Know your passion, pick a lane and run. . .
My love for fashion is similar to a ‘real’ relationship. Fashion/Style, if you allow it, will tell or echo who you are. Without word its will, when gracefully embraced, speak for you and make that statement for you.
I love the opportunity to transform myself to suit my personality.
Fashion is pleasure. We have over time denied ourselves the joys of rewarding ourselves through style. Competition, limited options, lack of knowledge and then Money Matters/The elusive ‘dollar’/Shillingi ya uwa tena mau (as the old song goes)...
Style is an extension of your story there must be something you would want the world to know about who you are without you doing all the work to explain? I, just the other day discovered what my story, my niche, the narration that echoes in my inner world. A mouth-full I know, but now that I have found that out, I can't help but celebrate...
I have to admit, when i started blogging a few years back i was going along with the craze, the hype that everyone was blogging and most of my friends were always telling me to start my blog and considering that this credible research group comprising of my very loyal friends was trusted so i did it to please them and that silent part of myself not knowing what i wanted to do and what my point of view was, UNTIL NOW
It all started after a recent conversation with a colleague who is a director of photography and a lady passed us. She was wearing a body con dress he stared for the longest time (drool included) and for a minute our conversation was shelved. After he was done with the staring he gave me a weird look and said,”Joan how comes you never wear such fitting dresses we need to see something stop wearing this old school, matronly modest clothes”.
Being big on opinion and with a 21st century empower mouth, ready to channel Rosie Riveter at the drop of a hat, I challenged him and told him I will wear that short body con dress you want me to wear only if he agreed to my deal which was meeting his parents while rocking that tiny, transparent dress. Okay some say well why would you give in to the deal but i did to make a point and there was a plus to this process but back to the story.
He stammered got confused and said, “You cant meet my parents with that dress you have to wear something respectful”. That comment sealed the deal. So my old school mother modest long dresses were applicable if i was to meet his parents but if i am not meeting his parents my whole body frame needs to be somewhere out there for the public to see so that i would to get the wrong kind of attention UUUUMMM i don't think so!!
I personally feel confident in who i am, people address me with respect plus am past that age where i feel that i need to appease the populace by wearing short tight dresses i did it in my 20’s and am done with that chapter. During this challenge i discovered that is not my story. Mine is not a story that will be applaud by the masses and dropped when they are done...And i don't mean there is anything wrong with trends, it has its place in my closet BUT...the ‘trends’ that will weave my fashion come from the tailors of the good, great old days. Vintage victors of fashion. When fashion spoke with a gentle, and in some cases sensual class.
I love my long retro Queen Elizabeth dresses full of mixed prints, mixed colors, I feel at home at home here.
Initially, when went shopping i found myself drawn to vintage clothes, antiques without even realizing that's actually my lane it had to take the intervention of my colleague who called me an old-school-matronly-modest who loves to wear long clothes, to know where my passion lies and am happy i have found my compass. . .and i would hope that you take some time to find your story through fashion it need not burn your pocket all the way through once you take the time to discover what you love, choose to celebrate your story, be confident and respect your body you will be fine...i even dare to bet you will be happier than you ever imagine...to even bring back fun to shopping while you managing the pressure of expense and competition with our African Joneses.
Say hello to vintage fashion stylist, blogger and collector. The Africa Vintage Oasis. This is where i belong.
***Kisses***
J.M.
