Ugandan fashion is amazing and the women we work with wear some of the most spectacular fabrics I have ever seen. And the best part is, they are not trying to be overtly fashionable or stylish, they just wear what they want to wear and it always looks effortless and beautiful.
I've always been a fan of mix & match patterns, but these ladies take it to a whole new level. Its proper culture here for women to come to work in long skirts or dresses that cover their legs. While working they wrap a piece of kitenge around their waist and use it how you would an apron. Kitenge (kit-teng-aye) is a traditional African fabric that comes in hundreds of bright patterns and colors and is usually sewn into dresses or bought by the yard.
Also, a common saying here is, "you look smart!" which is like saying "you look good today!" and the proper way to greet someone is with a firm hand shake and an, "echyo mabae, ate nah nee (good morning, how are you)" *also not sure on the spelling since Luo is not a commonly written language
I've been slowly working on my kitenge collection and am currently getting a dress made by one of the tailors in town, Florence. I love all the color here in Uganda. It is all so bright and beautiful!
Will you be coming home with some rad new African-inspired fashion?
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