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Fashion 263 with Tafadzwa Zimoyo
Hello July!!!

I like July not because of its wintry mood but that is where most high fashion events take place such as Lusaka July in Zambia, Durban July in South Africa (of course not the last race), Garment Show of India and Berlin Fashion Week among others.

Well, I have just listed the top of the headache — what to wear events, (LOL) and not forgetting our Ruwa July was held last weekend at the Bushman Rock Polo Club in Melfort.

Unfortunately Yours Truly did not attend due to other commitments but judging from the pictures on social media, it was okay though not quite upto previous standards.

I won’t dwell much on that, but there was a hullabaloo over the best dressed winners at the event which was sponsored by Rwanda Airways.

I think people should understand the rules of engagement.

By the way the event had a theme dubbed, “Royal Affair”.

This can be pretty tricky in the sense that there are colours that work well with royalty and you definitely need to avoid dark colours.

Anyway, still on the critic note, the Bulawayo Arts Awards were held at the ZITF hall over the weekend.

With fashion, however, anything goes and more often than not people push themselves to stand out among the crowd and make a statement.

I am talking about the red carpet which was on fire with some surprises too.

First let me take this opportunity to salute the organisers for a job well done.

It is not easy putting things together under such economic conditions, hence it was the bomb.

You could feel the heat on your couch, watching live streaming.

It is true that we all want to be trendsetters, the earlier adopters, but taking a relaxed approach to styling oneself is really where true fashion stars shine.

Artistes from Bulawayo are so proud of their identity and culture not that I am trying to be tribalism but believe you me we witnessed the sense of “Ubuntuism.”

Remember not everything is perfect under the sun, there were some fashion disasters, wardrobe malfunctions on stage and of course the Cinderellas ball gown were the order of the day.

We still need to learn how to dress appropriate for the occasion, thumbs up to the designers who are making garments but a tip from the radar, “please don’t create what we are not ready for.”

Lady Gaga stole the show with the meat dress and, yes, they were ready for that, while we are not  yet. Please!

Dressing for red carpets is an art and a lot of Zimbabweans still need to master the red carpet rules.

Did you know that red carpet events are your opportunity to shine?

Sure, you might not be rubbing shoulders with celebrities, but it does not mean you can get away with showing up in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.

The awards have come and gone. Hopefully, you might pick one or two tips to look the part next year.

Just in case you also get to meet a celebrity and pose for a selfie or you are the celebrity, here are quick guides for red carpet statements:

Choose the right outfit

Your outfit is the most important piece of the red carpet event dress code puzzle.

A cocktail dress is a safe choice for most red carpet events, particularly if you choose a safe black dress and jazz it up with some statement jewelry.

If you want to step outside of your comfort zone, look for a more memorable outfit.

Floor length evening dresses always look amazing, but go for a design that flatters your body shape.

Metallic fabrics are very “in” right now, especially with the celeb crowd. Red is another popular colour if you want to draw attention to yourself.

Try to avoid figure hugging dresses unless you have a figure to die for.

Anyone other than a supermodel, figure hugging just looks tacky.

Shape wear is perfect for red carpet events, as it hides a multitude of sins and prevents VPL on tight outfits.

Protect your modesty

Have a professional makeover

Spending a fortune on a new dress, beautiful heels and a piece of statement jewelry will all be for nothing if you don’t put the same amount of effort into your hair and makeup.

For best results, pay for a session with a hair stylist and beautician on the day of the event.

You can have your eyebrows shaped, tinted, and your makeup professionally done. The hair stylist can cut, color, and style your hair according to your outfit and personal preferences.

This takes all of the stress out of preparing for the event.

Instead of worrying about your hair and makeup, you can enjoy being pampered in the hours before things kick off.

By the time the event begins, you will be photo ready for all those selfies.