Style Q & A with Unathi Nopece

My friend Unathi is the very definition of a powerhouse and funky af... So of course I HAD to feature her in this segment... For the sake of solid quantitative research, my questions haven't changed one bit... But with each original and fabulous woman I know, it's all in interpretation!

So here goes nothing...

Would you describe your style as a little 'tomboy' or more feminine or just plain mercurial and whatever strikes your fancy? How do you wake up and decide what to wear in other words? And in this, in this process of transformation... What do you think style offers us?

I would describe my style as feminine and mercurial. Feminine in the sense of dresses and skirts and accessories. I definitely dress according to my mood. So picking an outfit the day/night before does not work for me at all! I usually open my wardrobe and look for the first item that I’m drawn to emotionally. From there, I think about what else would match with that item and I pick what “feels right” to me and I wear it. I don’t like to think too much about what to wear.

Further still, what do you think, or moreover feel, about the potential, the power, the impact that clothes may possess when worn 'right'? (And by 'right' I mean hot diggity for the wearer...)

I definitely believe in the power of the right outfit on a person. Not in a deep philosophical way, but that the right outfit can change your day, and can even motivate you to make better choices for yourself. Don't ever underestimate the confidence you get from a 'hot' outfit.

I love my grandmother's old watch (for all it's stuck on 3:40pm), it's my 'unicorn watch' that completes an outfit when I'm going slick... What's yours? How do you turn a slick trade when ya feel like dressing it up a notch?

I would say earrings are my go-to for completing/switching up an outfit. I usually have a pair or two in my bag, just in case. Other than that, there's a necklace I love wearing. It's of a silver camera with the world in its lens. Oh, and also lipstick. It's quick and makes me feel instantly pretty :)

What advice would you give women about being comfortable in their own skins and embracing fashion...? And what was your own journey of self-acceptance and carving out a style for yourself? Did your body feature? Or was it just a secondary afterthought? Wisdom, please!

In terms of being comfortable in your own skin, I would say meet yourself where you're at, as hard as it may be. What I mean by that is be honest with how you really feel about your body and whether or not you want to change that. Then take it from there. Don't forget to give yourself some grace and kindness. And take it day-by-day.

I am currently going through a journey of reacceptance.

I didn't think I had any hangups/issues with my body until I gained a noticeable amount of weight, and thereafter had a baby. I had already put on weight and was feeling uncomfortable, and pregnancy just made it worse. I tried to hide my body with big clothes but it didn't help. Now I’m focusing on feeling good in my body through wearing clothes that are my size, eating healthily and getting back into exercise.

In terms of style, well, I grew up in the 90s so that's where my love for bright colours and prints comes from. As a kid, I wore what people thought was cool and trendy. That changed when I became a teenager. I ended up altering a lot of my clothes because I could never find anything I liked in stores. Everything looked the same and I was looking for clothes that were different or 'offbeat' in some way. And that was rare then. Also, because of all the altering, my mother stopped buying me clothes. That led me to exchanging my clothes for jumble sale clothes, which led to thrifting. I never really thought about my body through all of it because in my mind, clothes could be altered to fit the body, regardless of size.

Fashion still has a way to go in terms of catering to and designing for bigger sizes. I hope it gets better over time.

Vintage and once loved or straight off the hanger and why?

Tough one! But if I was put in a corner and made to answer, I would say vintage. Because of the quality of clothing, firstly. And then because of the rarity of vintage clothes. You're less likely to see someone else wearing the same vintage piece as you.

Who is your style icon? Though you're so very original... So maybe I should rephrase... Let's say... Who impresses you style-wise to say DAMN GRRRRRL!!

Thank you. I don't have a style icon per se, but I do admire Solange's style evolution. I also like Valerie June's style. Locally, Thandiswa Mazwai and Simphiwe Dana's stage outfits always excite and inspire me.

My ensemble is never truly complete until I've rubbed in a little neroli essential oil on all the pulse points... And in your opinion...Fragrance: yay or nay? Take it or leave it? That invisible pashmina... And if yay... What are you wearing? Or what are you most itching to covet?

A yay! I love perfume, but I tend to forget that I have it. :D I have two currently: Wonder Rose by Zara and Gorgeous by Yardley. Both gifts, but I like 'em.

No wardrobe is ever complete in my mind without a stand out pair of denim jeans to do all the hard work and then some... Which are yours? (Assuming!) How long have you had them for? And what does denim mean to you, period?

I recently purchased 3 pairs of denim jeans after putting it off for months. I was unhappy with my postpartum body, my clothes no longer fit me, and I was stuck in a slump. Part of coming out of that slump was wearing clothes that actually fit me. Jeans felt like a good place to start. Ultra high-waisted skinny jeans are my preference, but I also do like a pair of boyfriend jeans. As long as I look and feel good in them.

Denim didn't mean much to me as I am more into skirts and dresses. But I am excited to find the perfect mom jeans. Friends on Facebook said I shouldn't buy them, but I'm going to anyways. I love being a mom so why not buy a pair of mom jeans? I'll definitely buy them when the money allows.

Any recent obsessions? Mine of late are decorative scarves for any and every occasion...Thanks to pillaging my gran's wardrobe... Now I'm a regular Beethoven! Any of your own recently adopted to your effortless routine?

I'm slowly getting into rings again. I used to be obsessed with big, chunky rings, but now I'm appreciating the plain, thin rings. Especially gold ones with engravings.

Finally, be it a jersey knitted just for you... A coveted bargain bin find worth a small fortune... A leather jacket that just redefines an outfit, worn so very often it's become a second skin... What's your little piece of majesty in your wardrobe? That one item so very, very special...?

My vintage brown Giorgio Armani blazer, but it no longer fits me :(

Unathi Nopece is a 38 year old writer, linguist and editor, living in Johannesburg. She has been writing since the age of 12, starting with daily journals and evolving into poems, short stories, journal articles and personal essays. She currently works as a copy editor and writes in her personal capacity. Her hobbies and interests include literature, photography, art and music.