Grooming:Fashionable ways to keep warm in winter

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By  Heather R “Ladies, as we are getting into winter, please may I kindly ask you to take jackets with you when you go out so that I don’t have to give up mine. If you are cold, chances are that I’m cold as well. Thank you in advance for your co-operation,” read my friend’s Facebook status.

This had me in stitches because it is very true. During my university days, my guy-friends expressed the same sentiments. The girls were not keen on carrying jackets with them because they were a hassle to carry around while we were out, even though they had, cloakrooms at the various spots. I always carried mine though; I really do not like feeling cold.

I’ll do anything to keep warm. Besides feeling cold, sometimes a jacket just ruins an outfit. It covers the beauty of the dress or whatever you wear. You can only wear the same three or five  trench coats so many times before they become “played out”. So ladies, please take my friend’s request seriously; other men concur with him.

I must admit that the winter brings out other funny styles in women. Warmth and comfort take precedence over looking stylish, especially if it is a dressed down occasion. I have found myself succumbing to some of these fashion faux-pas, like ballet pumps with socks. Yes, I know that is why boots and sneakers exist but sometimes one can underestimate the weather they are working with, especially given the very warm afternoons we experience. You leave your house when the sun is shining and it is very warm. The moment the sun starts setting it is a different ball game altogether.

However, winter is approaching so the change in weather is expected, though we still hope we can handle the drop in temperatures.

So, ladies, it is time to pack away your pumps, during the evenings that is, and bring out the boots. In the event that you do not own any or do not like the pair you own and you are faced with the choice between catching pneumonia whilest trying to look stylish and keeping warm, I would go with keeping warm.

The concept of matching also tends to be thrown out of the window and scarves that do not match the choice of sweaters are gone together. I know being matchy-matchy is considered unfashionable nowadays but stripes are worn with polka-dots or colours that clash instead of ones that complement each other.

Women are not the only ones who throw all fashion sense out the window once the cold hits. Men do it too except they suddenly become colour blind and throw together anything that works.

You cannot blame us though. Zimbabwean winters are not as severe as northern hemisphere winters so we tend to under-invest in our winter wardrobes. It feels like a waste to stock up on outfits and shoes you will only use extensively for only two months of which the daytime chill is bearable.  Evenings tend to be spent indoors, which means no dressing up is required giving one lesser and lesser reasons to buy a lot of winter friendly outfits. People end up improvising, either by adding socks to their pumps or braving the cold during those few hours they are exposed to the cold.

Another common winter trend for those with a meagre winter selection is layering up. On the outside it looks like they are wearing two layers when they are a lot more. This is another way of transforming your summer wardrobe into a winter wardrobe. The cold makes us do crazy things indeed.

 

On a charitable note…

while you are rifling through your wardrobe looking for something to wear, remember, the less fortunate who lie in the streets or in children’s homes with insufficient blankets and warm clothes. Select some stuff you can give away or buy new things likes, socks, etc. Do not choose the stuff with holes that even you would not be caught dead wearing because it is so worn out.