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Brenda Phiri and Ashirayi Mhlanga Lifestyle Reporters
As we bid 2013 goodbye, let us take a look at some of the things that made us drool with envy, feel sorry or laugh outright as we rolled our eyes in stunned disbelief.CARS: 2013 saw a range of top notch cars hitting our streets.
Tick: The exquisite Jaguar XJ was one car which dominated the road. The colours varied but in white, this car oozes class and comfort.
More affordable and popular was the Hyundai i35
Down: Many people have fallen into the hands of the wrong car dealers who take their money and never deliver the wheels.
LOL: Even though there are a variety of models to choose from it is shocking to see that some people still import heaps of old scrap.
Hair Styles
2013 saw the emerging of interesting trends in the hair department. Rihanna might have popularised the pixie cuts but locals went the extra mile in revolutionising them. Known simply as the “short hair styles”, this bug bit the locals such that many began to take breaks from the “Brazilians” and other human hair.
Beverly Angel became the local pixie cut icon while Ruth Makandiwa adapted it for her more down to earth style and sassed it up with a bit of colour.
Down: Some attempts to pull of the pixie cut were disastrous as people ended up cutting way too much hair and looked trashy instead of classy.
LOL: When the funky colours cross over and become crazy we see clowns without the costumes walking down the street.
On our plates
Tick: Many restaurants have introduced sea food especially prawns and lobsters which is a good thing because we are leaving the era of “chicken and chips” menus heading towards a little more variety. Sushi has also become very popular although some people still literally find it difficult to swallow.
Down: Some themed restaurants have disappeared from the scene. The shutting down of a Mexican and Greek places have limited the flavour.
LOL: Some eateries priced themselves right out of the market. This caused many to opt for the usual take-out spots instead.
Healthy Living
Tick: Going green is the way to go and regardless of economic hardships locally people are making strides in adapting the healthy lifestyle.
One fitness shop gets the thumps up for their fruit smoothies.
Down: The local rate going organic is slow. Why is the Government not just banning the import of tungsten light bulbs seeing as we do not even produce them in the country and we have no local industry to promote?
LOL: A lot of the newly-rich now believe that they must drive everywhere, even distances of less than a kilometre. NEWS FLASH — A hike to the shops, and letting the brats walk to school are not signs of poverty but a great way to a healthy lifestyle.
Mobile Phones
Tick: One of the most popular phones in 2013 was the Samsung Galaxy S4. The phone is an upgrade of the S3 which was popular last year. Many people traded in their I-phones for this Android experience. Other lower end competitors have acquitted themselves well too.
Due to power cuts and the amount of battery power these smart phones use, a new gadget hit the streets- the power bank. It is a portable device which charges phones once connected through a USB cord. It is a must have for those who travel a lot.
Down: As great as all this technology is. It has consumed the minds of many, people spend more time “playing” with these gadgets and enjoying the Cyber-world than spending time in the real world.
LOL: Many imitations have found their way onto the market but only a dolt falls for that because the price says it all.
Although there are a great number of reputable dealers, some idiots still find their way to Ximex Mall to buy phones which they know are definitely stolen then cry foul when tracking devices neatly land them in the hands of the cops.
Home Decor
So many modern concepts have come up in 2013.
Tick: The mixing of colours in one room has become the in-thing in. For example one wall could be cream and the wall opposite will be a light pink. Sassy!
Down: Many are still overcrowding their homes with ornaments which honestly should never be lifted out of the containers from China. Get rid of all those moving dog pictures, nasty multi-coloured vases, fake flowers and so on. Urgh! A few vases and classy furniture will do. Less is more when it comes to homes.
LOL: Some people are still stuck in the era of placing lacy materials as chair and coffee table covers. Unless you and your guests are cakes, yank them off and get some style.
Events
Some interesting and innovative ideas came up, but it looks like it was mostly the same old same old.
Advertising and appeal are everything when organising an event. Unfortunately, many organisers failed to grasp this which led to some events being a flop.
Down: The speed dating event for example, was a good concept but failed twice because of failure to advertise.
LOL: Too many shows flopped because of know-it-all co-ordinators. Organisers, please get organised
Weddings
Wedding style is the one thing that always evolves as everyone battles to outdo those who went there before.
Tick: Garden weddings remain a big hit. Years back the bridesmaids would have the identical dresses with the bride in white. But trendy weddings where brides are in pink, purple, red or whatever with individual style for bridesmaids groomsmen sure did look good.
Down: There have been cases where, due to lack of hygiene or staying over of food, a lot of people ended up with food poisoning after attending a wedding.
LOL: With the era of garden weddings, almost everyone with a big yard is starting up a garden venue. And you end up with rural weddings of yesteryear right in the middle of the capital city. If you cannot afford a huge wedding, do not have one please!
Fashion
Male blazers and peplum tops and dresses were ruling the roost in the world of fashion. Catwalks were awash with designer blazers for both men and women. The bright coloured, stripped or polka dot peplums were trending at some point but Zimbabwean designers added an African twist by designing peplum dresses using ethnic prints.
The bad: Although colour blocking spilled into 2013 during the beginning of the year it was disappointing how many could not work the trend. Colour blocking involved bringing together bold opposites and not just green, red, yellow and blue.
LOL: Some people are still colour blocking and walking around looking like a Christmas tree. Burn all those combination items and move with the times please.
The 2013 Multi-Million Dollar Question
Are the Chiyangwas really breaking up or was that an awful attempt at a publicity stunt to prop up their (non) reality TV show?
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