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Monday 22 September 2014

What to Wear to Zim’s Busy Fashion Week?

Zimbabwe’s busy fashion week runs from 20-28 September 2014, and social media is already a buzz with programmes, ticket prices and headlining shows. Fashionistas are getting excited and planning their calendar with what to wear and designers are busy wrapping up final touches to their garments and collections. Since New York Fashion Week 2014 was at the realm of the Fashion World in the past few weeks; with street style bloggers, magazines, trends, fashionistas accompanied by massive instagramming! It’s only natural to seek some inspiration from the World’s biggest fashion show and fashion party, to bring a little taste back home. We have run down top 4 trends to copy from New York Fashion Week (#NYFW) and bring them back home to Zim’s busy Fashion Week. These trends are simple, straightforward and good for your pocket. Fashion Week is essentially about expressing your style at an arena that combines all that exudes fashion lovers, designers, the creative, models and magazines. So make some new fashion rules and give a twist to the old ones!

Channel an Androgynous look a la J Crew
J Crew is a well-known fast fashion retail store in the USA that has affordable and ready to wear clothing for the modern trendy woman, BUT on a budget. This year’s Spring/Summer 2015 collection was a particular favourite because it was super cool, non-fussy and can be borrowed from your boyfriend (Gents included). J Crew’s collection was primarily based on casual clothing, with a new twist in boyfriend jeans, slouchy denim and quirky embellishments on a mini dress. How would you channel J Crew’s look in Zim Fashion you may ask? Take an old pair of denims and switch it up in court heels instead of flats or wear a normal office pencil skirt but with a graphic tee shirt and high heels. Embellishments are your sequins which are usually placed on glam-y evening gowns and cocktail dresses; J Crew gave them a twist by placing sequins on a casual shift dress that has pockets to match! So if you have a simple shift dress tucked away, then this is the time to upgrade it by adding your own sparkle with sequins and shiny buttons. PS – you can DIY this at home or get a very creative tailor to help you.























Do Ladylike like Diane Von Furstenberg and Stella Nolasco!
DVF is the epitome of fabulous women’s fashion with modern silhouettes to complement her recent S/S 2015 RTW collection. The biggest trend she gave us was Gingham, her signature wrap dresses in modern patterns and a lot of black and white. What the blog personally loved about DVF’s latest collection is the incorporation of gingham in her clothing. Gingham is a boxed design on material, usually found on kitchen towels and table mats (double check the cutlery when you walk into a home/kitchenware store). Stella Nolasco on the other hand was super feminine with much longer silhouettes in maxi dresses and light summer colours, which included whites, pink and blues. A personal blog favourite from Stella was a white maxi dress with leaf detail on the bust. How should you be inspired by DVF and Stella Nolasco’s collection for Zim’s FW? Wear WHITE or a lovely wrap dress to emulate DVF’S signature work. If maxis are your thing then go for it a la Stella Nolasco, because Fashion is really not limited when it comes to Fashion Week.

                      
Stella Nolasco's uber feminine collection, with long lengths and a wavy texture. Be inspired to accentuate your soft colours and florals for a feminine look this Zim fashion week.



Take it to the Streets and RUN WITH IT!
What’s fashion week without street fashion and street style bloggers right? Although Zim Fashion hasn’t fully bloomed in that sector yet, it’s still a great area of fashion to sought inspiration from since it could be your typical everyday look but with a quirky twist. Street style bloggers dress outside the norm and outside the box, so if you are a creative and bold character then bring out your best and loud looks to the streets of Zim’s Fashionable week.

Prints are a big trend and a wardrobe staple for any chic fashionista! Whether African, graphic, tie-dye or aztec - prints are here to stay.
If you are big on trends, then the thigh high slit is something you might wanna consider this busy fashion week. Get heads turning in a sassy thigh high slit dress or maxi skirt.
           
A clean quirkiness with the fringe blouse and bowler hat. And a fresh clean, ladylike finish on street fashion.

Play it safe with BLACK
Black is a timeless colour that works with just about anything. If you prefer a more demure but yet still chic-sophisticated route, then black is the safest bet for any ensemble. Take a black ensemble and wear it with brighter accessories; such as a gold clutch, red heels or a neon choker. Black looks to keep you stylish can be a little black dress with red heels OR head to toe black in black pants, black top and a sleek black blazer with a classy bun to finish.


Black is simple, chic and versatile. Perfect for both day and night, all you have to do is switch up your accessories.
Fashion Week only comes around once a year, and with this year’s edition is jam packed with several events, which could feel a bit daunting and overwhelming with the variety of show times, ticket prices and transport. With a line-up of shows to choose from, it is wise to plan, co-ordinate and budget your transport, show times, tickets and outfits – you don’t want to be caught wearing the same thing twice AND you don’t want to end up stranded at a midnight show so PLANNING is off the essence.

*Check out Tweet-A-Cab Harare for all your transportation needs, from one venue to the next or if you need an alternative route to travel back home safely!*

*Keep in mind that MOST of the shows are scheduled in the evening from 6pm and onwards, Fashion Collective Zimbabwe runs from 11am to 5.30pm*

 All the same, have fun, note down and share the best of what #ZimFashion has to offer on your Instagram!

Stay Gorgeous!

Tendai Sophia

IG @tendaitoscie

Photos sourced from:

1 comment:

  1. Superb fashion event!! All dresses are fantastic. I so want to arrange such fashion events. I have been getting professional training under supervision of a reputed local event planner and hopefully will be able to pull off things independently soon. I just love this work!

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