#OwnYourCulture- Decolonizing Fashion one "Traditional' Necklace at a Time.

GET WITH IT!

#OwnYourCulture Movement

Neck piece- Zanta Beads

Photo:Jeri Muchura Photography

Makeup:Njoki Makeup

Miss Vavavum

Xx

#OwnYourCulture and Fun!

Weekends are so amazing in Nairobi, with our beautiful restaurants, culture-filled music festivals, scenic areas in Nairobi- there's always a lot to do and see! It's for these reasons that one feels the urge to dress up on a weekend out about town. And to that, adding fabulous 'traditional' jewelry.

Here I styled, Samburu and Maasai necklaces on a crop top worn with a striped flute skirt and finished the look with black sandal heels.

Cultural ornaments are fun and colorful!! Layering them up just adds a whole new dimension to one's outfit, and It's safe to say, they look great with just about anything! See here OwnYourCulture Instagram

Are you feeling the #OWNYOURCULTURE vibe? Show us some love on @OwnYourCulture Instagram

Photography: Jeri Muchura

Makeup:Njoki Makeup

Shop similar pieces on Uberduka for #OwnYourCulture

Join the movement, let's wear our culture with style and pride!

Miss Vavavum

Xx

How to Wear Prints and #OwnYourCulture

I have been asked many times how to mix prints with colorful 'traditional' ornaments. Oftentimes some people shy away from "too colorful" jewelry especially of the "traditional" kind. The trick to making these traditional pieces work with your printed dress or top, style your printed outfit with plain colored jewelry in bright colors.

 These pieces can turn even the drab-est of outfits into a stylish outfits. "Tradtioinal" jewelry is artistically crafted and a proper statement piece!

 To see more inspirational ways to wear "traditional" East African jewelry, head on to OwnYourCulture Instagram to see how trendsetters all over the world wear their culture with style and pride. Join the movement, take a pic and tag @OwnYourCulture

 Shop similar pieces on #OwnYourCulture on Uberduka or Kuona Trust Centre Nairobi

Join the movement! Let's wear our culture with style and pride!

Photography:Jeri Muchura Photography

Makeup:Njoki Makeup

Miss Vavavum

Xx

#OwnYourCulture

Through the one year plus of researching and growing the #OwnYourCulture movement, I have been blessed enough to discover the diverse beauty of Kenyan culture and East African 'traditional' culture as a whole. This has been through asking older members of society, our beloved museums, historic writings and photographs and of course trolling the internet.Several communities in Kenya used the similar jewelry designs to adorn themselves, the difference would come in whether they were made of copper or beads. At this point it's absolutely safe to say that our great ancestors were pure creative geniuses!

Fun fact: did you know our ancestors wore these glamour pieces throughout their days and lives, like how glam was your home village? Each piece symbolized different situations in their daily life, so there were almost 100 pieces signifying different things. If you're anything like me, village life mustn't have been that bad, I mean dance festival days, fashion-like festivals(showcasing who had the most creative hair style or jewelry style)- I can live with that!

On research, colonization forced many Kenyan communities to disown and abandon, various indigenous jewelry and art. With #OwnYourCulture Campaign I seek to restore inherently 'traditional' pieces as fashion statements. And even beyond, because we as Kenyans really need to appreciate and nurture what is ours, from arts, music as well as these ornaments. For example this beaded choker, the intricate design and detail makes It perfect for the simplest LBDs! 

This piece is perfect for the office given it's colorful yet minimalist piece for Its size.

Neck Piece available at Kuona Trust Art Shop Nairobi

or UBERDUKA.COM

Visit @OwnYourCulture Instagram to see how trendsetters from East and South Africa style 'traditional' neck pieces. Join the movement, let's wear our culture with style and pride!

Photography:Jeri Muchura Photography

Makeup:Njoki Makeup

Miss Vavavum

Xx