Grounded Narratives

Hi all!! Men's fashion has taken a new turn and has become more interesting than it ever was. And now that the weather is much, much warmer than usual, it is a good time to get more adventurous not only with your clothes but with your shoes as well. Loafers are huge this time round. They are available in all sorts of fabric from leather and suede to khaki  and even artificial leather. Loafers are best worn when one is going for a smart casual look particularly over the weekends for those of you who have a formal dress code during the week. Loafers can be worn with denim trousers or even khaki and cotton ones. They look best when worn with slim fit trousers which will keep the proportions just right.  Where can one buy loafers? I have seen a wide variety in Ngara. If you want custom made ones these are also available. I know of one guy who makes these shoes with ankara/kitenge fabric and they look amazing. You can contact him on his Facebook page for more ...

Hi all!! Last week we looked at how to buy a good man's suit and how to accessorize a suit . Today, we will look at which occasions call for the wearing of a suit.  In my opinion, a suit is a very formal item of clothing. This means that, it should be worn to very serious functions. The seriousness of a function depends on each individual but there are some occasions where a suit will serve you well. 5 FUNCTIONS TO WEAR A SUIT 1. GRADUATION Last week I attended my mum's graduation at the University of Nairobi. What struck me most, apart from the sheer numbers, was the difference in attire between the men and the women. The women went all out: heels, classy dresses, nice purses and well done hair. Some of the men, on the other hand looked like they had just woken up in yesterday's clothes, thrown on the nearest pair of shoes and come for graduation. There were a few men who looked dashing in their formal clothes. All my rambling amounts to this. Not ev...

Hi all!! Following my previous post on how to choose a great suit , today’s post will focus on what you can use to accessorize your suit. Buying a great suit is only the first step. Now you need to get the right accompaniments for your suit. HOW TO ACCESSORIZE YOUR SUIT SHIRT You need to get the right shirt for your suit. This could be the classic white shirt, light blue or even a black or navy blue one. Depending on the formality of the occasion to which you are wearing a suit, you might have to stick to the white or light blue shirt. Sometimes you can be bold and opt for a striped shirt. However, try not to let the print of your shirt compete with your suit i.e. avoid shirts with loud checks in extremely bold colors. These will make you look too busy. TIE/BOW-TIE It may seem obvious that a full suit calls for the addition of a tie. Ties come in a myriad of colors, patterns and styles. At the moment, slim ties are on fashion so this will be a good w...

Hi all!! There is nothing I love more than a man in a good suit. And what do I mean by a good suit? A good fit, colour and of course appropriate for the occasion. Unless you are a lawyer  or  work in an office that requires you to wear a suit to work every day, most men can get away with the formal shirt, trousers and sweater combination for most the of their working lives. But what happens when you have to attend a very formal function like a wedding, funeral or even on important event in your life like graduation or a very important date? I believe these events call for a suit. In this biweekly series, I will give you tips and tricks to get you off to buying a good suit and wearing it well. How to choose a good suit 1. Get fitted. There are very many shops where you can buy a suit, but how do you know what is your ideal suit size. I met a man who sells men's clothes who could tell your ideal suit size by just looking at you. Visit shops that are well ...

Hi all!! Neville of Kenyan at 7 requested I do a how to layer effectively post, especially targeted to men.   Layering is a skill that you acquire after a lot of practice. I often get amazed at the antiques people pull in order to stay warm. But it doesn’t have to be so difficult to keep warm and still look neat and tidy. Below I’ve spelt out tips for every man that are assured to keep you warm during this cold weather. 1.        Vests  I know many guys think that wearing a vest is something that is reserved for older men. But when the temperatures drop, nothing keeps you warmer than that extra layer, worn closer to your skin. Cotton vests are available everywhere from supermarkets to exhibition stalls to even hawkers. As I’m big on neutral colours for innerwear, whites, blacks and grays will suit you very well. 2.        T-Shirts Again go for neutral colours. Those old sports t-shirts that y...

Hi all! It's been a long time since I did a post on men's fashion. I have been getting requests from some of my guy friends on what looks good, what is in fashion and consequently, what should I pay good money for right now.  Below I put together photos of my favourite winter trends for men for autumn/winter 2013. And since the temperatures have dropped in Nairobi, I think this is a good guideline for anyone looking to shop for the man in their life or for men shopping for themselves. TRENDING COLOURS 1. Grey The monochrome trend is big, no huge right now. Pair grey pants with a grey blazer/trench coat to truly capture this trend. If you choose to go full on grey, wearing different shades of the same colour is the ideal way to go. Like the first pic on this post, pair a grey suit with a shirt of a lighter shade of grey and a grey tie. Top it all off with confidence and you are off to turning heads as you walk down the streets. 2. Dark Red  Weari...

Morning all!! I hope you had a fantastic weekend. I had a good one. I spent it bonding with mum and had a blast doing it. On Saturday I had a doctor’s appointment to which I dragged her. Then we had a few errands to run. In the process of we shopped!! What's an afternoon spent with mum without a little shopping!!! I bought an envelope clutch and a blouse to wear to work. She got a make-up bag and half-sweater. (Pics will be up later) A couple of weeks ago, my friend asked me how he can update his suits so that he stays on trend. I was very flattered to be asked this because I still consider me a student of fashion, style and body image. I told him I would get back to him once I had verified the ideas I had. I thus decided to do a post on this because I think some gentlemen may have the same question. 1. FITTING TROUSERS At the moment, fitting trousers are the in thing for men. When I say fitting, I don’t mean skin tight like a woman’s leggings although I have seen a n...