Maybe Zodwa just doesn't like visible panty lines...

Zodwa Wabantu

It’s amazing how whether or not one woman steps out of the house wearing a panty has been on the national agenda. South African entertainer Zodwa Wabantu has been all over the news because the government doesn’t want her to perform panty-less at the ongoing Harare International Carnival.

 

I’ve been trying to think how she became so popular in the country to begin with and now we’re so worried about whether or not she wears panties. It must have been her appearance at Durban July, South Africa’s premium horse racing event that really got people talking.

She wore a red dress with slits running all the way up to her waist. The bulk of her legs were bare for everyone to see but it was one curious journalist, I assume, who brought our attention to her undergarments. There was no way she could’ve been wearing lingerie under that dress otherwise we would’ve seen the seams of the panties at least. Her biggest mistake was probably then blatantly saying she doesn’t wear underwear at all. 

 

I think her reason was that she doesn’t like it or something. But we’ve also never verified if indeed she doesn’t wear underwear. No one has ever seen for sure that she doesn’t. She just said she didn’t and people’s imaginations ran wild. I’ve seen a couple of her pictures and videos and to be honest, she’s just a woman living her life probably with French knickers on for all we know! 

Maybe it’s such a big deal whether or not she wears undergarments because she’s become a celebrity of sorts but women go panty-less all the time. I’m not one of them who could walk out of the house with no undergarments but it’s actually more common than we think. And it’s simply because someone doesn’t want visible panty lines. These can be really distracting and I honestly understand why one would want to get rid of the panties all together. 

Visible panty lines can kill your vibe and you really don’t want the whole world seeing what underwear you have on. I know there are seamless panties, G-strings and all sorts of underwear that can help eliminate visible panty lines but these don’t always work. Well, they may work but like me, maybe a G-string is not your thing. I’d rather walk around with visible panty lines than wear a G-string! Hey, don’t judge me – comfort over everything.

Just the other day, a friend of mine was complaining about how the material of her dress showed every crevice of her body. The dress was pretty but it needed some smart underwear to be flawless. So she decided to wear her pantyhose panty-less and guess what, no one would have ever known she wasn’t wearing panties unless she said it herself. 

The visible panty line struggle is real. Sometimes you don’t even realise its showing. But it’s no excuse; you absolutely need to make sure your bottom is seamless before you step out of the house. You could put together the perfect outfit but it’ll all be ruined when you realise that your panty lines are visible through your clothes. Even though it happens to every woman out there, you should aim to avoid them as often as you can. It’s not that hard to do, as long as you know what causes them.

You can avoid those pesky panty lines we all hate by buying seamless underwear. It helps wearing thicker fabrics with more texture which help mask whatever lumps and lines might be lurking underneath. You could try layering with tights or pantyhose. A thin pair of tights or pantyhose should smooth out any lines you might have and they won’t add any bulk to your look.

There’s a reason professional stylists use G-strings exclusively. They might not be as comfortable as good old granny panties but they work. G-strings are not as bad as long as they’re not too tight and they’re not peeping through your waistline from the back. That’s just the worst! If you’ve ever been on a commuter omnibus, you’ve come across a woman sitting in front of you with a peeping G-string.

It gets worse when she attempts to get off the kombi or make room for someone else to drop off. Make sure that person is never you by ensuring your G-string isn’t out there for everyone to see! If thongs just aren’t your thing, try boyshorts. They go under the butt cheek instead of cutting across it. A little lace is also good for making the lines less abrupt and not so noticeable. Just make sure it’s a flat lace so it doesn’t look lumpy under tight clothes.

You could also get shapewear, which are great for seamlessly smoothing everything out. Whatever your choice of outfit, save yourself and the people you’ll encounter some visible panty line drama!   

The comfort zone isn’t always safe

Rumbie Takawira (Photo Credit:Online)

We have a new Miss World Zimbabwe. Chiedza Mhosva was crowned queen and walked away with a cool $20,000 and a car from the glamorous pageant held in the capital last week. With an entrance charge of $300, the Miss World Zimbabwe pageant is nothing but glitz and glam. The who’s who of this country attend the pageant and so showing off A-list threads is a big part of the event. People go out of their way to slay, you know, show off their financial muscle. 

Those who’re not really into fashion and wouldn’t ordinarily go the extra mile to look good don’t have a choice. The organisers of this event don’t allow anyone not dressed to meet the prescribed dress code into the venue. I’d say that’s extra but standards are standards. They want excellence, we’ve got to oblige. But one of the things that bothered me about the pageant was the look chosen by the host of the night, Rumbidzayi “Newsbae” Takawira. She wore a black dress with a fitted v-neck bodice and a tutu skirt. Rumbie wore her hair down and paired the look with black heels. She’s beautiful, she has a figure to die for but quite frankly she looked rather ordinary in that black number. 

It didn’t help that she didn’t have any outfit changes during the four-hour show. It was all the more terrible that she hosted the event solo. It eventually got boring seeing her in that black dress. I get what she was trying to do, I really do. Black is safe. It’s easy to dress and you’d really have to have a terrible sense of style to mess up a black number. But for Rumbie, who’s largely considered as a media personality, black was probably not the best pick for her. Especially considering that she wore a black gown to the National Arts and Merit Awards earlier in the year. 

No, we haven’t forgotten about that. It would seem she’s not confident enough to try new things, which I doubt very much. With her stunner looks, she could probably pull off any colour! She’s just too snug in her comfort zone and that’s not a good thing. Rumbie got me thinking that there’re quite a lot of us who’re hung up on certain colours. We’ve filled our wardrobes with clothing items of largely the same colour because they are safe. How about go out of your comfort zone a little bit because in fashion world, your comfort zone is not always a safe place to be. 

I’m not saying wear a yellow suit with orange suit like it’s nothing. How about you spice up your usual blacks with a little colour? Instead of your usual black and white combo, why not throw in a red or yellow pair of heels. I do this all the time. I don’t get to wear vibrant colours every other day but I like to throw in a bit of colour to spice things up a little. Your work set up probably doesn’t allow freedom with colour but instead of your usual nude lip gloss, why not try a bright red lipstick. 

On your next shopping trip, instead of buying another navy blue dress, why not buy a floral or polka dot one. This is how you grow your wardrobe. When you’ve accumulated the basics; a little black number, a white shirt, a black blazer, blue jeans and a black skirt – try the more elaborate pieces to spice things up a little bit. Then we’ll know you’re not boring and will definitely consider you as one fashion savvy chicca. Try it and see the reviews you’ll get. You can thank me later.

High Teas And The Fascinator Glam

I’VE been invited to attend a High Tea next Saturday.

The invitation said to wear my prettiest dress, killer heels and a glamorous fascinator. I’ve never been to one of these but from what I’ve seen from different social media platforms, High Teas are all about the glitz and the glam. They’re all about embracing femininity and looking pretty. And nothing says “womanly” like a pretty dress and heels. But, my first problem is that I don’t own a fascinator. I’ve never worn one let alone own one but I’m told they cost about $15 for a basic one and the price goes up as you go for something fancier. 

If you’re lost, a fascinator is a headpiece, a style of hat. They come in lots of different colours and I’ve noticed how many women like to match them with their shoes and bags. It’s the right thing to do actually. Problem number two is that I don’t have a High Tea pretty dress. Well, I’ve got a black number but I’m not quite convinced this will work. It could, with a red fascinator and matching shoes but it seems the British are a little more elaborate than that. I’m thinking maybe floral, polka dot or a pattern of some sort and then pick out one dominant colour for the fascinator and shoes. This would surely say glam! 

Of course going elaborate could go either way but I think every woman has the right to try out more feminine pieces aside from the subtle black, navy blues and greys. In case you’re wondering, in Britain, the drinking of tea not only became a social event for the upper classes, it altered the time and manner in which they took tea. Afternoon Tea became the bridge between meals because many wouldn’t eat their evening meal until maybe 8PM. As such, Afternoon Tea became a “mini meal” in itself. This was all well and good for the upper classes, but the working classes ran to a different schedule and a different budget. 

Tea was still quite expensive at the time and the working classes could not afford to waste it on anything other than necessities. A wearied factory worker wouldn’t arrive home until 6PM, and when he did, he was famished! So, in the industrial areas of the United Kingdom (northern England and southern Scotland), the working classes evening meal evolved and became “High Tea”. English High Tea usually involved a mug of tea, bread, vegetables, cheese and occasionally meat. Variations on High Tea could include the addition of pies, potatoes and crackers.

 

So, while Afternoon Tea was largely a social event for their upper class counterparts, High Tea was a necessary meal in the 18th and 19th centuries. This traditional High Tea still exists in some parts of the North and Scotland. So, what else can you wear to this fancy meal? You can still have fun with bold prints and bright colours, but maybe keep the shape and style of your frock more traditional. A High Tea is a fun, feminine way to spend your afternoon, so even if you’re not normally a girly-girl, an invitation to a High Tea gives you an excuse to bring out the inner “lady”.

 

Be sure your dress is not too short or too revealing. If you choose to wear pants, a nice blouse with a simple cardigan would work well. Avoid wearing T-shirts, ripped jeans and shorts. Avoid wearing flip-flops, open-toed sandals or running shoes. Where these might be perfectly acceptable in other informal meal situations, general conventions and sensibilities dictate that these are inappropriate for functions that aren’t taking place on a beach or at the gym. For High Tea, women should wear flats or heels.

Whatever you decide to wear, be sure your outfit is clean and free of any stains or wrinkles. Where some may overlook a creased skirt or a cardigan missing a button, these things can be interpreted as poor etiquette to those who attend such events. Be sure your outfit is neatly put together and your accessories are not too loud. For most such gatherings, conservative outfits with tasteful accessories are appropriate to wear.

Too old for make-up? Never!

Photo Credit: Online

 I was at the airport to see my brother off the other day. Just as I was saying my final goodbyes, two ladies, probably in their 50s stood at the entrance of the international departures section. I couldn’t help overhearing one of them saying working for the National Handling Service for 31 years was no joke so my assumption that they could be in their 50s is not far-fetched. Of course I was listening to what my brother was saying and also still trying to get him to leave me a few Benjamin’s but I couldn’t help staring at these women. One of them had on bright red lipstick, blush, shimmer, eye liner, eye shadow and her face was set quite nicely with foundation.

I was way out of my wits. I couldn’t believe it. Even I don’t wear that much make-up and I’m not even 30 yet! So the lady stood there, talking to her colleague who also had her face done to the nines. The eyebrows were on fleek and I’m pretty sure they also had some mascara on. These women were looking fresher than fresh. But why wouldn’t they? I mean, there’re no rules about older women not being allowed to wear make-up. I was reminded of my mother’s aunt, who’s my grandmother. She’s probably in her late 70s but still rocks red lipstick like a boss lady. Aunty Susan, as we all call her, still has her swag in check although she has several grandchildren now.

She never leaves the house without her red lipstick and eyeliner, even if it’s to attend a funeral in the rural areas. She’ll even show up in pantyhose and heels – you can never be ready! So I looked at those women working at the airport and thought this should be me one day. Aging is unavoidable but I may as well age gracefully. We sometimes put up unnecessary restrictions for ourselves. Tell ourselves because we’ve reached a certain age we can’t wear or do certain things. Of course you can’t go wild and be a granny walking around the house in bum shorts but surely a little make-up and a few hip clothes wouldn’t hurt anybody. Everyone deserves to look and feel good.

The secret is in ensuring you remain age appropriate. The airport ladies wore their elaborate make-up with skirts below the knees, shirts and branded cardigans and I’m pretty sure they still dress decently even when they’re outside work. That’s really all that matters. If you’re going to hold on to your make-up for a few more years to come, make sure you maintain good personal hygiene practices and take good care of your skin. Don’t use the same towel on your face as the rest of your body. In fact, don’t use a towel at all on your face. It’s bizarre, I know. It took me a while to adjust but I’m enjoying the benefits now. The reason why your body towel shouldn’t go onto your face is pretty simple. Towels retain some bacteria after washes so you don’t want to take the bacteria on the rest of the body to your face. Secondly, the soap you use on your body is probably harsher than what you use on your face.

Again, because towels don’t wash as clean as we think they do, the two products mix on the towel and clash, which may cause an allergic reaction to your skin. It may seem unnecessary to mention but always wash your face first before the rest of the body, when the water is still clean and untainted by other products, unless if you’re using a shower.

Find a good scrub that will help clean your skin further. It’ll take away the extra oils and unclog your pores. Clogged pores cause pimples and black heads. At least twice a week, make sure you scrub your skin gently. Because my skin is on the sensitive side, I prefer using a mixture of mealie-meal and water as a scrub, it works just fine! NEVER go to bed with make-up on because make-up is dirt. If left on, it clogs your pores and may cause you skin problems.