight. I’m no longer doing that, the tailor said my figure was lit and that’s final!

Anyway, I think I’ll flaunt the figure and wear something that will highlight all the perfect spots. But, what are you going to wear?It’s a black tie event, there’s going to be a red carpet, you can’t afford to wear a “two-piece” suit. You also can’t wear jeans and a checkered shirt. Think class. Think elegance. Think chic. Black is always a great colour to work with. It’s safe yet so rich. Black is easy to accessorise, and trust me – you may not need to buy any new accessories to work a black dress.

Understand that you don’t have to always part with your hard earned cash to look good. Look around you and open your eyes to the gems you already have in your wardrobe. Make them your inspiration for the rest of your look even.

You’ll be surprised what magic you can work without spending a cent.I love African print material but I’m not sure it would be a great fabric for the red carpet unless it’s used to accentuate a different type of fabric. Colour blocking was quite popular at the recently held South African Music Awards but this is always a great risk. 

You have to be really sure about your colour combinations and ensure they don’t come across as a random unification of colours. Personally, this is a risk I wouldn’t want to take. 

Navy blue, red, white and purple are great colours for any evening do. Metallic shoes – gold or silver are also awesome for such events. For me, a dark coloured suit would be the perfect choice for any guy who takes themselves seriously. It would really be pushing it asking Bulawayo men to wear a black suit with a white shirt and a black bowtie – because that’s what a black tie event demands – but at least wear a well-fitted suit and be appropriate for the event.

Anyone who decides to wear a blazer and asks what shirt to wear it with – I always recommend a white one. Anything works over a white shirt, whatever the tone of your skin. You may feel white is overdone but believe me – it’ll save you a whole lot of mishap. The sentiment is unisex. Your white shirt or blouse will go with whatever you want it to. It could be a pair of formal pants, dark or light wash denim jeans, African print, java – practically anything! I’ve noticed some men prefer black shirts over white ones to evening events.

That works well if you’re Leroy Gopal or DJ Napstar fashion savvy. A black shirt and black blazer combination will require accessories like a pocket square, lapel pin and a bow tie with a young chain to add some detail to the whole ensemble. You’ll also need to be one bold man to pull it off – black draws more attention to the pieces accompanying the suit than the suit itself. A few puffs of your favourite fragrance will certainly tie everything together perfectly. When you smell great, you’re automatically more attractive, trust me.

Who gets to wear a jumpsuit?

For some reason, I’ve never really been a fan of jumpsuits. They’re just one fashion trend I never cared much for. At one point, every Jane and Jill was in a jumpsuit but I just didn’t budge. Maybe it was because of the bathroom unfriendliness of jumpsuits I heard other women complaining about. Apparently, when you’re in a jumpsuit and need to visit the ladies room, everything has to come off. That alone just seems like too much admin. Maybe, I just wasn’t into the idea of how a jumpsuit doesn’t give you much room to flaunt a perfect silhouette.

You’ve got to have a body that looks something close to Boity Thulo or Minnie Dhlamini’s to pull off a jumpsuit. And I’m not quite there yet. Probably a couple more visits to the gym or a Banting diet could do the trick! Anyway, I think not everyone gets to wear a jumpsuit. I see the Sissy Boy jumpsuit range keeps growing rapidly incorporating stretch denim and leatherette jumpsuits. It’s tempting. Jumpsuits are now even coming in spandex with African print material trimmings like what the Khosi Nkosi brand is doing. But tempting as it may be, they’re great to look at on size 8 girls and model slim chiccas. I can’t say the same if you’re one of those gifted women. You’ve got flesh in all the right places.

Bootilicious, sexy boobs and shapely hips just look a little vulgar in a jumpsuit – especially if the jumpsuit is made from spandex or thin material. I really don’t think we should be seeing all your body’s lumps and bumps. We aren’t showing off our cellulite, why should you! Of course, this doesn’t really deter some. You’ll still find plus size women in jumpsuits. They’re backside protruding from one end and the boobs spilling over on the other end. 

And if they don’t quite have a flat tummy – disaster! It’s just too much to look at when you go mfamfamfa in a jumpsuit. To me, all grace and class is lost. Being proud of your body size doesn’t mean you’re confident enough to wear whatever you want. It simply means you appreciate your body size and know exactly what would look good on it. They’re countless fashion trends out there, the jumpsuit one just might not be for you. But, if you insist this is your thing. If from the bottom of your heart you feel you can’t sleep well at night without knowing you own a jumpsuit or two, at least think carefully about the jumpsuits you go for.

Firstly, think about the fabric of the jumpsuit. It shouldn’t be so thin to the point that it shows us all the crevices on your body. Go for a thicker material like cotton. This will smooth everything out. Alternatively, invest in seamless tights or tummy trainers. These will help create a flawless silhouette.

If you’re a little on the chubby side, avoid jumpsuits with pockets or pleats on the front. You want to go for something that’s easy on the eye. The less the detail; the better. You’ll obviously need a jumpsuit with a zip on the side and not the back. Imagine how much of a burden you’d be to others whenever you need to wear or remove your jumpsuit. 

You really can’t be enslaved by a piece of clothing in that manner. If your jumpsuit is too long for one reason or the other, please make an effort to get a tailor to size it for you and sew on a neat hem. Nothing irritates me like pants that gather at the ankles. If you’re not going to turn them up or in, chop the extra fabric off! Besides, when your hems are perfectly fitted, your shoes have the opportunity to shine. It would be such a pity wearing a pretty pair of shoes and have them hidden by excess fabric. It would be really sad. If it helps, there’s absolutely no harm in pairing your jumpsuit with a blazer. A blazer always gives a sleek finish to any look.        

Now that winter is here...

I DON’T quite feel like I’m slaying enough! Dressing up every morning has become taxing. I literally get out of the shower, stand in front of my wardrobe and stare at my clothes for a while before I figure out what to wear. It suddenly seems like my clothes are not good enough. The temperatures keep dropping and it’s not just about a pretty blouse and a basic skirt anymore. A girl has got to stay warm! Well, and look good in the process. I have to think about which coat to wear with what shoes and scarf. If it’s going to be a skirt, I have to think about stockings and if they’re pants, will my feet be warm enough in my shoes. I sometimes find myself wearing the same coat a couple of times before it makes its way to the laundry. Don’t judge; we all do that. I mean, there’s not always enough sun to dry out heavy fabric.

It has been generally cold although it gets a little warm later in the day so sometimes a coat doesn’t cut it. On other days, I may need the coat in the morning and later in the evening so whatever goes under the coat must be lit. There’s nothing as depressing as having to keep a coat on because you wore an unsightly T-shirt under it. I’ve started using my iPhone’s weather application to gauge the temperature. It’s a little cheesy, I know, but I do check for temperature highs and lows every day. For example, if the high for the day does not exceed 20 degrees Celsius, I know it’s going to be a pretty cold day so I snuggle up in something heavy. But, it the high is over 20 degrees Celsius, the afternoon will be quite warm so I wear a lighter jacket or jersey. I make sure I wear pieces that I can comfortably separate and still look good in.

Never make the mistake of applying your fragrance onto your coat, jacket or jersey.

Because these are not necessarily washed as they’re worn, they’ll reek of alcohol. Nothing smells as bad as old perfume. The fragrance settles onto the fibres of your clothes and doesn’t mix with the chemistry of your body. Invest instead in a good roll and apply your fragrance directly onto your skin as you would during summer.Because of the fragrances’ chemistry with your body, it’ll still come through perfectly well.  Avoid wearing sleeveless pieces underneath your coats and jerseys. You do sweat a little during winter. Once you sweat directly onto your coat or jersey, it’ll be difficult for you to wear it a second time without washing it first. Instead, wear cotton pieces with sleeves – cotton is an excellent absorbent. It’s important to maximise on protective hairstyles like braids when it’s cold.  

Besides them being easy to manage, they protect your natural hair from low temperatures. When it’s cold, your hair doesn’t hold moisture as well as it does when temperatures are warm. The moisture quickly diminishes leaving your hair hard, brittle and susceptible to breakage. That’s never a good thing. If anything, it’s stressful watching your hair fall off your head, onto your bathroom floor or comb. You may not necessarily like braids but have your hair plaited in one way or the other. Wigs could also do the trick. Do cornrows with your natural hair then slap on a wig whenever it pleases you. Having your hair covered up doesn’t mean you pay less attention to it.

You need to religiously oil your scalp and hairline. Doing so will keep it moisturised, protected and healthy. A healthy scalp will result in a healthy head of hair.

As you wash your face every day, the oils on your hairline are also washed away.

Make sure you apply some hair moisturiser onto your hairline every other day to replace these oils. Maybe you’re thinking the moisturiser will eventually cake and start looking like dirt. It won’t if you use an aqua-based hair moisturiser. This usually comes in liquid form so you can spray it onto your hair. A petroleum-based moisturiser will eventually cake and leave your hair dirty and smelly because you might not be washing it over at least six weeks. Petroleum-based moisturisers tend to make hair smell when it’s not washed regularly because they’re a bit on the heavy side.