How to work African prints into your everyday wardrobe
Traditional clothing has made a comeback in a big way in recent years, and it does not involve head to toe African print that was worn to weddings like it used to be.
POLOKWANE – The perception of African print has changed over the years and the way to style it has also evolved.
Here are a few tips from fashion designer, Violet Makamu from Violet Glam on how to keep traditional clothing trendy, and how to work African print into your everyday wardrobe.
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The biggest rule would be not to wear the same print head to toe unless the item of clothing is edgy.
Ladies, if you’re going for a form fitting suit, you can break the rule, but remember that the way to finish the look has to rise to the occasion. Wear the right shoes, put on the right accessories so that the look doesn’t become overwhelming to the eye. You can use neutral colours to break a busy look.
If you are wearing a busy print with loud colours, break it with a neutral coloured item of clothing.
Another way to neutralise is with the shoes. For example, when wearing a busy print skirt, on your upper body, wear a simple single colour top to avoid looking over the top.
“If you are wearing a full traditional attire, don’t be afraid to use modern accessories to give it that extra touch. It can be with earrings, a headscarf tied in a modern way and bangles that are funky. As we move forward in fashion, it’s easier to break the rules and personalise your look,” she explained.
When having a traditional outfit made, think of it as multipurpose.
Have something that you can wear with other everyday clothes, be it a pencil skirt or boyfriend jeans, this way you get value for money and your wardrobe looks fuller.
For those who require an African touch, but are not into the African traditional wear, African print accessories are available, there’s no excuse for not adhering to a theme, if you are ever invited to an event that requires traditional attire.
