God and Fashion by Ngugi

What God does if you seek him and trust in his name. God is only moved by those who trust in his name. Even when things are not working for you, his plans are the same and he will come through a the right time. I have seen God walk on water. At a time im trusting God for something, He is busy planning on a big door for me. When God opens doors no men can close them.

I took a career that i was passionate about and i have recieved mixed feelings and discouragements from family, friends, church members and the haters, but i refused to be moved coz i decided to follow my passion. Fashion is what God called me for, to bring change in the fashion world. I took it with a strong  heart and refused to be discouraged by those who don't believe in me.

A few weeks ago, i got a call from Bigfoot Entertainment based in Hong Kong and they had shortlisted me for the Style Wars reality show. I was shocked and excited coz i ddnt see it comin since i wasn'tpraying for that. The call didnt mean i was selected coz i still had to do an interview with the director. I did the interview with her after afew days and i had to wait for a week to get the feedback. After days of prayer and meditating, i got an email that i had made it for the competition. I was over the moon, excited and gratiful. I knew it was only God and nothing else coz it was too good to be true. Got my tickets and everything and i left for Cebu in the Philippines. God just opened a wide door for me to hit hard on my fashio level. On my way to Cebu i  slept in Dubai and Hong kong so i got an opportunity to travel and see some countrieswhich was awesome.

Got to Cebu and the people are nice and friendly. Fashion One gives us celebrity treatment, its like we are at a vacation and just having fun. Its exciting working with a big studio with a team production experts. I just love this door coz i get to learn from other stylist from Europe and America, experience with a big production team and exposure on Fashion One viewed in Europe, Asia and America.

I am making the best of this opportuity. Praise the Lord for this. Seek him and he will work his purpose.
Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

How to Determine The Right Dress Shirt for Your Body

Great things happen when little things are done well. God wants us to be the best in everything we do. Excellence is the secret to great achievements.

Just a few days ago after our youth church service, a friend of mine asked me to blog about dress shirt sizes and cuts. This request came after he wore the right shirt size to work but it still looked funny and snaggy and it pushed his manager to tell him to dump the shirt. You can not blame him for that because he bought a shirt of his size but the cut wasn't right for his body shape. So i am going to share abit of what i know and understand on determining the right shirt  for your body.

Dress shirt sizes for commercial clothes are fairly standardized, although there is some variation among specific brands. Generally, dress shirts will be sized by the neck and sleeve measurements, and some companies also include measurements for the waist or list the shirt's body-cut type. This sizing system exists so that customers do not have to rely on general men's dress shirt sizes and can instead buy a dress shirt that separately fits the neck, arm and body. This lil blog will help you to determine your dress shirt size and find the perfect fit.

So the 1st thing you need to do before you decide to buy a bunch of dress shirts, is to take measurements. You need to measure the  circumference of your neck and then full sleeve length and maybe the waist coz some brands use the waist as an measurement for sizes. And remember to always add an inch and half to your measurements and round it off to the nearest even number. After all that is done and you know your sizes, and then you need to understand cuts of different brands. Sizes differ from cuts of different brand; a Zara size 15 is not the same as DH size 15. So you need to understand the cuts and once you understand the cuts, i advise you stick to that particular brand and your shirt shopping will be made easier.

 

I only know of two cut types of dress shirts which is the regular cut(traditional cut) and the modern fit(slim cut), they could be probably more but i will share on what i only know. Slim cut is an athletic cut which hugs the body and the shoulders are tapered  known as the modern fit  while a regular cut is looser and known as full-cuts. Full-cut shirts give you a lot of room in the body. Slim fit works best on an athletic body which has broad shoulders and narrow waist. So if you know that your body is athletic then your cut can be optionally be slim cut. There are brands like; Zara, Polo, Paul Smith, D&G they have a silhouette that draps well with any body. Infact your best bet is to get any Italian or some French brands, there are most slim than regular. Because some Italian brands have ultra slim, their regular will be slim cut too but for looser fits.

 

A slim fit will generally follow the shape of the body without stretching – so, if properly measured and tailored, it will not “stretch” around on a bulging stomach or love handles. Along with the fit around the body, a proper slim fit dress shirt should also maintain its slimness along the length of the arms. A slim fit dress shirt, more than any other fit, is a style you definitely want to consider having tailor-made. A generic manufactured slim fit is highly unlikely to fit all parts of the body properly, as there is less leeway with extra fabric for room, whereas a properly tailored slim fit dress shirt will enhance the features of any body in a positive way.

Regular cut is for men who have a rounder body and who need some room in the shirt. This is a traditional shirt cut though. This does not mean you should wear an oversize shirt- you need to wear a shirt that sits well on your shoulders, and the sleeves and waist are perfectly intuck. Regular cuts are slowly getting old school because if a slim cut is tailored well it can suit a rounder body well. What you probably are most used to seeing is the Regular Fit men’s dress shirt. It is considered more traditional, though it is quickly loosing ground to the more slimmer fit dress shirt. The Regular Fit uses typically an additional 4 inches of fabric more than the actually chest measurements. This can provide some extra flexibility for the wearer.

A regular fit dress shirt tends to hide the defined shape of the body, due to its loose fit on the wearer. For a more fashionable or stylish fit, a slim fit dress shirt is recommended. You might be surprised how well a slim fit compliments your body, even if you have a few extra pounds- provided the shirt is tailored to your body.
For good cuts try; Zara, Hilton Weiner, Taylor & Wright, Markham, Ralph Lauren, Sean John, Paul Smith and some H&M. Be empowered by style. Bless


Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

Velly Image & Style: TIPS OF HOW TO FIT THE RYT PAIR OF GLASSES AND SUN...

Velly Image & Style: TIPS OF HOW TO FIT THE RYT PAIR OF GLASSES AND SUN...: Hello fam. Its good to meet you again via my Styling blog, hope you had an awesome blessed weekend. Life can only be stronger and good if ou...

Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

TIPS OF HOW TO FIT THE RYT PAIR OF GLASSES AND SUNNIES

Hello fam. Its good to meet you again via my Styling blog, hope you had an awesome blessed weekend. Life can only be stronger and good if our lives are godly and are under the shadow of the Almighty God. Whatever you might be going through, just cry out to the Lord and he will stretch his hand to you. We live a life of purpose and everything that happens, happens for a reason and trust me God will never abandon or forsake you.  Always rejoice in the Lord and  all happenings will always happen for your good. God is perfect, He is never wrong.Anyway lets move on and talk about glasses and sunnies and how to buy them.
 
We've all been there. You walk into a store and impulsively buy a pair of glasses or stunners. You rock them once and decide that they make you look like nuts. So you throw them in a drawer and leave them there with the other half dozen pairs you own that barely seen the light of day kikiki. The moral of the story- dont go freestyle when buying glasses. Before you buy have a long, hard think about the shape of your face and what types of frames would best suit you. A store like Sunglass hut has alot of mirrors so you can love yourself infront of the mirror til you get something that rocks you proper. Buying stunners is lik buying a pair of denims, never go freestyle coz a wrong piece can waste your money coz you will never wear it again. Be smart in your shopping. Shortly i will show you the shapes that go with different faces. Hope from now you will purchase the right pair of sunnnies.Style is empowering so im trying to empower you

1.SUNNIES THAT SUIT A ROUND FACE.
Full cheeks and a curved jaw line call for frames with a contrasting, angular shape. In order to create a sense of balance, make sure the corners are slightly rounded, not sharp. These are the kind stunners Rick Ross is suppose to wear but he takes risks by wearing the Diddy style stunners, thank God to the bling- it makes his look come out well but otherwise he aint suppose to wear those styles. Gucci, Police and kors will do. Be empowered

2.SUNNIES THAT SUIT A TRIANGULAR FACE.
If you have a broad forehead and narrow chin like Trey Songz below, choose sunnies that mimic your bone structure and help to accentuate the eyes. A pair of aviators or Tom fords' would work well. And remember to consider the gradient lenses and the how they hold on your nose coz you dont want to be constantly pushing them up the bridge of yo nose. Be empowered by style

3.SUNNIES THAT SUIT A OVAL FACE.
Long, lean faces need frames that accentuate width. Forget delicate,Taio Cruz- style glasses and opt for heavy plastic or metal wraparound and frames with oversize lenses like the LV, Gucci, Carerra, Prada etc. The Diddy and Jamie Foxx kinda style will be perfect for your face. Be empowered.

The same guides apply to women as well. So women take the guides and buy the right pair of glasses and stunners that suit your face shape. Be empowered for succes for style empowers. Til we meet again, God loves you. Love, peace n happiness.


Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

Spring 2012 Must Haves. by Ngugi Velly Vere

Hello fam, hope we all blessed and well, and enjoying the spring. Lately, sad things have been happening in this world particulary in South Africa; lives being lost, jobs being lost and too many strikes in South Africa. This world we living in only needs Jesus to take control of your life. Beloved fam if you haven't found Christ, i encourage you to reach out to the hand that blesses and forgives before its too late. Christ Jesus loves each and one of us regardless of our wrong doings and he is ready to forgive and welcome you into his home of everlasting joy and peace. Anyway lets revert to the style section. Previously when we shared about the Spring Essentials we just gave the skeletons but today we add the  flesh so that you can have a clear idea of what we talking about and also for easy shopping.  Trust me if you don't have any of these pieces i am going to give you, aaah you so outdated and you need to shop asap.

1. Neon colours - these are your bright vibrant colours that add live in your space e.g pink, emerald green, tangerine, lemon yellow, turquoise and many more.
Don't wear many neon pieces at the same time unless you are a style connoisseurs like the gentle below in a hot red suit and yellow crewneck sweater. The best thing is to mix your neons with pastel colours. That way you appeal fresh, stylish and not too loud but sending a bold statement still.

2.Floral prints on jeans and pants are so in style, they take the ordinary in you into an exquisitely unique stylish china. Personally they aint my thing so i will let it pass but for many of you it will work just right if you mix it with solid colours.

                                      



 3. Maxi dresses are good for weekendss when you really want to relax and to allow your skin to breath. It will be nice if you own a tribal print maxi or a patterned one. Usually women own more than one of these because of the comfort they give. Wear with flats, a beautiful contrasting handbag, chunky jewellery and a pair of shades.

 

 

4. Coloured jeans are a must have for they have versatile functions and can blend with most pieces in the wardrobe. Try red, sea blue, neon pink, ague green, blue,yellow and lavender.

5. Bright printed dress sends a vibrant chic elegant statement. It must be bold and bright cool comfyy chic style.

6. Colourful blazer is the most important must have in your spring wardrobe. Its your new black dress. Be different and rock a bold coloured blazer with a denim, chinos or even a dress or a skirt to work. It versatile and works magic on any look, it stuns an ordinary look.

I hope these few spring guidelines will help you look constantly fabulous this spring and help you to achieve desired life goals. Style is empowering and it brings confidence in you to tackle and achieve things. For more style tips and advice email ngugy.velly@gmail.com

PANTS are key to a stylish man

As we grew knowledge of fashion there are essentials that we knew one has to have in their wardrobes. And one of the interesting one is the pants. Most people grew up in jeans so when it comes to pulling pants its rather disturbing instead of being eye catchy. Essentials have always been the grey, navy and blacks pants and this are really basic to wear but still some people fail to pull them. Grey is the ultimate neutral colour which makes it an excellent choice if you want pants that are versatile enough to wear with almost anything. The pearly hue complements bold colours, so feel free to get creative with your choice of shirts - blue, red, black, brown, and even pastel shades are all fair game. As fashion evolves and trends change from season to season, we have seen the greys replaced by the neon and pastel pants. Everything is bright colours now and red is becoming your neutral colour. In the streets you see stylish and wanna-be stylish men wearing bright coloured pants and colour blocking with some buzz on the blazers too. The question is should every men go bright on the pants? The answer is NO. If you are to wear neon pants then you must pull the look well but if not then stick to your essentials- grey, navy, khakhi and blacks, you can still look stylish. Dont be moved by trends but remain true to your style.

 

There is something about these tan pants, season or no season. Im so inlove with them and i know its not easy wearing colors like that. Most men neva take risks in such pants but would rather opt for the khakhi chinos and black, but we have seen the trends pushing some stylish and wanna be stylish men pulling them neon pants and some on pastels which is fun seeing but some make you not wanna buy them at all coz of how they pull them together in a look.

The mistake we make is thinking that choosing a pair of pants is simple enough. Pants are a style minefield. They can be too long, too short, too loud, too baggy, and even too stonewashed. Choose the wrong pair and you could end up looking like MC Hammer. To get them ryt ask yourself 3 simple questions: First, do they fit? 2nd, do they suit your taste? and last, does the colour go well with your skin tone? Never try to go "freestyle" with pants even jeans.  Make sure you don't get too tight or baggy pants coz your whole image will send a different message about your personality and as well kill the good look. I remember back in the days in Zimbabwe when i used to wear baggy jeans and thought it was cool because American celebs wore them. Upto now most Zimbabweans imitate the western style of dressing and still think its stylish to wear baggy jeans but they forget  that Americans are huge built and baggy jeans looks cool on them because their bodies can accomdate a baggy jean. I came to the realisation that true style comes from knowing what goes well with your taste and cuts not what celebs wear.

Get your numbers right: waist and inseam are a good start. But don't just go by the numbers, try the pants on. There is a good chance you are buying your pants a little tight. They are not jeans, you know. Now check that they don't pull across your rear and that you've got room in the legs and the crotch. I may sound basic, but if you grew up in nothing but jeans you're going to think that's the way pants sould fit - too tight. When you've got all that figured out, you can go to atailor and sweat your way through the tough details like cuffs and the break. Proper alterations can make a good pair opants into a great one. Length is the obvious place atailor can work his magic. You will have to decide about the cuffs and breaks, but remember to take into account the weight of the cloth and the way you plan to wear your shoes. Another way a tailor can save the day is in the seat and crotch. Get these dimensions right - lots of guys need a little more room there - and your pants are going to be as comfortable as a 2nd skin. Beware of trying to take the waist in too much. More than an inch and you should be buying a different pair of pants. Also , ask the tailor to leave the extra fabric in the seams. You never know when you might need to go in the other direction.

Shop for pants carefully and smart coz pants are not the item in your wardrobe with which to demostrate yo flair and virtuosity. Lets start rocking the right pants and remain stylish and not fashionable.#Velly Image & Style


Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

Styling for Greatness

Do you have a style dilemma, an important interview coming up, a special occasion to attend, or perhaps you would like the luxury of working with a professional Fashion Stylist on a regular basis? to fine tune your style and keep you ahead of the crowd, saving you money and time in the process!

Velly is a professional Fashion Stylist now offering fashion and Image services to private client's from individuals, celebrities, business people and corporate. 

Specialising in, Personal shopping - Personal Styling - Wardrobe Planning - Colour Analysis -Special Occasion Shopping - Styling for corporate wear - Grooming.

 Call Velly on 083 589 2947


Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

Shoes can really make or break a guy

Most of the times when we dress up we are more interested in pulling the upper look- making sure the tie matches the shirt or if the pair of jeans match the colour tees. We rarely care about which shoes we put on,if its a suit or formal wear we just know its either has to be the black or the brown one. We don't care whether the detailing of the particular shoe goes with the occasion you are attending or if it works with your look. Here in SA, i have seen a whole lot of fashion insults- have seen men wearing loafers with suits to work or to meetings, have seen oxfords worn with a baggy jeans. This only shows you that people dont know the value of shoes and how to apply them to a certain look.

Its not only about wearing the right shoes with a certain look but also wearing a quality pair. I know shoes are more of an addiction to women but the desire should also be on men but to a lesser extent. Believe me when i say a shoe can either make you or break you. I remember alot of times when i really dress up and my confidence is boosted and my move is smoother than Sinatra and then i just happen to engage with women aaah all the confidence goes all the way down. They look at your shoes first before being moved by your outfit. I really don't know why women are attracted to shoes so much that the first thing when they meet a stylish guy, they look at the shoes. Im beginning to think shoes sort of determine a gentleman. I want to believe shoes tell a woman about the soul of a man-no pun intended. Nothing too shiny or too chunky.There is definately something about the shoes coz i remember at school we used to be inspected if we have polished our shoes and if we are wearing the right type. This was done before even checking if my tie is on or not.

A pair of good shoes can make a good look great. Personally, after i work on the outfit i thoroughly consider which pair to wear coz i understand what a bad pair can do to my good outfit. Iam a man who falls for brands and once i do that, i trust that the brand is always good style for me. Iam a adidas fan and a stacy adams too and wish i could afford the Hugo boss. Invest in a good pairs both formal and casual and you will see how sleek you will always be. I don't like flimsy little loafers. I like a shoe with strength to it like Adidas and Stacy adams even Steve Madden is quite good. Good quality pairs can last you years so its never a bad investment.#ChurchSwag

Spring 2012 Essentials for women

Spring means the sunshine is out and the cold is gone. So, it was means the darker and heavier wardrobe pieces have to go and the light and bright pieces come to action. This season, whats going to distinguish stylish women is the right wardrobe pieces. If you rocking unseasoned trends its easily recognisable and it speaks of the kind of woman you are. As you pack away your fall pieces, you need also to check if you have spring trends and if you don't then the stores are calling for you. And if you don't know how to shop then hala at Velly Image & Style and will help you out effective and efficiently. When i say you need to get spring trends, i don't neccessarily mean the fashionable pieces that will leave your  wardrobe after a season. What iam talking about here is the essentials for spring like the basic pieces a woman needs to look stylish. Essential are the pieces that you can pair around with other pieces and have a fab  look. Essentials are amust have because they show that you are aware of the current season

 

 Below are the essentials that each woman has to have:

1. Neon Colours. N.B Never wear many neon pieces at the same time.
2. Floral prints pants. You need to have one of these esp on jeans.
3. Maxi dress. If you want to look flawless this spring you will need this cool comfy dress esp prints- wear with flats and chunky jewellery.
4. Coloured jeans - hot red,neon pink,yellow,aqua green,lavender.
5. Bright printed dresses. here you must opt for bold and bright chic styles.
6. Colourful blazer. This piece will come very handy for almost evry occasion, you can pair it with denims or even a nice peplum skirt or shorts.
7. Statement necklace- huge gold necklace to multi-coloured gemstones necklaces,edgy metalic chokes to giant pearl pieces.

You gat go all out this spring and be stylish and don't be afraid of colour. Colour is what  will distinguish adventurous dressers and daring  dressers. But trust me, springs is all about colour esp neon.

 

 

Colours colours colours hmmmm. Colour has a great effect to trends and its a key element to style. Gone are the days when black and white were the deal. Now its about the colour hues that are hitting up with the season trend. Like we said before that Spring is about bright colours- your Neon, Mint and Pastels and of course colour blocking. Unfortunately colour blocking has to go beneath the surface for awhile has neon takes over. If you don't have neon trends in your wardrobe then i guess you still enjoying and embracing fall/ winter.

 

I realised that when speak fashion language some people don't understand where we coming from and going, so ima try and help those out. Neon colours are your eye catchy very bright colours - hot pink, emerald green,tangerine,lemon yellow, hot red, turquoise and many more vibrant shades. And pastels are more of your soft shades that are netural at the sametime bright,- pale yellow,blush pink,icy blue,light lavenders and many more soft daring shades.

 

This is spring for you so if you don't have any of those wardrobe pieces then you better start shopping. Zara,Forever,Mr Price, Legit etc do have these in stock. Remember never to rock the neon pieces at the same time unless you are a clown or traffic cop off course. Mix neon and pastel colours and have your fabulous colour blocking. enjoy spring guys and don't forget to share pixs of you in these colour trends and hues. For shopping or styling services email me at ngugy.velly@gmail.com