NGOSIKADZI Wrap Dress Goes from Day to Night

I have been having a lot of fun styling the NGOSIKADZI dresses for the blog, and I’m even more certain that print dresses will be a big trend in Harare pretty soon (I have already spotted quite a few printed frocks, and I’m soo glad the trend is finally taking flight). This post focuses on the NGOSI wrap dress which was a huge highlight for me on Sunday (24 August 2014), as I took the dress from Day to Night; with two looks that I’m going to share in this post. And I will honestly say I was truly a highlight as everyone kept complementing the dress – a lovely feminine print if I must say so myself :).

Pretty in PINK

I love the colour pink, and I’m not ashamed to say I own a few pink pieces in my closet (check out Pink Nostalgia here). So when I had the “AHA” moment of styling this dress in pink, it was a visionary ‘Modern African Princess’ (this is the theme I was going for). I paired the frock with some of my favourite pieces, keeping in mind to match with the colours on the dress:

1. Pink blazer from Truworths Zimbabwe – this is my go-to blazer that doesn’t let me down and looks good with just about anything.

2. Pink head band from Bling Bling – Lost accessory but found right in time for this look.

3. Silver Bubble choker – great solid colour that works with just about anything, and adds a quirky/edgy pizazz to any look.

4. Zara Black tote – I personally think totes are great to carry anything and for an uber stylish feel; bonus points if it’s black because black is a neutral colour that blends in with anything.

5. Black pumps – since I took this look to church, pumps where the preferred shoe choice to keep it neat and polished for the church environment.

6. MrP Sunglasses – I don’t think any outfit is complete without sunglasses, and this particular pair is a go-to favourite, #BigAndBoldSunglasses.

You can't go wrong with Black accessories.

African Themed Wedding

Later in the day I took the dress to an African themed wedding; #NaijaZimWedding – which was absolutely beautiful at the Wild Geese Lodge. Although a lot of the reception party took a modern route to dressing for the ceremony – I was glad I was one of the few who opted to go African. There’s soo much I can describe of Wild Geese Lodge but it will take two good blogposts because I wouldn’t want to leave out any detail. But I will say the lodge is a great recommendation for any wedding, conferences or party – with a 10 km radius out of Harare, if you are coming from Harare drive.

For the evening I switched from pink to black and gold, with a black peplum jacket form Jet, Gold Envelope clutch from Sapatos and black sandals from MrP. I kept the silver neckpiece and the sunglasses, whilst my hair went from sleek pushback in the morning to a low pony tail for the evening. I must say I loved the sunset over the lodge that it was a perfect scenery for a photoshoot by the stairs of one of the buildings – a hazy but golden light as the sun goes down. An “African sunset” it was.

That beautiful African sunset.

Forgive my poor home pedicure but these MrP sandals are too adorable!

Scenes From the Wedding

With that said, I hope this post has inspired you to invest in a print dress this season, because with these two looks in one day – I guarantee you there are a ton of ways to style and rock a printed frock for the summer!

With these two looks, I want know to know which one is your fave NGOSIKADZI Wrap Dress style? Sound off and share your thoughts.

Stay Gorgeous,

Tendai Sophia.

NGOSIKADZI tent dress rocked Casual!

The third look from the blog’s NGOSIKADZI collabo, and the second look with the Ngosi tent dress is given a casual twist. In the last post we focused on an Evening glam look with the printed frock – downplaying the accessories with red, black and gold which complemented the dress’s vibrant colours. This time I’ve given the frock a casual day look which really centres around a good day in the African sun, whilst keeping trendy and chic.

How I Styled It – The GLAM Project Way

This time around I focused on comfort and being chic in the sun, so I paired the dress with black leggings, black scarf as a head wrap, favourite oversized Mr. Price sunnies, Marie Claire tote from Bata shoes, gold bracelet from Bling Bling and silver neckpiece also from Bling Bling. Inspiration for this look pretty much drew from my constant movement with public transport using kombis and taxis to get around. I always believe comfort is key and sometimes I’m in the mood to wear a dress, feel cute but at the same time appropriate. With fashion trends being a big down factor in Harare streets – it is sometimes suresafe to tone it down but still be uber stylish - (This is just my verdict, people have different experiences and I have my own).

What I Love About the Tent dress!

In the last post I mentioned how much I adore this dress; and here are some of the reasons why:

1. It is a light frock with the loudest and boldest print - The design boosts strong accents of reds and oranges, which makes the dress super exciting and different for a fun loving personality.

2. The dress is also great for colour co-ordination (and I love to co-ordinate in quirky ways); if you wish to incorporate with red, orange, blue and yellow. But keep these colours to your accessories, so that the dress is the centre of attention.

3. The dress reminds me of a 60s era! And I’m all about Nostalgia and good ol’ classic fashion – but this dress has a modern twist which is the PRINT. Remember in the last post I spoke of the added features of the V neck slit at the back and pockets?! Yep, this dress has got that IT factor!

GLAM Project Tip: take this dress from day to night by throwing on a nude/neutral cardi and switch the sandals for a summer thong wedge! It’s that simple.

Live, Love Print Fashion

Tendai Sophia.

NGOSIKADZI Casual Look:
Black Leggings
Black scarf as head wrap
Black and Gold sandals from Mr. Price (Now MRP)
Marie Claire tote from Bata Shoes
Gold Bracelet from Bling Bling
Oversized sunnies
Silver Neckpiece also from Bling

The GLAM Project – NGOSIKADZI Evening Look

Beyond excited to bring back this project, after a mini hiatus. I always love a good styling challenge and giving it my Signature look. With the continuation of The GLAM Project ZW and NGOSIKADZI collabo, I bring you the NGOSIKADZI tent dress which is very bold, colourful and too cute for words. Now if memory serves well, the GLAM Project ZW - NGOSIKADZI collabo covers two Kitenge print dresses. The first being the NGOSIKADZI wrap dress back in June, which I styled appropriately for an evening look, with boots and all!

The second dress is this cute but super bold tent dress that has a plunging V neck at the back and pockets in the hem sides. I styled this dress for an evening look with some added quirkiness. With such a strong print, it’s only natural that the dress has to do all the attention grabbing. I paired the frock with a black cropped jacket, black stalkings, black scarf (tied as a head wrap), red heels (to pick up the accents of red on the dress), a gold envelope clutch from Sapatos (again this helps to match with the yellow and orange accents on the dress) and a gold with black neckpiece from Bling Bling in Harare.

Now seeing that this is an evening look, it makes it perfect to stand out on a Night Out On The Town, a romcom with the girls or even a subtle date. Personally, this is my favourite dress and I can see it going pretty much anywhere this upcoming Spring/Summer – especially with the Casual pairing and warm summer nights (Coming up soon on the blog).

Now, how would your style this sassy little frock? Sound off and let me know, because there are soo many ways to style and play around with print!

Lots of Love,

Tendai Sophia

NGOSIKADZI Look:
Paisley print tent dress
Black cropped jacket
Black stalkings
Black scarf as head wrap
Red heels
Gold clutch
Black and Gold neckpiece
Sunnies for an added touch 

NB: Don’t be left out of The GLAM Project ZW styling and NGOSIKADZI dresses by purchasing your very own NGOSIKADZI tent dress or Wrap dress at $25.00 on the Concrete Jungle NGOSIKADZI online store or email robynchaibva@gmail.com to make an order!

The GLAM Project Collaboration with Concrete Jungle NGOSIKADZI

The GLAM Project is my blog styling venture, which focuses on affordable, fun and chic fashion straight from myself. It’s something that I’ve been working on for quite a while now, and if you check links on the blog and on twitter, you can see a lot of my outfit posts have the hashtag #TheGLAMProject. The GLAM Project is really my story of styling clothing in an economy where fashion is linked to a lot of cheap imports, expensive goods and the tailor becoming your best friend to alter and design your preferred clothing. This is where The GLAM Project comes in, I try to link all of the fashion problems I face and create something exciting out of the negative – I don’t believe in turning a blind eye to something that could be potentially good; if and only IF you choose to change it.

With The GLAM Project I channel that through fashion, by mixing and matching, scouting around town for good finds and sometimes giving in the sacrifice to invest in a good piece that lasts long in my closet. So The GLAM Project is really my journey to creating classy, sophisticated, edgy and chic fashion in the streets of Harare. 

Earlier this month The GLAM Project took on its first collaboration with Concrete Jungle NGOSIKADZI (renamed from Concrete Jungle Fashion) to bring you two of Ngosikadzi African print dresses in Dutch wax African print, with the fabric texture being Kitenge from East Africa. Now this is a first blogger style collaboration so expect it to be super fun, affordable, chic and directly to YOU! The dresses in question are in two modern styles; the classic wrap design embodied by renowned international designer Diane Von Furstenberg (DVF), who introduced the dress in the 1970s. The tent dress is the second dress from Ngosikadzi that has a V neck slit at the back and embodies a 60s shift dress silhouette.

For each of the two dresses I will be giving you 3 looks in the following categories; a casual look, glam look and a quirky look – which runs down to a total of 6 looks. These looks will be flowing onto the blog for the rest of June and into the month of July with fun tips and suggestions coming from you!

Since African print is a really big trend right now, it’s only feasible to incorporate it into the winter season with fun and feminine ways of layering, which will also show bits n’ pieces of my personality.

With that said, my mission for this GLAM Project is to show support to our own designers and the textile industry, so any queries or questions OR how you wish to be featured on the blog as an emerging/upcoming designer, do email me or Tatenda with signaturetoscie@gmail.com or Tatenda with cjfashionzim@gmail.com.

The Wrap Dress – Casual Look

This wrap dress is absolutely super cute with the bold print and the little heart details. The fabric is a bit light for the winter season, so I did some super layering with a chunky knit cowl neck from Edgars, which picks up the strong red and purple detail very well. I let the dress speak for itself by toning down the rest of my look with a black peplum jacket, black stalkings and black ankle boots to keep warm. My personal favourite sunglasses to finish the look, and a bold watch to add a personal touch. What’s beautiful about the wrap dress is its timeless factor – it’s a go to piece that comes in many silhouettes, whether flared (like this one), straight, A-line, knee length or maxi long; as well as in different sleeves (this one in particular is sleeve less). You can take it from day to night, from the office to the happy hour and should be an important piece in a woman’s closet just like the LBD and LWD.

Yours with The GLAM Project,

Tendai Sophia!

HIFA: Festival Fashion Inspiration

Harare International Festival of the Arts is an exciting annual year festival that combines music, drama, the arts and of course FASHION! This year’s theme is to “Switch On”, so as a blogger, it’s my job to let you in on the festival fashion trends that you need to have a lookout for. Now there are so many festival looks and trends to go by, but since the weather in Harare has been a little off lately; with the cold spells and the sudden rain, its sure safe to consider a little incorporation of some warmer gear when attending this year’s edition of #HIFA2014.

The HIFA Festival Fashion Inspiration will be a two part feature that will cover the ladies fashion and the gentlemen’s fashion. The first part feature will cover the ladies fashion, which will be broken down into three stylish segments; Festival Chic, The Reluctant Rebel and Trend Darling (because to be honest there are so many choices to choose from for Ladies fashion).

 

Festival Chic

Festival chic is the epitome of good ol’ fun festival fashion that includes easy breezy summer frocks, maxi dresses and fun circle skirts. Make the most of your summer frocks and minis at #HIFA2014 by pairing them with brogues, vans, espadrilles and boots to keep warm and fuss free whilst jamming to an energy filled concert. 

An all Black festival look is good to keep you warm, especially during an evening concert.

The Reluctant Rebel

Reluctant Rebel reminds me of a free spirit/edgy persona which really encompasses COMFORT as the main factor, whilst still looking good. Reluctant Rebel is what I would like to define as Grunge-Glam (which is a revolving trend right now), from the 90s a la Rihanna and Beyonce’s current fashion forward looks. Channel the fashion by bringing out a pair of cheeky shorts, graphic tees, statement jewellery and flat ankle boots. Comfort pieces are emulated through a good pair of boyfriend jeans, denim vests and long oversized tee shirts. Leather is a big trend with Grunge-Glam, but since real Leather is pricey, opt for the leather look alternative with the leather look jacket, boots and tassled sling bag.

Boyfriend denim to keep on stylish and warm whilst on the go.
Set from Signature Toscie

Grunge-Glam

All sets and photos taken from polyvore.com and pinterest.com

Trend Darling

Trend Darling translates to top trends right now which are crop tops and PRINT! Print is still alive and pretty much everywhere (and receiving more fashionable updates). Bring out your best and personalized print gear a la Tanya Nefertari, who does not disappoint with her print ensembles and 60s mod inspired collection. I’m a big fan of her print incorporation in her designs.

Be inspired to wear a Long print maxi and stand out from the crowd. 

Tanya Nefertari printed jumpsuit and Mod inspired shift dresses to wear at a
festival. Photos taken from TanyaNefertari.com

Crop tops are for the brave; I say this because they are tummy and mid-riff bearing. Look into this trend by opting for a crop top tee shirt or vest with a high waisted skirt, and finish off with tons of bold accessories. If you are a bit self conscious like myself, then add a cover up for your crop top in the form of a denim shirt or a knit shrug. Be inspired by the look below shopped from fashionbombdaily.com

Festival Accessories

Festival inspired accessories are usually two things; bohemian and edgy. Channel festival accessories through floral headbands, braided hairdos, jewel arm parties, long neck chains, John Lennon inspired sunglasses and flat ankle boots. Closed shoes are a must have because you will spend the day rooming around on grass and sand, so comfort is key and keeping your footsies under wraps is the best option. Another accessory to add is outer wear; since the weather in Harare has been unpredictable. Bring along a long cardi, leather look jacket, a sweater and a scarf; which you can tie around your waist for the time being.

Floral Headband and those John Lennon sunnies to match

Other than looking good, festivals are a great way to have some fun and learn something new in the arts department. #HIFA2014 is only around once a year, so make the most of this opportunity and dress up in festival gear; whilst at the same time taking in new cultures and practices from headlined international acts such as Dobet Gnahore and Josephine.

With that said, do share with me which of the looks above best represents your personality this festival season? Leave a comment below and let's get talking. You can also tweet with me @tendaitoscie and have your say!

Yours in Chic and Glamour;

Tendai Sophia

HIFA 2014’s full schedule is available for download on Google Drive and ISSUU. 

Becoming My Own Woman: Embracing Femininity

International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on the 8^th of March, the significance behind it is to celebrate women and their work and courageousness. According to the International Women’s Day website, the primary aim is to celebrate the social, political and economic achievements of women while focusing world attention on areas requiring further action. The 2014 theme for IWD is Inspiring Change.

Growing up, I’ve always been inspired by femininity, glamour and female empowerment (hence change, and of course my project which covers young women at the forefront). I think I knew from a young age I wanted to be extraordinary, I just wasn't sure how. I remember my primary inspiration came from Media and Fashion. Yes, fashion is a bit obvious and at times it can be labelled shallow because all it really seems to occupy is clothes! But what most people don’t understand is that there’s more to fashion than just clothes. You can add in photography, graphic designing, image consultancy, business and marketing. So there’s a lot that goes on into the aspect of Fashion.

But alas, my inspiring change for International Women’s Day just comes from me. I’ve gone through a lot of stages in my life; from pretty little girl, to music-wannabe, to pre-teen fever, to my first pink outfit, to my first goth moment (just a phase), to starting over and finding myself, and now to me. A young woman who loves being silly, experimenting with new ideas, working on my fashion blog and chasing my dream whilst trying to look good through it all! Now my inspiring change is to become a Harare stylist and help young women dress, and my first start is my blog.

Basically my inspiring change has always been within me. I’ve realised I’ve inspired a lot of people around me just through my choices in clothing and fabric. I say this because I’ve gone as far as helping my friends to dress up and letting them copy because I just thought its ok. Sure it’s a bit obvious that all girlfriends dress up together, but I believe every situation is a bit different and has a story to it. It’s never dawned onto me that my quirkiness is admired by someone else (maybe it’s because I’ve finally mastered the art of dressing my tiny frame, which has been a journey on its own). It’s only recently that my weird feminine, classy fetish self has rubbed off on the most unlikely people. Why I say this? Everything I do is customized or try to customise it. When I’ve an assignment, I scribble my notes with a colour pen (pink or purple is my preference). And when I buy accessories, I believe it has to have life to it, which means it should have colour or be coordinative. I’m not someone who is an avid trend follower, but someone who is always busy creating something (sometimes I don’t know what it is). But what inspires me is everything around me.

I remember Mercy Mushaninga; as my mentor she taught me the ropes to being functional with your everyday choices; in other words work around your lifestyle, dress around your lifestyle so that you can be the best person you can be. In other words be who you dream yourself to be, and inspire other people along the way (If you imagine it, you might as well live it). I’ve been learning and teaching myself for the past two years to apply this, and I’m getting better at it with each remembrance.

Embraced being a woman is an interesting adventure. I will give an example of classic- feminine silhouettes that are old-school but coming back with a serious bang, especially during a time where being edgy and super sexy has become the order of the day. I've come to embrace the other side of fashion which is much more flirty, demure, dressy (with a snark of edge) without being too competitive, under-dressed and lost in Hip-hop trends. Its just headstrong and contemporary.

My blog has built me into becoming my own woman, incorporating my new logo.

For 2014, my inspiring change wish is to see women become their own and not conform to media expectations (its easier said than done). I think i'm becoming more comfortable and acceptable with whom I'm (societal expectation for tiny people is thin, which is NOT always the case nor true), and who I'm becoming because I know I still have a journey into my self discovery, but I have realised I stumble upon the same little details, for instance the colour Pink! I've realised its not a shame to embrace the colour pink because its a recurring element in my life (and I've realised it's becoming a part of my own woman). Be a better version of yourself and not that of popular culture (I'm siding with Jurgen Habermas and his theory in reason and rationalisation through communicative action - critical theory and social construction). Men never really succumb to societal and media expectations, so I personally urge you to become your own woman.

Stay gorgeous and glamourous,

ST

Being inspired by Grown Woman.
Photo Courtesy of Talkingwithtami.com

Lessons Learnt From FWZ 2013

So, Fashion Weekend Zimbabwe 2013 has come and gone. The event had been a popular fixture on social media for months leading up to the actual event. I, for one, was glad that i attended the gala, as i learn a lot from these events and apply my knowledge for future reference. So, what did i learn from attending FWZ that evening? Well, other than meeting the lads and a few ladies by the media table; i took a few cues from their photography as well as some of the things mentioned below;

What To Wear?

The venue for the gala was at Borrowdale Race Course, with the open air and a pond just outside the entrance. As anyone would know, it gets a bit chilly in the evening during the rainy season and that evening was no exception. It was windy and chilly and anyone who wasn't expecting this sort of weather got goosebumps! Lucky for me i had a blazer jacket on; not something that i had planned to wear but i'm sensitive to any cold really. So, for evening outings like these i would suggest carrying a chic blazer jacket; one that is your personal staple and one that also works around all your clothes. Another tip is a bodycon dress, preferably one with long sleeves. Why i say this? The bodycon dress hugs your figure keeping you snug and warm; further more it is more stylish with one solid colour or just two contrasting colours as the print. But i would suggest it be a Little Black Dress (LBD), as worn by Zim Fashionista's assistant that evening. But be reminded to wear what suits YOU best, after all the function was all indoors, so the activity within the room does create some heat.

And The Shoes?

Since i was media, i was up and down a lot that evening! And the my choice of shoes didn't work with my constant movement. I give tops to my sister for wearing wedge heels that evening because she was effortless and comfortable. "Comfort is key" on such an evening especially if you know you are like me and want to take pictures and interview models, you will be on your feet the whole night. The lesson i learnt is to wear a wedge heel or a closed pretty court shoe to balance out your strut and to keep it neat! I don't know how many times my heel sunk into the mud that evening and got caught in the gravel whilst walking. Lets just say i sprained my little knee by the time 11pm came around. So high heels and peep toe sandals are a no go for me for outside evening functions.

What about the pictures?

If you are like me and appreciate good, if not great photography AND further like photos taken by yourself; then invest in a camera! I really enjoy taking photos, its no secret that i push myself to take something different and from my own point of view, and then i describe to you, whether through my blog, twitter, facebook or even word of mouth. I believe a picture says a thousand words. So, for that evening i didn't have a camera; but that didn't stop me from taking pictures (silly me because i should have thought twice about this). The only problem is they were taken by my cellphone (which has had better days, but now its telling me otherwise). So you can imagine my frustration when 60% if not 75% of my photos came out unsatisfactory and not up to the standards i require myself for my blog. What i learned that evening was from the media table; YOU CAN'T USE YOUR PHONE TO TAKE PICTURES! Why i say this? The lighting that evening was a bit dim and further switched between dark and light when the models came in or when the hosts came in. During that time you spent a bit amount of minutes trying to switch your phone camera settings to suit the lighting so that your photo comes out right! Its a lot of hustle and bustle and only further disappoints you and wastes your time because you miss every shot! My advice is rather invest in a digital camera or a trusted tablet such as an ipad or galaxy tab to take your photos.

From the media bench

And don't forget your make-up!

It really wasn't hot that evening to say you needed touch ups or your makeup was melting off. But what i did notice is that a lot of the ladies make-up was glowing (including the models); kind of a shiny look going on. I'm not so much of a make up marvel but i did take note of this and want to inquire on how they do it. My lesson learnt here is keep your make-up glowy and subtle for an evening event. Nothing too overdone, because trust me the lighting and the camera can actually show your make-up in the photos. I trust that the Black Opal Team did a fab job on the models and the hosts.

From my opinion, I think FWZ lived up to its notion of Fashion, Food and Music fiesta. The fashion to begin with was something new, which were our emerging designers who were given a centre stage to launch themselves. The Food was catered for by a chefs who created a full buffet from start to finish. The Music was definitely on point, with two local artists being Audius Mutawarira and Shingi Mangoma, with our opening act courtesy of the dance group High Definition. 

Although the tickets were above reach for many (US$65 for general entry and US$75 for VIP which included a pre-cocktail gathering, the after party and the goodie bag that had a piece from The Ndau Collection); the experience was something to indulge in and one that i learned ALOT from. I'm pretty sure i left out a few details, but as mentioned from my first post; so much was going on that evening and one can only take in so much.

Here's to Fashion Weekend Zimbabwe 2014.

Yours truly in Glamour...

Stay Gorg and Glam,

GD

S/S Edition (3): There's just something about African Print and Pink Lips

Third and final part to “There’s Just Something About..” summer feature is on two fabulous things; African Print and the Pink Lip.

In the last segment I focused on Floral print, which has a lot of significance to the summer season.  But now focus is on the African print. Most people don’t know how to define African print, even I myself am a little confused because there are so many different prints to choose from 54 countries. So why African print for this season? Well other than it being popular at Zimbabwe Fashion Week, its resonating some form of respect, moving from traditional gear of our elders to strutting down the runway on international fashion shows. African print is particularly popular with local designer labels of Mucha (Original African Couture) and Goddess by Fatima. I personally like African print as a fashion statement to an ensemble for a bit of nostalgia and to feel elegant. African print for me works best as a turban (as shown in previous Weekend Ensemble blogposts) and as a skirt. Looks for a turban or a skirt are best illustrated by Pumeza Mkhonza's collection at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 2013 (also featured in GLAMOUR SA magazine August 2013).

Local Hip Hop artist Tehn Diamond wearing a Mucha creation in pants, worn for BBA 2013

The Pink Lip
I'm no make-up marvel but i subtle adore the Pink Lip as a fashion statement for summer 2013. I’m no make-up marvel but I subtly adore the pink lip for summer 2013. I'm sure Beauty bloggers will confirm with me that dark and bold make up is the way to go at the moment. With dark reds, metallic colours, burgundy and the popular ox-blood colour on your nails and lipstick (all these colours are great specifically for the winter period). Now for summer, it’s mainly about keeping your make-up light and fresh. The pink lip is a beautiful trademark for a summer day with very nude make-up. Great shades for pink lips which you can look at are;

• Maybelline Super Stay 14 hour lipstick in Infinitely Fuchsia
• Revlon ColorBurst lip butter in Gumdrop
• Revlon Just bitten kissable balm stain in Sweetheart/Valentine
• MAC lipstick in Candy Yum Yum

ColorStay and SuperStay brands are the way to go to keep your lipstick shade on for the whole day, with a few touch-ups here and there.

Local socialite Pokello has made the pink shade of Lipstick her trademark statement so much so that she partnered up with Vault cosmetics early in August to create a Pokello pink shade.

Janelle Monae does her androgynous look with Pink lips to match.

So, armed with all the glamourous ammunition under "There's just something About.." segment, you are sure to rock one hell of a fashion forward glamorous summer (and Christmas) just from the the six trends. Remember, whilst experimenting with all these trends; stay true to yourself and find a combination that works for you. Some of these trends will flow over into 2014.

Until then..

Stay Gorg and Glam,
GD

What To Wear During A Cold Spell

As an African living in Southern Africa, I think we are lucky in terms of having the best weather. I haven’t been to other parts of the world, but hands down Africa has the most versatile weather. So when it gets a little hot, there’s always something to wear that suits the weather and when it gets a little chilly outside, there’s always something to wear as well. But emphasis here is on what to wear when it’s a bit chilly outside, where it’s not too cold nor freezing but just a little bit mellow with some characteristics of possible rain.

Lately the weather in Harare has been switching to the mellow side, with little detection of rainy showers and a bit windy but nothing too cold. My concern however is dressing up for such weather.  A lot of the ladies I see in Harare quickly resort to winter gear consisting of knee high winter boots, double breasted winter coats and thick winter stockings. It’s all fashionable and great but to a greater degree it’s not necessary, especially when the weather changes later in the day.  At times it can be a bit confusing to come up with a versatile ensemble because of the sudden switch from cold to hot all in one day, but here is a rundown to what to wear.

Drop the Winter coat and begin to Layer!

Drop the big winter jacket and opt to layer your clothing. Layering is probably the oldest and most versatile trick. You can opt to layer pullover sweaters, cardis and blazers. Preferably you can layer two thin knit sweaters over each other or a knit sweater paired with a blazer on top. If you own a thicker knit sweater, that’s a plus factor because you can wear your ordinary tee underneath then finish off with a chunky scarf to keep cozy. What’s great about layering is that when the weather suddenly changes to hot, you can peel off some layers.

Switch the knee-high boots for cute flats.

Drop the boots and the thick stocking all together because it really isn’t winter, it’s just a cold spell with a little bit of wind and cloudy skies. This is all in preparation for the rainy season. So with footwear, also keep it light but also warm with secret socks (I swear by these). Wear a pair of plimsolls, loafers or stylish takkies (such as the ones pictured below from Bata stores) or a closed shoe like a brogue. Ankle boots are also a good alternative, if you feel the cold isn’t for your liking.

Tomy Takkies available at all Bata stores in Harare.
Wear these cute sneaks with secret socks and no one will notice.

Colour Palette

Switch from light to dark colours, only because dull colours attract more heat. So work around black, navy blue, grey, brown, oxblood (which is a deep maroon) and red or purple. These colours are good on your skinny jeans and blazer jacket.

Dark skinnies with the dark blazer and notice the layering bit mentioned above.
From Clarabelleblog.com

Cozy Accessories!

No need for gloves when it’s a bit chilly, but beanies, scarves and trilbies can be an exception. I for one prefer vibrant colours to my scarves to contrast to the dark ensemble. Trilbies and beanies are a fashionable exception as they look better in dark hues.

My Illustration

A quick illustration: i paired dark colours with the stripes and the black jacket. Its cozy and weather appropriate. If the weather gets too hot, i will simply remove one layer.

So with that said, Ladies take note, when it gets a bit chilly in the middle of summer, it doesn’t automatically equate to winter. It’s just a little dull weather. Rolling out the heavy winter gear isn’t a bad idea but at the same time it shouldn’t be the only resolution. There are lots of ways to experiment with different ideas and looks just to come up with a warm and cozy ensemble. And I hope the little segment above will definitely help.

Stay Gorg and Glam (and Cozy),

GD