A MAG is a Modern African Girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things which may interest a MAG.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Doré Fasolati, this week's subjects: Thrifty fashion, I found my hubby but not all boxes can be ticked, Fashion in art, Prosecco drinkers be warned .

Thrifty fashion Thrifting has become a popular way for people to shop for unique and vintage pieces at a fraction of the cost of buying new clothing. It is also a sustainable way to shop, as it reduces the amount of clothing that ends up in landfills and reduces the demand for new clothing production. Thrifting is not only a more sustainable option, but it's also a cost-friendly way to update your wardrobe. Often, pre-loved clothing is sold at a fraction of the cost of new clothing, which means you can save money while also being more sustainable. Now, thrifting your clothes is considered less of an essential habit and more of a fashion statement.

In 2023, shopping for secondhand clothing actually makes you cool. According to researcher's report for last year, secondhand shopping is becoming a global phenomenon, expected to grow 127% by 2026. Today, thrifting has become another means of livelihood for more and more people, especially the youth. There are open markets for thrifters to purchase in both wholesale and retail deals. Things to avoid when buying thrifts or foose or obroni waa wu meaning dead white man’s clothes as we locally call them here in Ghana are manmade fabrics like nylon, polyester and acrylic which tend to wear down faster. Thrifted clothes made with those materials may not be worth buying unless they're gently worn or new with tags. Here’s how to wash and maintain thrift clothes; stick with hand-washing or put it on the gentlest cycle in the washing machine with cold or warm water instead of hot. To disinfect thrift store clothes entirely, you can also add some vinegar to your washing process with a natural and safe laundry detergent. After taking your washed clothes out, avoid the dryer and hang the clothes outside to sundry or airy dry.

I found my hubby but not all boxes can be ticked. Assume you found your hubby, and he is perfect in all senses, physical, character-wise, mentality, and preferences. Wouldn’t that be a very boring marriage? So don't worry if he does not entirely fit the bill, but at the same time watch out for red flags and remember that he will not really change, for you. So if he is on the phone with his mum for half an hour every evening, either live with that or think twice. Was he a womanizer before he met you? Will he stop? Does he yell at you? Can he be violent? Does he sometimes but too often drink too much? Is he sometimes disrespectful? But if he is not in the slightest interested in exotic food, or latest fashion, or film stars, whilst you are? I think it is nice if there are differences, as long as they are not red flags.

Fashion in art. When we say fashion we mostly think about dresses, but other things too can be fashionable, for example, Jacuzzi or electric cars. And there is fashion in art as well. Take Ghanaian painter Amoako Boafo who is now wildly and widely followed by even South African painters such as Lwando Diamini and Tafadzwa Tega, and whose galleries are now demanding that production is increased because demand is up. Eventually, this will turn into a commodity which you see so often that it loses it's interest. Like dress fashion. So either these artists re-invent themselves regularly or they will be forgotten. Few can.

Prosecco drinkers be warned. News is that the Prosecco wine (same grape and process as Champagne, and often tasting even better, but not from France but from Italy) faces an annus horribilis (annus is Latin for year), meaning that there was a very poor harvest of grapes in the Consorzio di Tutela del Prosecco DOC, the North East Italian regions where Prossecco is grown. The reason is heatwaves, drought and floods, and a shortage of labour to harvest the grapes (maybe they should have let these asylum seekers in any way?) So the production will be far from the usual 130 million bottles, and that will affect prices. This in combination with a Champagne scandal (Scam Pain)? where at least 2 million bottles entered the market which were not Champagne at all. So I'll buy my Christmas bottles in September and make sure I hold a reasonable stock.

Lydia...

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