Even in Rwanda, I can still get my magazines (thank you,
diplomatic pouch), which are chock full with Fall 2013 runway looks. And we
finally got satellite TV (the saga of which should be its own blog entry), just
in time for Fashion Police’s coverage of Fashion Week. A slight disappointment,
however…our television isn’t fully compatible with the cable box so everything
is in black and white. In any
case, even when you don’t have kids, even when you’re no longer in school,
heck, even when you’re in a country that doesn’t really have a change in
temperature, September still brings on that feeling of starting a new year with
a new look. Bring on the fashion musings!
As you read in the last blog, I walk a lot around Kigali,
which gives me an opportunity to take in the different styles and trends. Some
would call it judging, but I call it editorializing. Much of what I see falls
into the following categories:
Traditional/contemporary
fusion: Long dresses made from cotton with colorful, bold, tribal prints or
two pieces, always with a long skirt. No Tracy Reese frocks here. Thankfully, peplum
is still going strong for tops in Kigali, with the skirts sporting mermaid or
flared cuts. One of the biggest trends is the high-standing pleated collar,
which looks gorgeous in traditional prints. I don’t think my Irish background
will let me pull these bright looks off, but we’ll see if there is a way I can
manage to have something made that is inspired by Rwandan fashion.
Traditional
boho: This is much less artistic or ironic than it sounds. Think long,
traditional, printed skirt or khaki pants/jeans with a Western
t-shirt. Actually, almost all that I’ve seen are absolutely American t-shirts. They
carry phrases like “Hey, F*&k Face” (with a North Face logo), “Never Go
Against a Sicilian When Death is on the Line” (Anyone? Anyone? Princess
Bride…), “Free Shrugs,” “Grandpa Harold’s 90th Happy Birthday
Half-Mile Fun Run and Three-legged Race,” and “Rafi’s Boobwatch 2005.” I
spotted that last gem outside of a nursery school. My husband’s colleague said
that he was in church recently and almost couldn’t focus on what the preacher was
saying in his offensive Big Johnson t-shirt. Hmm, I suppose that’s redundant to
preface it with “offensive…”
Nation, can we please stop taking these
awful things to Goodwill? Seriously, use them as dusting rags or sleep in them
until they fall apart. That’s what my mom is doing with a donated t-shirt I
received in high school with “D.A.R.E. to Care” on the front and “Wake up,
America! The silent scream is deafening!” on the back. For those of you who care (D.A.R.E. to care?), D.A.R.E. was an
anti-drug campaign in the ‘80s. That t-shirt always makes me giggle when I’m over at my mom’s for
dinner. And it reminds me to resolve (again) to stop doing meth. So, for the
love of Pete, folks, throw these awful things away, don’t donate them. I’m
looking at you and your boobwatch, Rafi. Joan Rivers would have a field day if
she ever came here. And if you want a more serious reason to just throw them
out, read this (older, but) great blog piece about how t-shirt donations harm
local economies, particularly in Africa: http://texasinafrica.blogspot.com/2011/02/why-t-shirts-are-bad-aid-research.html
Heavy
accessories: If Princess Beatrice’s ovary hat can be considered an
appurtenant, then I’m considering the insanely—and impressively—heavy objects
that people transport on their heads to be a style category. I get passed regularly
on the sidewalk by people balancing overflowing baskets of heavy bananas,
10-foot long pipes, heavy wood, and crates of glass soda bottles on top of
their heads. I still have trouble carrying heavy groceries into the house.
Don’t let the guns (arms) fool you, guys. As Colleen named them, Smoke and
Mirrors (I prefer Rizzoli and Isles). This last category may be a bit of a
stretch, but, then again, who thought utilitarian accessories worn by some
professions—sailor caps, aviator glasses, construction hats—would be adopted as
fashion statements. And if Salvador Dali could carry a pet ocelot as an adjunct, then this category stands!
For more looks from “across the continent” (a phrase that
I’m still getting used to and still unsure if I ever will feel comfortable
using it without quotes), check out these links:
The Darfur Sartorialist: Looking beyond the conflict at
fashion and style in Darfur
Sapeurs, or Congo’s “dapper dandies”: http://trolleybooks.com/bookSingle.php?bookId=118
House of Tayo: VERY exciting Rwandan line coming out in the
Spring sporting locally made accessories and clothing:
