Angella Kizito
You know that adrenaline excitement that runs through your toes when you are planning to go shopping. When you can’t wait to try on new clothes and feel fabulous. You walk from store to store and you feel like buying all the clothes. Everything is nice and you just can’t make up your mind. You can’t help it but want everything.
On the other hand I think people who go shopping all the time have a very low level of creativity and a shallow fashion mind set. If you’re out there reading this, you’re most probably thinking, “ But why? I always go for the latest trends and I feel fashionable enough to blend in with my peers”. Yes! That’s my point; you feel fashionable enough to disappear in the crowd but never enough to stand out. Ever wondered why you have a whole wardrobe of fitting clothes and you still feel like you need to go shopping? Stop wasting your money buying clothes that will never make you unique but if you can’t help but feel like spending it, please purchase a brand new pair of creativity and self esteem because from what i see, you have a dry fashion sense. All I am saying, if you have any of these clothes stop shopping every weekend.
Flared and pleated miniskirts. It doesn’t matter how you wear them. Either you tuck in a stripped or a plain top, a blouse shirt, whatever, it will still be the miniskirt that your great grandmother wore when she was twenty and still fashion conscious.
Sheer blouse shirt. So we all love the collar. We wear blouses with collars even if they don’t have buttons and we simply just love to button up our blouses to the last button of the neck. In the 90’s this was just decent because no one was interested in cleavage but now, the trend is back not because of decency but because it looks trendy.
High wasted ripped or not ripped denim. Tell me a time these were not fashionable and I will tell you for a fact that the pope is not Catholic.
Leather: whether it is a jacket, a top, shorts, a skirt or a bag, if it is not worn out, don’t throw it. Leather in the fashion world is like gold to a merchant. Its value will increase the less it is on the market.
Flared Jeans; Well, these jeans are just so flared and comfortable that they make you want to fly. I know people are trying to make them seem extinct with all these skinny jeans all over the place, but these jeans will never fade away. They existed in the 70’s, you wore them in the 90’s and your great great grand children will wear them when they are 30 because they will be trendy.
Maxi dresses. Whether you gain weight, lose weight, make babies, stop making babies this dress will never be unfashionable. It will always make a comeback on different fashion scenes but it will always be a maxi dress. Don’t throw it away. If it makes you happy, celebrities wear them too.
Boyfriend blazer or just a tailored blazer. Today these have come in bolder colours and that is the only difference. Blazers will never die out because they are like accessories. They are dynamic in that they can bring out a leisure look and an office outfit. You can just pair a boldly coloured blazer with a plain t-shirt and you will be casual and fashionable in an instant. You don’t need a necktie by the way.
Disco pants, jeggings and leggings. How many people have watched those old theatre plays and have seen men wearing those tight fitting pants that made it a point to highlight all their muscles in full length? I know you have, what you haven’t done is look into your wardrobe and compared with what you see. If you ask me? I see disco pants. You wore them yesterday and it’s 2014.
Crop tops. These are shirts kind of cut off from the bottom of the chest. If you are interested in looking back to the 70’s fashion, then you are definitely going to find the crop top craze. During the 70’s and 90’s women became too excited with this design some even went to great lengths to just cut their t. shirts. Some people call this the under boob cleavage. For modesty you can pair this with vest or a tank top and this will still be cool and fashionable. Oh and from what i see, the Indian traditional wear (sari) has some kind of crop top. Ha!
Tank dresses and shoulder dresses. For the longest time in fashion, shoulders have been given great emphasis. In the 60’s and 70’s shoulders were designed largely. They were given exceptional designs that out marched any type of jewellery, then there was a time when tank dresses were in. Then before we knew it one arm or armless designs were in vogue and now all these are still looking trendy one way or the other. The difference is in size and the body wearing it. Don’t be fooled.
Lace; anything with less is fashionable because wearing lace will always be sexy and that reason will never change. Oh, and it has come from a long way. Before, women were more comfortable with it just being lingerie, but now, you tell me. It’s everywhere on bridal gowns and you can walk to church in it.
For the one too many fashion shows I have attended in my life, never have i seen a new trend being created. It is just an already existing style being presented with new fabric on a beautiful model. If it is a new trend, no one will buy it because it is simply not wearable. What many people don’t understand is that fashion is an art. It is a branch of the visual arts. For most of us, what you see is what you get but deeply it is a manifestation of feelings and a message is buried underneath every meaningful piece of art. Usually the feelings manifested are those of the designer. I know so many of you who still sit there criticising lady Gaga for her extreme and severe fashion sense and majority who admire Kate Middleton or Mitchell Obama. You wear what you want to convey and any stylist will be quick to tell you that.
Designers like Alexander Macqueen specialised in an intense side of art. Actually all good designers do. It’s all about expression and creativity. Alexander used his art to express his depression and dark feelings and that is why we always found a little bit of boldness and extremity in his designs. That is fashion. You can’t wear designs all the time because it won’t make sense. Most of those designs are actually costumes. So be creative and make your own collection. In the end it’s all about how the outfit looks good on you because not every one’s body size is represented on the run way or in style magazines.
