CULTURALLY FASHIONABLE- BE PROUD AND TRENDY ABOUT YOU CULTURE

Have you ever noticed how South Africa has beautiful clothes for every culture? The colours, the accessories and how the garments are put together for both men and women as well as adults and children.

I fellowship at Grace Bible Church Soweto, under the leadership of the Apostle Mosa Sono. Every year in September we celebrate Heritage month  as part of our South African festivties and causes calendar. And since September is also our church anniversary, being that 2012 is our 29th Anniversary, the church also celebrates Heritage month by having the congregants dress up in different cultural clothes every Sunday.

This year the cultural groups were divided into dual groups as the first Sunday we were celebarating other African cultures that are not really South African but are found in South Africa as our country is a pot of all cultures.


Well, me and my fiance chose to be radical and different by wearing Chinese inspired clothes as you will see in the pictures in the next post. Some people wore Nigerian, Zambian and  one of our Children's Church Ministry teachers, teacher Jacqui (below) came dressed in Indian clothes and teacher Maureen below wore a Nigerian outfit. The two beautiful Children's Church teachers above are wearing African inspired clothes. I think the teacher on the right Mrs. Hlahane (aka Mrs, H), is wearing a Nigerian if not Malawian outfit. The lady in yellow and red, Mama Busi is wearing a ForeverFaith Couture dress and jacket made out one of the African countries fabric.

The second week was Tsonga and Venda tradition. As you can see in the picture of two different generations in which the older woman, one of our Children's Church grade R teacher, Mama Maki is wearing a Venda Tradition which is the colouful striped fabrics that have been decorated with dotted binding in yellow as well as with embroidery. Tell me if this is not the mixing of prints inspiration. These fabrics come in as many different coloured striped fabrics you can think of.

The little girl is dressed in a Tsonga outfit made of a skirt which is called xibelane , and the beautiful floral fabric worn over the skirt called nceka. Apparently it takes 24 days to make the Tsonga skirt according to an Indian man I was buying fabric from. The Tsonga people also known as Shangaans were always known for their bright, in-your-face colours. One of the teachers I serve with who is Tsonga, teacher Maureen says they are trendsetters of Colour-blocking. I think so too and Zulu people are the accessories trendsetters.

Both traditional outfits are completed by colourful accessories.

The third week which was this past Sunday, was the Zulu and Xhosa Culture celebration. The Zulu cultural clothes are the most hand-detailed with beads on them and beaded accessories. Paul (my fiance) and I went shopping for some Zulu outfits and realized how not cheap these outfits and accessories are. The Zulu women wear pleated skirts (priced from R300) with beautiful bright coloured beads on them (these are originally made out of cow hide) but now you can wear fabric ones. They wear a throw over on their shoulders which is also beaded and a head gear called isicholo (priced from R500) which is also beaded. As you can see in the picture on the right, our church's Counselling Department leader, Mama Thandi is wearing the whole women's tradition with the bib made out of beads (priced from R400) on the shoulders, an apron also made out of beads (priced from R400), beaded takkies (priced from R300), bead earrings (priced from R150) and beaded legs accessories (priced from R300 a pair).

As you can see above, two men dressed in Zulu modernized men's suits and a woman in the beatiful Zulu women regalia. I love the detail on the patchwork and how they incorporated animal print in the other gentleman's outfits. Historically or should I say originally Zulu men wear clothes made out of animal skin as in the picture on the right.

The two pictures on the left and right are from 
http://www.mzukulu.co.za/zulu_traditional_clothing3.html

The Xhosa women's cultural clothes are made of a fabric that is almost as hard as denim fabric decorated with black binding at the bottom of the dress/skirt, throw over to cover the shoulders and a head scarf. The fabric used comes in different colours but the most popular colours asre cream white, orange and red.

The other lady is wearing Zulu clothes, as you can see she is not wearing is'cholo like the first two women in the preceding pictures but a crown-like beaded accessory (priced from R80). What I know about the beautiful bigger head gear is worn by married women but most young women just wear it ignorantly. See below pictures for the different Zulu women headgears/accessories. I should have taken pictures of little girls dressed like young Zulu maidens in the class I teach.

        These two pictures are from http://www.mzukulu.co.za /zulu_traditional_clothing3.html

I will post more pictures on our beautiful South Africa's traditional oufits with more facts, correct names, prices and where to purchase them in the near future. Next week we are celebrating my cultures which are Tswana (my dad's culture) and Sotho (my mom's which is Southern Sotho). I will be wearing Sotho with my fiance which is his culture as well.

What Does Your Clothing Say About You?

Have you ever thought about what message your clothing is projecting & what it says about you? What story do you think your outfit today told the world?

No, no. Don’t keep reading. Pause for a second & think about it. When you leave the house in the morning (or the evening), what are you & your outfit trying to say?
Really, it’s worth considering. How many times have you walked down the street & made a huge judgement call on someone else, PURELY based on what they’re wearing? (I know. It is awful, but it happens.) Do you dress for yourself or for other people? Are you trying to fit in with your friends, or impress the opposite sex for your own ultimate gain?

I was on my way to buy sushi on Friday night when I passed a girl wearing an extremely short dress with her boobs hanging out. She wasn’t unattractive, but seriously, I barely noticed her face. It was all about the boobs. What was she thinking before she left her bedroom? I am trying to be as non-judgmental here as is humanly possible, & maybe I am completely wrong, but I don’t think she was going to a rotary meeting. She looked like she was out to snag a mans (sic). I’m not talking about a first date at a little restaurant & flowers, I’m talking about nightclubs, bumping & grinding, & waking up in the morning feeling like a troll. (I think that “if you’ve got it, flaunt it” can be taken the wrong way sometimes.)
I have to tell you that this is hard to write without it sounding like I am judging casual sex — which I’m not. Maybe it wasn’t a good example. I also feel bad for really skinny girls who wear tracksuit pants so no one will notice.
People are free to do as they choose — all I think is that you should value yourself & your clothing should reflect that.
I like short skirts as much as the next girl, but I think there is a point where you stop dressing for yourself & start dressing for the benefit of others, & that’s when we start to have problems.
What you’re wearing & how you’re wearing it says so much about you — how you feel, which parts of your body you like & dislike, how confident & comfortable you are, & where you think you fit into the world. It is so interesting to think about all these things when you’re people-watching, but it is best applied to yourself: before you leave the house, before you buy a new dress or before you buy another pair of Converse to replace your last pair.
Are you a “scene” kid, secure in your goth, metal, emo or hip hop uniform, happy to fit in? Do you walk around clutching a Louis Vuitton bag in front of you, & if so, what does that say about you? Are you concealing nipple piercings behind your conservative blouse in a secret act of rebellion? Are you going for a European look, & does that mean you’re ashamed of your heritage? Are you dressed to resemble the latest celebrity-du-jour — & does that mean you’re completely devoid of your own style?
Ultimately, only you know what’s going on in your own life, & only you hold the secret decoder ring to your own outfit. But you don’t need to buy into all that scene crap, you don’t need to follow trends & you don’t need to impress anyone else. If you feel good it will mean more than any compliment a stranger could pay you.
Dress as if you are celebrating yourself in a room full of sleeping people.
Just do whatever it takes to make you happy. Your external appearance is yours & yours alone — yours to do whatever you please with. Clothing can transform you into anyone you want to be, which is something that I think International Dress-Up Day helps with. It reminds us that we can do whatever we please, that we can dress like our idols if that’s going to help us become more like the people we admire, or the person we imagine ourselves being. There is a whole secret language in the fabric we cover (or uncover) ourselves with, a secret language that bellows down the street in all directions.

“If you aren’t enjoying your clothes, then you really are missing the point.” Betty Halbreich.

Where is the real value in dressing for other people, anyway? Why not try impressing yourself? If you still really want the external validation, don’t worry — when your clothing is truly flattering & you are obviously happy in it, people will notice — but the point is that you will look good without having to devalue yourself or buy into anyone else’s ridiculous agenda.
If you can manage to untangle yourself from that huge part of society which says we must be liked, admired & fit in at all costs, you will start to realise & develop your own true style — the perfect gift to yourself, which no one can ever take away.

Taken from: http://galadarling.com

OUT AND ABOUT FASHION ON THE STREET- CHURCH PEOPLE HAVE STYLE

This weekend was joy to my eyes seeing people dressed up to the nines. It actually started in downtown Jozi(Johannesburg City). I saw a couple of young men dressed from head to toe looking like they come from the 70's era when people did not need an occassion to dress up. Well I hesitated to ask to snap their pictures because I was with my hubby and out of respect for him I cannot be asking other men to pose for me. I thought he would do it for me but he thought I was just commending on these guys' style.

Anyhoooo!!! Sunday was another day of Fashion and Style appreciation. One does not need to be at a fashion show or go through the pages of Fashion magazines that have more sex advice and naked women (God help us survive in this sin-driven world)  than actual FASHION. I was in church as always and requested those that appealed to me to pose for me after church. These are the looks I liked:



THE DRESS AND LEGGINGS

Whether it is full stockings, leggings or footless tights, whether opague or not, these look sweet with dresses or skirts this season. See how Katego dared her black with red shoes and a red jacket.

 FLORAL AND ORANGE

This combanation is such a Spring 2012 must have look. Karabo did not shy away from flower power and I love how she brought out the oange of the shirt with her orange jeans. Colour jeans are also a 2012 Spring must have. Check out her pumps are a different colour: green.

 DENIM SHIRTS WITH DENIM JEANS

And you never thought that look would make a come back. Then people called this look jean to jean. I like how Lerato played it with a black and white polka dot scarf. Polka dot is another hot print this season. She finished her look with beige pumps and a bag to match.

 

A COLOURFUL JACKET WITH BLACK PANTS

This colour of Ruth's jacket is a safe go for those who are bright- colours- shy. This color is both lovely and noticeable yet in a subtle way. To elongate her physique she put on high heels that are neutral in colour.

See more to come on Out& About Fashion On The Street

To God be the glory!!

SPRING FASHION DON'TS AND DO'S

'Trend' is the key word for everything, but what "suits" you and your body type is a totally different issue. Using the trends wisely and knowing which 'in' item to pull off and which to knock out is what separates a fashion rookie from a fashionista.

THE DON’TS 

1.      VISIBLE BRA STRAPS

Don’t wear tops that show your bra strap or even belly button for that matter. It looks bad, period.

                                       

 Faith Solution: If you cannot afford a strapless bra buy those see-through straps an take one adjust it to be small enough to tie your straps at the back that they do not show outside the vest.

2.      VPL- VISIBLE PANTY LINES

These are as bad as or worse than visible bra straps. Whatever you are wearing, white dress, pants, very fitted dress or skirt make sure these no panty lines showing. Opt for boy legged underwear(shorties-like) or seamless (no elastic) underwear.

                                     

3.      HALF-DYED HAIR

Don’t half dye your hair! Apparently, it’s ‘trendy’ and a lot of girls are doing it. Please don’t.

                                

4.      FULL-LEGGED VS SHORT DUNGAREES

We know it is spring and all, and everyone loves denim, but stay away from full-legged denim salopettes. We don’t want you looking like a farm girl now, do we?

                                                                   

5.      ART ON NAILS

So apparently, there’s this trend going around where girls paint little drawings with their nail polish, mixing different colors. Yeah, that’s really bad. Just stick to one solid color.

                                                

6.       BRIGHT COLOUR TOWELLING/VELVET TRACKSUITS

Don’t wear a full Juicy Couture or any velvet training suit unless it’s black or navy. So yes, bright pink (eoww) and baby blue are out of the question.

                                                     

7.      HEAD-TO-TOE PRINT

Don’t wear too many patterns at once. The other day, we spotted a woman dressed head-to-toe in a hideous leopard print. Shirt, pants, shoes, bag –everything! Just pick ONE! Remember: subtle.

                               

                         

8.      LEGGINGS ALL SORTS SHOW

Don’t reveal too much when you wear leggings. Even if your rear end is super toned, always wear a top that covers it.

      

         

 

THE DO’s

9.      PANTYHOSE

Do wear pantyhose on short skirts and dresses. It’s not a rule, but it looks so much more decent, and we strongly recommend it. Whether it’s transparent or opaque, it’ll make your legs look so much more toned. Also do the footless pantyhose with skirt, it adds modesty into those flare short dress.

NB. Match your shoes with your pantyhose for a slimming silhouette.

10.  BELT IT

Do wear a belt whenever you wear clothing with belt loops.

11.  PEARL IT

Do wear pearls. They’re so elegant and feminine. Need we say more?

                          

12.  BOHO MAXI SKIRTS

Do wear flat strappy sandals with your long boho maxi skirt, but don't let the hem sweep the streets.

                    

13.  PRINTED PANTS

Do wear printed pants, but ground them with a solid top that pulls out one of the key colors from the print.

                 

  

14.  ACCESORIZE

Do wear statement necklaces and accessory pieces, especially with simple clothes that need that extra pop of glamour.

                                           

courtesy of http://www.fustany.com

WHAT NOT TO WEAR TO A FUNERAL

We live in a world where anything goes. And yet I’m still surprised at some of the things people wear; jeans and sweatshirts to church, shorts at a fine restaurant on a Saturday night, and flip flops for all occasions. But when it comes to funerals, most of us sense that there are some rules of protocol that should be followed but most have decided to break.

1.   BRIGHT COLORS

Well colour blocking is stuck in people’s minds and wardrobes but it is too noisy for a place like a funeral. Funerals are not a time to be conspicuous; it’s a time to blend in with the other mourners.

2.    BRIGHT PRINTS OR ANYTHING FLASHY OR GLITTERY

Do not cause a sore eye for a mourning somebody or cause people to be asking for tissue to wipe their tears. Only to find out it is your loud print amongst dark clothes that is hurting their eyes.

3.    CLEAVAGE- ALL OUT TO SEE

Ladies, let us respect the deceased, family and friends. A burial day of somebody is not a day for you to show off how big your heart is. Please invest on scarves to go with your low cut tops or dresses.
Please cover up..
                                         

4.    TOO LITTLE OF A BLACK NUMBER

We appreciate the fact that you respected the colour scheme and pulled out a black dress but showing off too much of your legs is disrespectful. Why should people be wondering if you are wearing your baby sister’s top or you just came from a club(where a born again Christian should not go) when they are supposed to be paying respects to the deceased? Take a cab or drive to Jozi, black leggings, thick tights or magusha cost less than R30. If that garment you call a dress is 8 fingers above your knee it is a top or t-shirt to be worn with a skirt.
Older women tend to use funerals as an opportunity to wear short skirts with those fancy printed black stocking. What happened to 3 quarter or knee length skirts and dresses?

                               

5.    PANTS TOO TIGHT

I still do not understand why women wear pants at funerals. Now that fashion designers started making pants too tight to breath in them, women of all shapes and sizes find the oddest places to wear them. Yes there’s nothing wrong with pants at a funeral but ladies please apply modesty when wearing anything. Again do not cause others to wonder how long it took you to jump into those pants and how long you took to zip them up. Slacks are fine but put on a formal jacket or a shirt long enough to cover the shape of your behind.

6.    JEANS AND SWEATSHIRTS

No seriously, that is downright wrong ladies. It is even worse than most of things we mentioned. Why do you wanna look like a teenager or young adult going for lectures. Look properly in your cupboard if you have not started a collection or one garment for funerals. Even if you would wear your jeans with a black blouse or jacket, save that look for casual Fridays at work.

7.    WHITE DRESS, WHITE PANTS

Remember you are going to a dusty place. Yes white symbolizes purity and peace but why would you want to steal the show like a bride in white at a funeral? This goes out to your male companions, friends or brothers as well. Brothers, save the white pants for another occasion.  
                       

8.    TOO MUCH MAKE UP

Do not be mistaken for a walking corpse a funeral wearing make up that is enough to share with everyone at the funeral. Remember less is more and too much screams “Desperately drawing attention to me!! Look at me!! Forget the deceased!! I’m more interesting!!”

9.    WHO SAID NO JACKET REQUIRED?

This one is for your male companions, brothers and friends. It saddens me that most men took our former president’s love for a shirt not tucked in and personalized it. They however never followed his other love for suits and ties. I don’t mean go out and buy suits for funerals, a man must have a dark coloured jacket in his wardrobe for such occasions. I mean really we go to more funerals than weddings in a year.


 POINTS TO REMEMBER

·         Funerals are not a time to be conspicuous; it’s a time to blend in with the other mourners.

·         Support to the bereaved is more than just your presence. How you dress show your respect

·         Funerals are not a place to meet Mr. Right because Mr. Right is actually Mr. Bereaved or Mr. Enticed and his mind is not clear especially if he was attracted to you because of too much skin that drew him to you.

Madame Genevieve Antoine Dariaux said in her 1964 edition of Elegance, A Complete Guide for Every Woman Who Wants to be Well and Properly Dressed on all Occasions:
A woman who attends a funeral dressed in a conspicuous manner shows proof of a total lack of good taste and good manners. Even if you are not a member of the immediate family, you should dress in black, or at least in whatever you own that is most dark and neutral, and you should wear no makeup. During the course of a year it is unfortunately likely that you will be obliged to attend a funeral ceremony, and you should prepare for this eventuality in planning your wardrobe, just as you prepare for the luncheon and dinner invitations (and weddings) you expect to receive.

The best choice, aside from a black suit of wool in the winter and linen in the summer, is a dark gray flannel ensemble, both worn with a black hat, gloves, shoes, and bag. .