Dawn

The festivities are officially over (in my book i.e., don’t know about some of you out there). Well, 2012 kind of found me on a wild side. I was rocking down at the legendary choices pub and it was awesome (as usual for me). I’m sure the last of 2011 had its awesome night all around this great nation and seeing this New Year, we should all be thankful to the higher being.

Okay, I’m sure it’s all written out there what we ought or not to do at the beginning of a year. Resolutions are set for those who set them, solutions are set for those who are out for those and opinions are covered on how to do them. This year I may be part of the number who will take life to a higher serious level. That’s not my resolution. It is my cover for last year’s situations. Judging from that I do intend to make change. Saving the details for a less boring chit chat, we now know that the festivities were all that they were but later what was us is still us. Changes made to our lives are yet to form as habits or fade out as unused thoughts and may come back again next year, last the same while as the ones that some of those we have will last and go. Point remains; everything new calls for than hard work. If it is that new trend you are to follow, do it with passion and don’t die of heart.

Splendid 2012 people.

Lemay.

The skinny illusion debate

In the recent there has been some major dissension among fashion lovers regarding the topic of Skinny Jeans. Which body types can and cannot pull them off, when they are appropriate, which types of people they're appropriate on...the argument over who should and shouldn't wear these jeans goes as far as age, sexual orientation, nationality, occupation and even race! It's really intense when you think about it - that a style of denim can cause so much controversy.

Of course, being the friend for controversy that I am, and being the lover of skinny jeans that I am, I had to jump in.

There seem to be two main arguments when it comes to skinny jeans. One is that thick girls cannot wear them (thick "plus sized", so I'm going to say over a size 8), and the second is that men cannot wear them (unless they're gay). I am here to make a rebuttal on both accounts.

Let's begin with skinny jeans on "thick" girls (the ones with booty, hips and thighs). Before I delve in I'm going to ask you to do something that has probably never been asked of you before: try and separate the disdain that you have for bigger girls in skinny jeans from the disdain that you have for bigger girls in general. Don't get defensive. My guess is that people who are attracted to girls over a size 8 don't have a problem seeing them in skinny jeans. Simply ask yourself, "do I not like the way skinny jeans look on thick girls because the jeans don't look good, or because I'm not interested in seeing curves accentuated in that kind of way?" I think for many, it's the latter - so we automatically jump to the assumption that thicker girls should wear a different kind of jeans that hide their curves.

So, assuming that little exercise had any impact on you at all, and you're now able to take an objective look at thick girls in skinny jeans, let's take a moment to check these women (and their skinny jeans) out in all their glory.
If this doesn't convince you that bigger/thicker/plus size/whatever women can (and should) wear skinny jeans, then clearly you've got something else going on

Moving onto men. Many people think that skinny jeans can only be worn by men who fit into one or more of the following categories: gays, rockstars, hipsters, ages 16-25, super skinny men, gays, artists, Europeans, or gays. While skinnies do look fabulous on these folks, I assure you the list does not stop there. I'm going to be real with you here though and point out that not all men can venture into this land. First, the interest in skinny jeans has to be there. You have to be comfortable in your body, and know that taking it down a few sizes (which most men out there should probably do regardless) might make you feel more exposed. This is normal - and just like us women - most of the insecurities you have are probably in your head. With that said, while I do support curve-hugging skinnies on a woman - the curves of a male are not quite as sensual as the curves of a female, if you catch my drift. You don't have to be Mick Jagger skinny or have abs like Mario Lopez - but in order for men to pull off the skinny/slim jeans look correctly, you have to think about your body in terms of proportions. Skinny jeans can be worn on most body types - thin, stocky, ripped, or even a little belly/love handle - but if your midsection is super out of proportion with the rest of your body, either you have to compensate with some seriously fresh personal style up top, or skinny jeans are not for you.

Now that that part is out of the way, let's move onto the benefits of skinny jeans on men
Skinny jeans for men should sit below the waist, they're slimmer through the hip and thigh, they have a narrow shape in the leg, and they're slightly tapered at the bottom. What can skinny jeans do for you?? Here's how a skinny/slim fitting jean can elevate YOUR look as a man:
- You'll look less like a slob, and for a lot of dudes that can be a very good thing.
- They create a cleaner line with shoes: loafers, high top sneakers, low top sneakers, nice Italian leather shoes. What's that mean? In guy speak, they fit nicer with them - there's less material hanging all over the place and less bunchiness. It's like Legos, they lock into each other better.
- Wearing skinnies gives the illusion that you know what's in, and that you care. This might make your lazy, schleppy guy friends think you're gay...but guess what, the ladies will love it and that's what matters. And if you're a guy who's attracted to guys and not girls, you probably already know the rules, so this article doesn't even apply to you.
- Forget about wearing slacks every time you dress up - skinny jeans are a great alternative for a going out look.

So you see, no need to be gay or a rockstar or European or even under 25 to wear these jeans. Intimidated?

The skinnies are here to stay (at least for a few more decades), so everybody (thick girls and men included!) might as well partake in the glory. You know it's a worthy cause when the queen bee of judging is telling you to take a step back from your cynical, negative attitude toward something and embrace the unexpected. When it comes to this cut of denim, please live and let live, open your minds to the glory of The Skinny, and don't forget to look both ways while you strut across the street

Inflation and fashion.

A couple of years back there was an illustrated photo hovering on social media of the ranging size of female briefs (I know less of a more decent word to call em under wears). The idea I behind the illusion was reduction of textile with ages dated back in the eighties to the start of the 21^st century.

With that I fetch out to find out if the briefs are all that changed or the entire attire scene has had change in reduction of canvas. I take you back to the 90s. I’m talking 2pac, biggy through to puff daddy era (back home it was kalamashaka era) . . . the trend back then from head to toe was, a sleek mavin cap over long afros or dreads, a puffy jacket underneath it a baggy t-shirt preferably a designer wear (Sean john, fubu, FILA or Coogi stuff were outstanding labels back then). Moving on, the jeans had to be baggy too with the sag on it. The label trend had not caught on back home during this time till ogopa crew brought kapuka into being (E-sir days). The toes wore big too (Timb boots came into trend back here just in case you think that is a new thing. Good thing they are here to stay.) Like a flipped coin picture the trend today. Head to toe once again, Short neat cut, tight fitting shirt over a simple vest (or without), well fitting jeans either so fitting with no sag or if any quite decent with it. On the ground, simple loafers or (as they call em out there) Rabo.

Relating the coin flip with current affairs, has it ever hit you that without the issues on global warming, the size of attire on our bodies would still be in large as the old days? Reason: put on em jeans in baggy and strut down moi avenue or better tom mboya street. You’d drag more than just the jeans on you body!!! With em reduced in size to either fitting (not entirely tight. That’s another discussion) you easily manipulate human traffic underneath no stress worrying about any drag.

Further on, inflation seems to affect everything you set your hands on today, right? I’m assuming you can figure out that it affects every sector in economical growth. Lets talk textile. For an attire to come into being a source of either cotton, silk or wool has to be there even if kuna GMO fabric (Iko kweli?). we focusing on that farmer who rears sheep of ploughs for cotton farming. Say inflation affects his ability to produce much out of his farm or his ability to do A.I on his sheep, his production will go down. Results would be less fabric for any designer out there to use and if much the price is obviously roof toping. Simple ideology, I have less milk, would I make tea or drink the milk plainly in mind the price of sugar? Translate that to fabric on a designers table.

 Enough theory lessons, today we are made to believe that fashion is all about revealing body parts for women or outlining the curves on em. I think the real deal is that we learnt to adapt to what the environment we are in invites us to dine with. With that I think I’ve settled on where the baggy days went what is left is me worrying about my kids generation (ile 2050 ya abbas) will dressing in.

Generation wireless

Am sitting in my room writing about the chipo affair then it hits me what happened to the 80’s trend? An age where patience and punctuality were virtues to live with, the time when, if you wanted to get a woman you would have to wait for her at a particular spot for hours until she shows up or even pick a specific area for meeting. There were no phones/facebook/twitter/Google maps or any chat sites. If you wanted to get a man or a woman you would have to hustle to get her. At this generation everybody wants to go wireless, “no strings attached.” Is this the best generation yet or is this the worst of all? Where virginity has lost its meaning and that children become aware of sex at the age of seven. What happened to ‘I love you’ or better yet ‘I’ll save myself till we get married?’ in this generation women would rather cry in a Mercedes than be happy on a bicycle. This is the generation where sex crave for both sexes is like the vampire craving for blood and that they’ll  do anything and I mean anything to get laid. This is the century where if you get horny you just update your facebook status and you receive like 20 invitations offering to assist you with your situation. Now ladies and gentlemen, what do you think will be the next generation after wireless?

Collo.

The chipo affair

I know I know what you are thinking, “chips funga” right? Well that’s our topic for today. Chips funga, where the hell did that sheng’ name come from anyway? I guess when you go to buy chipo(slang for fries) from the fast food joints then they ask you, “utakula hapa ama utabeba?” meaning, (will you eat from here or go home with it) that’s the same case in our Kenyan night clubs. The big question is, are these ladies aware that they are going to be chipod or are they just too drunk to notice themselves going home with a stranger? I know when men go out to a night club they pray that they ‘get lucky’ and ‘ponyoka na pick up’. I wonder do the ladies pray to get lucky too when they go out to party. The chipo affair has by far grown from night clubs into campus hostels, since nobody nowadays cares about love or even mere dating. The supposed walk of shame as perceived in past is now a walk of glory for most people considering we count gains out of chipoing. Let’s harbor this sail, what are your best or worst of chipoing stories? Does the trend have any rules to govern it?