Fashion Buzz
Archived: FASHION FRIDAY: Let’s Get Afro Chic!
African prints are all the rave.
Bold prints are a timeless fashion statement. They can take a bland outfit from zero to one hundred really quick!
A trend that hasn’t seemed to lose its lustre is the modern take on traditional African prints. Many shy away from rocking bold prints, however, while a print can be a little intimidating at first, once you understand these simple ways to style it up, you’ll be in a hurry to add them to your wardrobe.
Now, while you can rock a bold Afro-print outfit from head to toe, you can never go wrong with incorporating just one piece into your outfit. The saying, less is more, is very applicable here! Unless you’re Afro-soca endorsee, Olatunji Yearwood, you might want to stay away from combining multiple prints into an entire suit. There are so many options for adding an African print into your look, from skirts, dresses, tops, rompers, and even shorts and head-scarfs. This Friday’s Beauty Buzz Fashion feature deals with getting you looking fierce this weekend, as you head out in your Afro chic kit.
Skirts
Long or short, you choose… but the African prints are awesome!
There are many varieties to rocking an Afro-print skirt. Maxi or Mini. Bodycon or Flair. It will all depend on the occasion and your personal preference. Without a doubt it will definitely add some personality to your outfit. You can never go wrong with keeping it simple and chic. Pair your bold skirt with a black top for an effortless look. For the more daring, you can color-block away with this piece. However, when you’re choosing a top ensure the prints are not attacking each other to the death of your look. Off the shoulder, ruffle, and even bodysuits can pair well with a bold skirt.
Dresses
Again, the opportunities from an Afro-print dress are endless. African-printed prom dresses have been trending since last year and the looks are becoming even more intricate, creative and gorgeous with every passing Instagram photo. Midi dresses are a very feminine way of showcasing this style either with a bodycon or flair fit that accentuates your curves and fashion sense. If you want to heat things up even more for a night out, a fiery mini bodycon dress that hugs you in all the right places is just the thing. Opt for minimal or maximum print. Whatever you decide, you’re guaranteed to be turning heads as you walk down the Avenue.
Tops
Men can feel comfortable rocking their African inspired wear too.
You can even amp up your look, by pairing an Afro-print top with your favourite pair of skinny jeans. With denim, it’s a no-brainer when it comes to ensuring your outfit looks cohesive. But you can go a step further and match your top to a cute pair of colored jeans that complements one of the colors on the print. Have everyone saying, “Baby, I like your style” with a boxy tee, peplum or bandeau Afro-printed top. This bold print on top can definitely take your outfit to a whole other level and earn you major style points.
Men can also up their fashion game by incorporating these prints into their wardrobe. Good news, you don’t need to wait for Emancipation Day to rock a trendy Afro-print shirt and look good doing it! Keep it classy with a pair of fresh jeans or khakis and you’re good to go!
Here are a few looks you may like:
Reina Bharat
Fashion Buzz
Carnival Shines More Light on T&T’s Fashion Industry.
In Trinidad and Tobago, the concept of Carnival fashion isn’t a stretch. Over the years, fashion has taken centre stage in the Trinidad and Tobago carnival. All inclusive fetes in particular, are known to encourage the fashion conscious to do the most, punctuating the experience with looks that are straight out of fashion magazines.
Last week, at Carnival Is Fashion 2, fashion, music and masquerade were celebrated in a splendid showcase of artistic and imaginative talent at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain. Design houses, The Cloth, Zadd & Eastman, Dianne Hunt / Tennessee Ramnarinesingh, DAWW Creations, Indigenous Philosophy by Dominique La Roche, SGP Resort, SM Warner…Art with Attitude, Yesa Designs, Mark Eastman, Elizabeth Lucas, Lost Tribe, and special guest designer April Walker were among the designers who showed off their pieces to a near capacity audience at the Grand Stage at the Savannah. Entertainers Nailah Blackman and Patrice Roberts were included in the mix, as cultural elements such as well as the Blue Devil, Jab Jab, Bats, Moko Jumbies and a Tambu Bamboo band.
Carnival Is Fashion 2 was conceptualised and produced by Richard Young. The National Carnival Commission says it is committed to placing a spotlight on all dimensions of Carnival, while appealing to diverse audiences.
Fashion Buzz
Trini Fashion Designer Brings Caribbean Cultural Ethos To Clarks Footwear Brand.
A Trinidad born fashion designer is making his presence felt internationally. Joshua Joseph of New York-based fashion brand, Rebels to Dons, has joined forces with classic shoemaker, Clarks Originals and American designer Ronnie Fieg, to create an exclusive new design.
The design was released on June 30th, online and commerated with an in-store event at menswear boutique Blue in Green. The landmark Rebels to Dons x Clarks shoe is part of 8th Street — the innovative sub-label by Kith founder Ronnie Fieg.
The collaboration marks the next major chapter in the Caribbean’s storied relationship with the British brand. For decades, Clarks Shoes have remained a preferred footwear brand in the islands with many Caribbean artistes even highlighting the brand in their music. In turn, the brand has released many Caribbean-inspired collections over the years. Joseph however, is the first Caribbean-born designer to create his own Clark’s silhouette.
“It’s exciting to work with such a classic brand that has been a part of our culture for so long,” said Joseph. “As the designer, I see this as an opportunity to give a sense of ownership to the people that truly embodied and embraced this brand so much,” he continued.
For his landmark project, Joseph took inspiration from the late 1970s and 80s, when a new wave of Caribbean immigrants imported their distinctive fashion (and eternal love for Clarks) into New York City’s streetwear lexicon. Honoring the two places that shaped him as a designer, “I wanted the design to show how the city and the islands are connected through style,” said Joseph.
With this in mind, the designer reimagined Fieg’s Clarks maycliffe into a mule, incorporating dynamic details that can morph into the wearer’s day-to-night flex. “This is something that you can dress up and dress down, all at the same time,” he explained.
Made of natural tan nubuck leather, the mule features hallmarks of the Clarks brand, from the crepe outsole to stitched upper detailing. Personalization comes courtesy two removable fringed straps, one in a matching tan nubuck, and the other a nubuck brun. These trimmed straps can be swapped or layered together.
By remixing these detachable accents, one can transform the mule, “from simple to extravagant,” said Joseph. “This one design gives you room to do as much as you want,” he highlighted.
Expressive, adaptable adornments cut to the core of Joseph’s overall ethos at Rebels to Dons. The brand has garnered wide acclaim for their radical reinterpretation of streetwear staples, splicing together kinetic colors, patchwork textures and off-kilter silhouettes to form something truly surreal. “For us, embellishments are our way of disrupting the familiar and making something unexpected,” explained Joseph. “And our Clarks mule captures that spirit.”
The Rebels to Dons x Clarks maycliffe mule have been released in a limited edition run. They will be sold exclusively online via the Rebels to Dons website rebelstodons.com. The closing event to celebrate the launch will take place at Soho Beach House in Miami on July 30th.
