Haut couture à la congolaise

This week’s check of what I fondly call my antiblog* revealed a discussion of the times of year when it’s socially appropriate to wear white. Here at the equator, the seasons don’t concern us much and I have been reprimanded far more times for my failure to adhere to local fashion norms than for donning my white trousers in the middle of January.

But don’t kid yourself into thinking fashion is not a top priority here in the Congo. Here are a few tips if you’re heading out this way or are already here and looking to boost your image:

Have a complet (matching top and skirt) made out of pagne fabric from the local market, preferably with some type of matching hair ornament. This will inspire your Congolese colleagues to comment on your authenticity and furthering your acceptance into the local culture.

If you have a spouse, the two of you can dress in the same pagne. Men generally have a button down Hawaiian-style shirt made from the same fabric as their wives’ complets. This is particularly handy at parties for others to identify you/your partner’s other half.

Taking this idea a step farther is the concept that at a wedding, you should definitely be seen in the same pagne as others. For instance, everyone from the bride or groom’s workplace will all wear the same pagne made into different outfits. The school friends will also wear their own pagne. This can facilitate identifying members of your party in case or severe inebriation towards the latter portion of the evening.

If you’re not a fan of the same pattern head to toe, no worries. There is a place for you too in the world of Congolese fashion. A mix match of bright and bold is very eye-catching.

The final option warrants the most investment from the wearer, both financially as well as in terms of the behavioural requirements that follow. Become a sapeur – the Congolese extension of haut couture of musicians and other jet setters, which Papa Wemba described as “The Sapeur cult promoted high standards of personal cleanliness, hygiene and smart dress, to a whole generation of youth across Zaire. When I say well groomed, well shaven, well perfumed, it’s a propriety that I am insisting on among the young.” Naturally this will involve the immediate purchase of designer jeans and a snazzy looking leather or fur coat to wear in this mild climate. To pull this off, make sure the label is on the outside of your clothes. And whatever you do, don’t smile.

Now speaking as someone whose closet looks like an advanced case of seasonal depression disorder, I can’t say I’ve made a big splash on the Kinshasa fashion scene. But if goth ever gets big here, I just might be in the running.

*May December’s leading lady is about my age and comes from the same part of the US as I do. Despite this, we seem to have completely opposite lives. Hence, the antiblog.