Fadzayi Maposah-Correspondent
There are men who choose to be well groomed. While there are some men who do not care about how they look, there are some who are going an extra mile to always be well groomed.
One takes a look at the colour coordination and it is on point. There are many applications that are available that males and females alike can make use. Colours can be combined in various ways and the way that it turns out is awesome.
I have noted that almost everyone has something black. I have attended many meetings, been to functions and someone will be wearing something black. Black is a good base colour. Men have black trousers, some have black shirts, while others have black jackets, ties and suits. Black shoes are very popular. I have a few pairs of black shoes.
This is because black is a versatile colour that can be combined with many colours and still look good. Let us look at colours that can be worn with black. Black and white. Black and all shades of blue. Black and green. Black and lilac. Black and brown. Black and grey. Many men have black suits and when they wear these suits, the colour of the shirt can be any of the colours that have been mentioned.
There are some colours that were considered to be feminine that have now become quite popular with our male relatives. Take pink for example, when we were growing up, it was a purely a girls’ colour.
As soon as one saw one wearing pink, one would know and be sure that it was a girl. During the same time, there were others who did not have the “ideal or set” colours and would simply dress themselves or their children in the clothes that they had.
Then there would be comments such as “inga makatizvarira mukwasha akasimba” which can be loosely translated into “you gave birth to a very healthy potential son in law” after seeing a woman holding a baby dressed in blue.
Then the next answer would be “uyu haazi mukwasha, muroora uyu” which when translated simply means “this one is not a son in law, it is a potential daughter in law”. In this case, the one who is dressed in the colour did not choose, but was forced by circumstances.
Men have different ways regarding how they get ready and become well dressed as they go about their business. Men in Zimbabwe are at different levels. There are some men who are not bothered about how they look, they do not put so much effort and yet when they are out in the world they look well groomed.
Then there are those who do not put any effort and the results that are on display show that they are not committed to the way that they look.
Some men are so organised and lay out what they wear the following day. Being organised is not just a female trait. There are some men, young and old who pay attention to how their clothes are washed, ironed and packed away.
Others simply know that their partners will assist in how they will be seen by the rest of the world. The partners have taken upon themselves to help their men look presentable and always well groomed.
The women in some cases are the ones who conduct internet searches and see which colours can be worn together. They encourage their partners to participate in the learning process of what goes well together and how one should dress for different occasions.
There are those men though who get a lot of support, but choose to be defiant and wear just what they want. Some men have taken the back seat of what works together and trust what the women in their lives choose for them.
November is the 11th month of the year and already the countdown has begun to the end of the year. The month is another opportunity to promote men’s health. In the month of November some men opt not to shave their beard as a way of showing solidarity for improving men’s health.
Besides choosing not to shave, there are many activities that are on the cards to raise awareness for men’s health. Throughout the month of November, I have noted that every weekend has a marathon that is lined up.
At marathons, men and even the women that are there have opportunities to learn more about issues that relate to their health. Men generally have been noted to have poor health seeking behaviour.
Some men actually need motivation to take care of their health and themselves. While others are self-motivated others need to be than others. The month of November encourages men to get regular screening for conditions that include non-communicable diseases such as and mental health issues.
For many years, men have been told how strong they are. This has affected those who may have issues and feel that sharing is tantamount to being weak.
Let us take a leaf from the fashion trends and apply it to men’s health. Remember earlier I said that there were some colours that were not traditionally worn by men, but are now worn by men freely.
While men are regarded as having a poor seeking behaviour, they can walk steadily to ensuring that they have improved health. Regarding being well groomed, men also learn from one another.
The same can also be done for improved men’s health. Men should seriously consider what they can do so that their health improves. I have seen men go out of their way to get the right pieces of clothes so that they are presentable.
This month of November will focus on men’s health. When men’s health is poor, the society feels the ripple effects and as a result all hands should be on deck. Like being well groomed, taking care of one’s health is a deliberate action/choice that must be taken #Men’sHealth.
