Five ways to rock the African print

The African print has found its way into many people’s wardrobes. Women, especially, are embracing the print in a variety of styles, ranging from dresses to blazers and pants, and even shoes! It doesn’t matter if it is a casual Friday at the office, or a small dinner party hosted by friends, the African print, commonly known as Kitenge, can be worn anywhere, anytime! Speaking to Women Today, Wibabara Assuma of Akaliza Fashions, a local fashion house, explains the five best ways one can rock the Kitenge. Head wraps Head wraps aren’t new. “Today we’re seeing more and more women in our society donning these head wraps as both a fashion statement and ‘protective’ style to church, parties and even official occasions,” says Wibabara. Mix & match Did you know that you can match your African print with other fabrics, from denim, lace to raw silk? The African ‘native print’ skirt being an example, wibabara says this can be matched with any of the fabrics above. She adds that it can be paired with a plain top, preferably a colour tone on the skirt. It can also be paired with a raw silk top or even denim. Blazers The designer says, “A Kitenge blazer matches with almost everything; for example, jeans, a dress, and even maxi skirts.” She adds that this works for both males and females. Jumpsuits Jumpsuits give one a killer look. However, Wibabara emphasises that one must consider her body shape to have the right fitting so as to pull off a fabulous look. Skater dress Wibabara explains that this can be worn at many occasions, but adds that in most cases, to create a more noticeable look to the outfit, an elastic band can be used in the waist area. “A Kitenge skater dress can be worn at various occasions, in office, at a wedding, for a date, or just as a casual dress,” says Wibabara. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

Lifestyle

Five ways to rock the African print