What is Nairobi fashion?

I think I need to make a trip back to States because clearly, I'm out off kilter with fashion trends. I would never personally admit to being an patron, much less an owner of the shoes below. This beauty sells for $28 (Kshs. 2,100) which can get you 3 pairs of mitumba shoes.



Or what about this beauty called a Gomax Thong Wrap which is also $28? I have seen Masai herding cattle outside Harlequins with much more attractive bladder beauties. Bladder is the slang version of tire tubes.



Okay, fashion is interpretive to individuals but this is hideous! Among others I discovered while browsing for shoes:



which are super stylish!



which retail at about 37 dolla each.

The problem with shoe shopping in Nairobi is that there are no quality shoes. The next time someone asks you in the diaspora or just visiting, for shoes, even from Payless, I beseech you to hear their prayer and tell them to register a wish list. Affordable shoe shopping Nairobi is limited to the choices that bulk purchasers get from Dubai and China to promote in exhibitions. Exhibitions are these tiny 6 x 4 shops that have imported, more often low quality clothing items from the above two countries. Some will also offer counterfeit items but the prices are close to the value of the real item. As I've pointed out before that Nairobi fashion tends to be more a miss than a hit and I'm beginning to think it's because of the styles in these stalls. Open toed and pointy seems to be the sole shoe style available. If you want boots, you have to buy mitumba and I will always have a problem wearing shoes that have been worn by someone else before. Or you could easily folk out the $150 minimum (Kshs. 10,000) that is advertised at many of the stores at Westgate or Junction malls, for gorgeous boots that will most likely scuff easily or be stolen by your angry maid.

I think I'm going to take a trip down South early this year and visit my beloved Nine West and load up on proper office shoes as well as some gorgeous boots for the cold weather to come.

Speaking of cold weather, apparently Kenya is experiencing El Nino again as it has been extremely cold and wet in the city for the past month. Considering our summer is from about the beginning of December to about the middle to end of March, it has been unseasonably cold for a while so it feels like it has been the cold season from June to date.

Hopefully it ends soon.