Chronicle Editor
Yoliswa Dube-Moyo
The past 12 months have been rough on many of us mainly because of the discomforts brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Life as we knew it has changed completely. Many of us have grown paranoid and gone the extra-mile in minimising our chances of contracting the coronavirus.
Livelihoods have been threatened. People have lost their jobs. The entertainment scene has literally been completely shut down. No musical shows. No festivals. No dressing up. Nothing. We’ve been locked down and confined mostly to our homes and the internet. It’s been a lot to handle for the extroverts who would rather be out there living their lives with other kids. Frustrating is an understatement.
I don’t remember the last time I wore a pair of heels, to begin with. I was telling someone this the other day. I really miss wearing some super chic heels and looking pretty in a sexy little number.
Because I’ve been working from home for the longest time, I really haven’t had reason to wear any fancy clothes. On some days, a T-shirt is all I need because I’ll be working from my bedroom. I take a bath, moisturise and slip into a T-shirt. Combing my hair for who? I mean, I don’t get any visitors so there’s really no need to do more than the basics.
When I absolutely need to leave the house, it’s mostly only ever to the supermarket and I don’t need to dress up for that. A pretty dress, a cute pair of sandals, and some perfume do the trick. Because I have to mask-up, there’s no need for make-up and lipstick.
This has been the trend for many, many months, but now that lockdown restrictions have been eased, a lot of people are ready to venture out.
A friend had a lunch date with some guy the other day and for the first time in a long time, I experienced someone being so finicky about what to wear.
It’s been quite hot of late and jeans and a wig were not an option for her. It had to be something airy and comfortable. She settled for a maxi dress and would wear her natural hair in bantu locks. Now, this was an interesting bit for me. She was just going to wear red lipstick without grooming her eyebrows or applying foundation or anything like that because “this guy is really not worth that much effort”.
That got me thinking. Do we dress up or look good for ourselves or to be seen or admired by other people?
We should essentially be dressing up for ourselves. To look and feel good. If anything, looking good is a great confidence booster. I always say this, you’re a brand and people will always judge you by the way you dress or carry yourself.
You have to think carefully about what you want to communicate about yourself before leaving your house to go anywhere; before you buy that new piece of clothing or do your hair or make-up. Your clothes, make-up, shoes, hair — everything — is always saying something about you, even if you have to wear a mask on top of all the swag.
If you’re a guy and don’t own at least one decent pair of shoes and belt, we know you’re a cheapskate. A good watch is another essential for any man who takes themselves seriously. Every woman needs a little black dress. It will go from work to the club, to church, to a wedding — depending on how you decide to accessorise it.
A plain white shirt is also essential. Pair it with a black pencil skirt or dark wash jeans and bright coloured heels and you’re set. If you’ve never thought of yourself as a brand, think again.
Think about who you are as a person, what you want to be remembered for, your goals, and how you intend to accomplish them.
Think about the way you dress or carry yourself and how it’s an enabler or hindrance to you reaching your goals.
And remember, we’re not out of the woods yet. Mask up, keep a social distance, wash or sanitise your hands frequently and practise good cough etiquette.
-Until next week, flaunt your pattern and style, and don’t forget to catch up with me on Twitter handle @Yolisswa or WhatsApp +263774492700
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