Fashion Across Continents
When people ask me where I am from it is always difficult to give a short answer. My grandparents grew up in India and they emigrated to Kenya where both my parents were born and raised. My parents then went on to study in England and then moved to Canada after getting married. This is where my brother, sister, and I were all born. We all moved to North Carolina and I lived there a long time before moving on to Boston with my husband. I still have some family in Kenya and even though I have not been back in a while I have amazing childhood memories of hanging out in Nairobi with all my cousins, going on exciting safaris, and beach trips to Mombasa.
My cousin Pinky still lives in Nairobi and she is a well known model in Kenya and she was even Miss India Kenya back in 2000. Pinky is a dedicated Philanthropist, a well known Radio and TV personality, a Society Magazine Editor, and a Marketing, PR, and Event planner. Most importantly she is now a wife and mom to a beautiful baby girl who she also named Ariyana.
I thought it would be fun to have Pinky talk about fashion in East Africa. Here are Pinky's views on fashion in Kenya as well as some of her wardrobe essentials.
When Naina asked me to contribute to her blog I had no idea what to write. There she is, a true style diva in her loubous, and here I am, 9 months pregnant, all ready to pop and feeling like a baby elephant! I must admit though, I may have got this space on her page purely on the basis of nepotism, I am her younger cousin, but I am not complaining.
The reason I was at a loss is because she talks about styles in seasons, she talks about the red carpet and Hollywood, she talks about the fabulous designers of the world because, let’s not deny it, the lady is switched on when it comes to the subject, but also living so much closer to the action gives her an added advantage. I live in Kenya, which is in East Africa – fashion is fun here, but whenever we watch the style network, it is not like we can go out and buy the big trend of the season because not everything is available here. So what Naina suggested is that keeping with the trends we have here, I can still comment on fashion – after all, no matter where we are in the world, if you are a die hard fashionista, this is a language you will definitely understand.
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| {Pinky-middle picture} |
1. Dark blue jeans
don’t get me wrong, I love the stoned washed look, but if you want to manage to look slimmer, I always find that the darker the shade, the better. I don’t like being boring and going for the conventional black so I stick to the navy and find it works wonders for my legs! Also with the skinny jean being very much the fashion, that style in a darker blue shade really completes the style.
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2. Butt enhancers!
Don’t laugh. For a first meeting I am probably sharing too much information, but I was not gifted with a Kim Kardashian ass. Don’t get me wrong, I have tried to get one by putting the hours in the gym, but it has never worked for me. Even during my pregnancy I was assured by all my gal pals that the posterior would grown, unfortunately I got nothing down there. So I invested in a nice pair of underwear with padding. Trust me it got the heads turning. In my line of business people look at the way you look all the time, so I said to myself that instead of getting the butt surgically enhanced, here is a more simple, yet stylish way to do it, without going under the knife.
3. The perfect pair of killer high heels
I like 5 inches, although through the pregnancy I was encouraged to stay off the heels, but there is nothing like a pretty pair of shoes that just make you feel like the queen of the world. I like the fact that not everything has to match – as in your accessories can be a different colour from your bag and your bag can contrast yet compliment your shoes. Any pair of shoes that make you feel great are perfect for any outfit provided you can go at least 8 hours wearing them. No matter how tall you are, a little extra height always completes an outfit.
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4. Designer sunglasses
I love the big sunglasses that cover your face and make you look and feel very celebrity. My favourite designers range from Chanel to Cavalli. Weather you are in sweats or dressed to the nines, it always works to don a fabulous pair of sunglasses. 
5. Lounge wear
Even if I am sitting around the house or going for a quick power walk, I love the feel of lounge wear. I like it when I look put together a la Eva Longoria in her Juicy Sweatsuits. This look gives the feel of glamour without doing anything, it is so easy to pull off. I always say it helps to look good, you never know who you bump into or who may show up at your door!
Pinky- Thank you for sharing your views on fashion and your wardrobe essentials. I completely agree that despite the distance across continents fashion is a language we all speak and understand.
Follow Pinky on Twitter @pinkyghelani
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