By Gloria Haguma
Kirabo Fyona, a television personality and also a makeup artiste in her other life shares her style secrets, and also fills us in on her timeless items that make her wardrobe better than yours…
How many vintage items do you have in your wardrobe?
I have some dresses, about 3 plus some skirts and some 2 jackets my mum gave me when I was in my S4 vacation, these were some of her cherished clothes but she had put on so much weight that they could no longer fit, and then some pairs of shoes my dad bought me every time he traveled on addition to those he bought for my mum and they failed to fit her somehow then gave them to me.
What is the one thing people don’t know about your wardrobe?
I think people don’t know that I love shoes a lot except some of my closest friends who get shocked when they come into my room only to notice the crazy number of pairs I have some of which they never see me wear and others they’ve actually seen me wear like once in a year.
What makes the foundation of your outfit?
That would be my shoes. And the hair.
What is the one item that has stayed in your wardrobe longest?
I have this very short actually skimpy balloon dress that I bought for Halloween but somehow I always fail to rock it because it’s so skimpy. I bought it thinking I would one day do something crazy and put it on but every time I do, I just feel so naked and end up failing to go out in public. I have had it for 5years.
What is your most prized fashion item, and for how long have you had it?
I have these Brazilian Peruvian hair pieces that I bought in different sizes which included sizes 22, 20, 18, 16, and 14, making it 5 pieces worth 2.7m. It was one of the craziest things I did and I am not regretting it. I bought them 2 years ago.
Do you have a fetish for trends?
I follow trends but I am not a slave to all of them, I pick a few that match my personality because I believe that before being trendy I must be comfortable first.
How much of your fashion choices reflect your personality?
I am calm and collected, however I have my moments when I go all out of my shell so I guess my fashion choices reflect about 70% of my personality, there are days I just don’t want to know.
What is the one item you can never have enough of?
Shoes, shoes and more shoes. I just love shoes.
What are some of the irritating fashion trends you notice with Kampala men?
Very tight, coloured skinny jeans on a man irritate me, they are a turn off.
Which Ugandan celebrity do you feel needs to hire a stylist, to turn their fashion sense around?
Quite a number of them actually need stylists to change their fashion sense around because most of them have money but no sense of fashion, so they end up messing their brands or images. Unfortunately, I don’t have a specific name at the moment.
Which international celebrity would you swap wardrobes with?
I would swap wardrobes with 2 international celebrities: One is Kim Kardashian, she is an impeccable dresser and understands her body, I like the decent side of her where she flaunts some sexiness without showing too much skin and the other is Michelle Obama, her fashion sense is such an inspiration, she’s a mother, a president’s wife but still manages to look hot, I love that.
What is your emergency outfit?
Skater dresses or what some people call baby dresses, the fact that these dresses are loose fitting, means they rarely disappoint, they are comfortable especially if you get your size right.
If you were to auction off your bag collection, how much would it go for?
I don’t really have many bags but the few I have could go for about Ushs900,000.
Which designer brand dominates your wardrobe?
I don’t really have a specific designer that dominates my wardrobe since I buy from any shop, designer or no designer as long as they have something I like. I think I have more of H & M plus some of Fenty designs more in my wardrobe than the other designers.
Which is the one trend you can never ever try out?
The one trend I can never try or will never try is those cutout dresses especially those that require me not to put on underwear since the side view of one’s body is meant to be out but covered with lines or strings or a net hence not supposed to put on under wear, that I will never, I let it go.
What is your favorite fashion item?
Shoes, long blazers and skater dresses (baby dresses).