eBusiness Weekly
Tafadzwa Zimoyo (The Boss) Business Closet
I always get fascinated with men when it comes to fashion and colour. I had a chat with local businessman Chamu Chiwanza after commending my previous article on shoes and belts. I must say this was a pleasant surprise.
Chiwanza, who is one of the few personalities in the country that take fashion seriously and has been voted as “best dressed businessman in Zimbabwe”, said the country lacks a platform to discuss fashion. He said fashion makes one presentable.
“I second you my brother on Business Closet . . . and the good thing is that it is targeting the formal sector.
“People should know the right attire when it comes to dressing. I came across your article about shoes and belts and as a vivid fan of such I thought I should not let it pass. Thank you so much and continue addressing these issues.
“I am proud that some men are embracing fashion and this is seen not only on red carpets but at work. It is true when they say that, you should dress the way you want to be addressed,” he said.
Chiwanza could not be drawn to share details on his shoe and matching belt collection, but he insisted one’s appearance says it all. When it comes to the white collar job environment, the issue of dressing is taken seriously and is not limited to one’s gender.
Should we say, you are what you wear or your clothes define you? For instance, in the early 1990s, miniskirts or two piece costumes were a hit and some would say secretaries who donned these were trying to lure their male colleagues, but was that true? I can still pose a question: Are men attracted to female clothes at work?
As a man, some might think I may be biased when it comes to the fashion statement, but it is a fact that I am obviously more inclined towards a particular side. Yes, that side is of men because as one, I know how to make a fashion statement.
With ladies, I know much for the fact that I have different female fashionistas, designers, models and socialites that still find my views well balanced. I must say that others don’t agree with me and even go to the extent of accusing me of taking it too far. I had to raise that because I have been called the fashion police at work. Back to the Business Closet, I agree a lot with Chiwanza that people should look professional and formal at work.
Well, this week is all about the secret of the white blouse for women or white shirt for men at work.
Somehow, you ought to have a white shirt or blouse as it is more professional and gives one that sought after business look. French designer Anne Fontaine, known for her white shirts, said that besides a beautiful outfit, every woman should have a white blouse.
The classic white shirt is familiar and omnipresent in men’s fashion. As a result, we tend to be unaware that for more than 200 years this singular item of apparel, which is essentially unadulterated in form from the late 19th century, has been able to define and represent status, wealth and fashion norms.
Some say that the history underlying this shirt is rich and, in the main part, untold. For men, the influence of the white shirt can be best traced back to the Victorian era where it was an important symbol of wealth and class distinction and a powerful emblem of sobriety and uniformity — despite it being for the most part hidden by outer garments.
The pure white colour of the cloth fulfilled masculine ideals of resolute austerity and only a person of substantial prosperity could afford to have their shirts washed frequently and to own enough of them to wear.
The power of the white shirt is as strong as it is evocative — through it we claim authority over the discursive meaning of our own bodies. By the way the white shirt has long been an indicator of high status and quality. Its symbolism and long history mean that it can describe a society like no other everyday wardrobe element.
Today, this simple and often unacknowledged garment unites people of various occupations, opinions, and backgrounds, proving that underneath their exteriors, they have similarities after all.
The classic white shirt has over time gained distinctive value, based on what it means both culturally and to individuals. It is internationally associated with corporate culture, as it is a crucial piece of the everyday outfit worn by people of all ages and professions. This local phenomenon is not just a sign of aspiring elegance. With times moving, tailored white shirts have been an undisputed element of the Zimbabwean dress codes for centuries.
“In the very early days’, white was a colour which signified wealth. “It showed that the wearer was rich enough to have people laundering the shirts, which would get dirty very quickly,” said one professor Ben Fletcher from the Department of Fashion at Istanbul Bilgi University at the New York Fashion show recently.
Again today, the very same white shirt has become a crucial part of standard office attire.I agree with you. Somehow, you ought to have a white shirt.
“Clothing is a way to signal to others our social status and the white shirt is still an indicator of someone with high status who takes care with their appearance,” said one local fashion stylist.
However, women eventually adopted men’s shirts, altering stereotypes of feminine materialism and ostentation. The masculine designs of Coco Chanel, considered transgressive and bold in the 1920s and ‘30s, have become unquestioned classics and signs of a successful career — just as they are for man.
Popularised by iconic actresses such as Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn, white shirts referred not only to the characters they played, but also to the actresses’ own social attitudes and relationships.
The good thing about white shirts is that they fit on every outfit, but don’t forget they too need cleaning and to avoid stains and other marks one should make sure their armpits are clean, especially if you sweat a lot. If you don’t have one white shirt or blouse, go grab one, as you never know what you might become tomorrow.
A good leader has or wears a white shirt.
Food for thought.
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