Like‘Fugees' "Ready or not!" RED cannot hide

Besides wearing red for a cause like the 5th Feb which is the official day for the fight against heart disease in women, http://www.goredforwomen.org, do you know how many times I have gone into my closet and decided to pull out that red dress, or skirt, or blouse or even blazer, yet made it out of my room with a green or blue or yellow dress instead?

Many women and men are wearing red for different reasons http://documentthesilence.wordpress.com/wear-red/ but there is no confusion that red exudes sex appeal. Different red dresses for different times; From the left, Hedi Klum looking stunning in this red gown. The second is a picture of myself enjoying a simple 'House of Imani' piece, then american actress Jessica Biel in another stunning piece accentuating every part of her feminine curves and finally the last is one of my hottest, yet simple pieces for the RED's is this ‘simple- yet-‘everything a woman needs in her closet-onto her body' piece by BB Dakota, http://dakotacollective.com. Keeping it simple is my tip on how to wear red and still exude your femininity and sex appeal without trying too hard.

According to http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081028074323.htmI, red enhances men's attraction to women! So did you ever wonder why the guy you met last month keeps turning his head to look at other women in red lipstick every other minute, while you on the other hand are keeping it nude and simple on gloss!

And while we are busy celebrating this special colour, some players and doing the same in the soccer fields this world cup season!
Well, guess what? While I try to adapt to other red pieces in my wardrobe, I am still yet to wear that red lipstick and red nail polish on fingernails but rather on toe nails which not many may see much of, and suddenly my new fad, red lingerie which I have adapted to slowly based on my man's fantasies!

Red underwear is definitely a bedroom asset; thank God for Victoria's Secret and La Senza. To sum it all up, you will never go wrong with a hot pair of red heels like some of these I came across on www.heels.com through MI Q5; could also be pumps, stilettos, boots or open -toe sandals!

Funny my friend Imran bought me a pair of RED Aladdin pants on his last trip to Hongkong and I have still not put them on. I have tried to pull them out twice though. The first time I put them on and took them right off telling myself that it was too cold to rock those hot red pants. All my excuses for getting around them.... maybe I am still scared!
I don't know how many of you are scared of red but truth is, if you coordinate your red items well, you can make them work for you and not against you. Also please remember that if you mess up on reds, it will really be a big mess like some of the red options below.

Not very sure why Bollywood actress Kangna Ranuat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangna_Ranaut has her legs way too wide open for her pretty red dress! Ladies, I!  think we need to take a crash course of what's sexy and what is trashy!Did you know you can acually sell without selling?

Then we have the hot Spanish actress, Penelope Cruz all dressed up in redon a red carpet literally looking like the red suit is wearing her! I think it's too red from head to toe, and it really does not flatter her beautiful curves and femininity!

Then we have an ensemble by Bella Matata, http://bellamatata.com . Honestly this is so much red that I still don't get. Feel free to send me your comments and tell me tell me where you would wear this to!

A good steal from www.stylehive.com, this chic hand knit from Peru on stylehive.com. This could accentuate your Saturday-laid-back jeans look; from the masaai market, to mum's place for lunch to a movie and possibly to watch a live performance right after. It's an all-day-accessory.

Then this sleek red pair of thin red frame glasses, a red hot franchi clutch and the brass bracelet from www.2ols.com amongst many other ways you can get red without losing it!

If you cannot figure out how to celebrate red in style, at least accesorize!

Yours stylistified,

Liz Ogumbo

What do you feel like doing when you wake up in the morning to a new bright day that was never even promised?

Do you just jump out of bed, say a prayer, take a shower, put on your grey suit and black shoes, grab coffee and head to your 8:00-to-5:00?

When the day is over, sit in traffic, pass by and pick up some chips or pizza then sit get home, eat and glue yourself on DSTV till you get up in a scare in the wee hours of the morning and realise you have a few hours to freshen up and start the routine all over again??

...Or....

Do you laze in bed for another 2 hours after your alarm goes on, flip the channels though and through until you dose off again 2hours later, and when your day finally begins, it is over before it began!

Why do we get so caught up in our own comfort zone we have a choice to alter and make more lifestyle-friendly. How long do you sit on an 8:00-5:00 job for 15 years and blame the world for not allowing you to kick-start your power? Your dream? Your passion?

Are we not supposed to work our way into sooner than later, shaping life into what we have always dreamed of? What efforts do we put in really? And if we do not put in the effort and make changes when we need to because we are comfortable, who is to blame 20 years later when you look at your achievements in life and you cannot find them?

Seriously, are you living for "them?" Or is it about you? When they retire and only fly around the world in and out of board meetings, where are you?

Some of you have said their is no opportunity! How can there be no opportunity when there is you? There is no other opportunity but YOU and you have the power to push yourself beyond measure. Like R. Kelly sang it, I believe that I can fly too and so can you! just make sure you fly once you beleive!

We have so much to work with but could we be too scared to get to the next step? Are you scared of standing out for your own achievements so instead you bury them so that you do not stand out but fit in!

Fit into what?

What are you fitting into? How dare you just try to hide and bury all you have to fit in!

Get out of your back side, and while you're at it replace your grey and black suits with hot colorful ensembles and stand out! Some of these things only come once in a lifetime and if you do not take it and run with it then, you might as well go back and sit on your back side!

Gosh!

Like my "Less is more;say it in black"collection that I launched in Malindi last weekend, I also left with a lesson taught; "Less is more- Don't talk back!"

For myself, It was certainly a trying humid evening on the 6th of March with my Man on my left side and his sister on my right hand side as we sat and waited for the show to begin.

I was FUMING if you know what I mean! Not the first or second time, but here I was still trying to figure out how to deal with some rubbish thst just popped. But damn! Thank God for ‘PATIENCE' the virtue that just checked into my system after D'empress herself checked me on the spot!
"You cannot let these things bother you! You are here for a bigger picture and that is what you will do!"

So I took a long walk to release the bad energy that was building up by the minute.

I had worked hard on putting this collection together and it is important to me especially in this year and time as 2010 is the year for bold, self-expression.

Bold, timeless and elegant, my 'Less is more - Say It in Black' collection presents a series of dresses that are the perfect attire from the office work day to the evening cocktail party.

A must-have for the modern African woman, the Say it in Black collection invites women to embrace self-definition through sleek cuts, provocative design and attitude that comes from the inside.

‘I believe less is more. When you ooze confidence, few people will disagree with you. Through the Say It in Black collection I have minimized fuss and accented the beauty of our individuality as African women. My philosophy is that every day should be celebrated as an opportunity to make our mark. Say it in Black says it all.

As I interracted with a few people after arrival into Malndi that morning, I could smell a dead rat, but it took me a while to see it.

Later in the evening when I sent out one of my assistants to put Imani pamphlets on the table, The organiser disprespected her and publicly humiliated her and within a few minutes, someone came to my table requesting that I head backstage. As I rushed there, I found my assistant who had broken down and was ready to leave. When I listened to the story of what really happened, my blood was boiling, my hands were shaking and my heart was beating at higher rate and I had to take over backstage work, hence miss my show. I was not upset at the fact that I missed my show, I was upset at the fact that out patners disrepected us.

DEFEAT EVIL WITH GOOD!

You may not see or feel it's effects immediately but it adds more value to your life!

Getting into the year 2010 seems to me like another day in the same year we left behind. I wonder if many feel that way. Got to spend Christmas with family in Kenya in Seme Kowe - luo land. Then got to spend New Year's Eve with my better half and we actually fell asleep and missed the fireworks. Not such a bad thing really! Just felt like I missed out on the midnight bell into the New Year. Maybe that is why I feel like I am still living in last year.

Then I got the chance to go to Cape Town, which is always a relief, then Durban a few days later, which was quite an experience; Zululand, and the whole experience at the shaka village. And then back to Joburg and then back to Nairobi to fix a problem and finally I am back in Joburg. Mmh...this all happened in about 2 weeks.

So now here I am working on so many things; I thank God for the opportunity and the doors he keeps opening for me and I look forward to enjoying myself on this and hope that you will all enjoy what I am preparing to present your way this year.

Musically speaking
Got the opportunity to perform at SABC morning live, 2 weeks ago with Vincent on the keys. Thanks to Timothy, Gee, Romy and team.
Next thing I was at studio recording a hook for Coptic and featuring on that was also Mr. Veezy from Zambia.

On Monday, I just pulled off a hot ‘reggae-vibe' song with MXO at his studio here in Joburg. I will post it up as soon as we are done in about a week and I believe you will enjoy that one. Why do I smell a hit song?
If you are in Joburg on the 14th Feb.....yes Valentine's Day, Check us out for a great evening a lovely performance. Details will be up shortly.

If you are in Joburg on the 27th Feb and you know what's good for your life musically, Please come and check me out at ‘Cantare' - Monte Casino. I will be performing with MXO and Bheki Khoza. MMh! I even have goose bumps just thinking how much fun we will have on stage.

Already recorded a hot French song with Octave Couplet "La coeur qui crie l'amour!", then a Swahili song "Jambo! Mambo!" And lastly spoken word "Supermodel!" You know it's funny that I am struggling to take fashion out of my musical energy, but it just will never separate. It' like 2 -in-one. Anyway the "Supermodel "spoken word is a celebration of these heroes and even more of a motivational word to models.

You don't really have to be a fashion model to relate to the issues I address. Also will post that as soon as possible. You can listen to "La Coeur qui crie l'amour!" I already posted on http://www.africaunsigned.com/lizogumbo
I look forward to working with Brother Buntu as well. Thanks Gee. His musical ear is unbelievably too close to mine so I am certain we will create beautiful tunes.

Also I am grateful for my potential label and their interest. I hope something phenomenal comes out of this.

Lastly, I will stop on this music thing for now by expressing my innermost gratitude to my better half for all his faith in me and my untapped potential...and all his support!

On the fashion tip:
I am working on another new fresh collection for Africa Fashion Week in Dublin in April 2010. Thanks to Stha and the team out there.
House Of Imani has the pleasure of dressing one of the finalists for The face Of Africa finals in Lagos, Naija next month. That is one of my inspirations for my Little Black Dress concept too.

My little black dress concept is also in production as we speak. Just because I have avoided the black dress for too long and now it's time to pimp it up and celebrate it. Ladies, I know sometimes we focus too much on our complexion; what we think works and what does not, and we finally miss out on those very dresses that could get us the hotter dates! Lol!
Anyway, the House of Imani LBD's will be out in about 2 weeks and I will keep you all posted on that and which stores they will be available in.

I think I need to stop here and save the rest of my 2010 plans for another day.

Let's try to send whatever we can or give whatever we can to Haiti. please try.... It makes all the difference.

For all your 2010 objectives/goals, get on your knees and pray that God help you achieve all that you ever-imagined. Put your mind, body and soul to it and make it happen because we were given this life to live in ABUNDANCE! Not in little unsatisfaction and all that comes with it...

What's up with the heels that need to stand straight but they actually wobble, hence bend to different directions, creating a V-Shape from the back of beautifully dressed ladies in their high heels?

Wearing a shoe with a higher heel is a fashion statement; some wear them to increase height, others, to make their legs look better and the rest do it simply as a matter of personal preference.  The problem is that the design is not correct for the human body.  There is too much pressure on the ball of the foot, when it should be more balanced; hence weight is shifted in the wrong direction which increases your risks of injury and conditions that include hammertoes, bunions and arthritis.

Somehow every day is a new day and every new day promises the female species a few more inches of higher heels. The heels have become so high even my 4" heels make me feel like I am in flats.

During the last few evenings last month, I attended the PICA awards amongst others where the ladies were not een pying with their style! They were ooking ht and fabulous as usual, but when I looked at foot-wear, one of my biggest worry was that some of those heels were going to be left behind at the rate at which they were wobbling. Did the shoe bearers feel wobbly? Off balance? Or just risk their ankles for a pair of hot high heels? Is it not every woman's worst nightmare to break a heel in front of a group of people, or worse yet, to sprain or break an ankle in the same damn ‘Jimmy Choo' or just an ugly pair?

From "11" to "V" in a few hours; some of the  ladies

struggled to keep their poise upright and others did not even realize they were on the verge of losing their heels along with their ankles in a matter of minutes.

I actually feel bad for the shoe, since its heel's nature is to stand straight to be able to handle the pressure coming from the wearer. On the flip side, I also feel bad for the wearer when the heel suddenly loses balance, hence changes form....and now the wearer has to also find a way to balance in this 6" pair of shoes, whose heel has given up and decided to just chill. Most people walk on the outer edges of their feet. To keep the heels in the vertical position, the heels are tilted outside and that causes the damage both for your ankle/legs as well as the shoe!

My Top 8 tips on how to wear high heels.

1. Supplement your heels with 50% flats. High heels will kill your legs eventually

2. Maintains your balance and walk with a straight posture as this is very important if you are wearing high heels.

3. If you are heavyweight, avoid the tiny 4"-6" stilettos. Platforms are much better for heavy weights as your weight spreads and can balance better and you have bigger chances of not ending up on the "V" heels at the end of the evening. The flatness of the heel provides more balance.

4. For lightweights, you can get away better with stilettos or platforms with a slender heel as balancing can be easier and pencil heels can be very stylish.

5. For knock-kneed legs, please wear more of the lighter strappy's or stilettos/pumps with slender heels. Chunky platforms will accentuate your ‘knocks' on the knees, whereas the lighter choice of heels with distract attention from the knock knees.

6. For bore-legged women, any length of boots complements the legs. Avoid light, slender-heel stilettos/pumps as there is a lot of pressure naturally exerted to the side of the legs hence making it harder to balance.

7. Never put pressure on the heels.

8. Choose the correct type of high heel that suits your feet and make sure you get the perfect fit as a loose fit shoe can give you a bad grip on the high heel.