The problem? I NEVER NEVER, NOT ONCE have seen my “Body Type” in any magazine, quiz, or website, NONE, NOWHERE!!!

The Reason? Because I am a Trinbagonian Woman. My physique is built on pigtail pelau, doubles/bhaigani, dasheen oildown, curry aloo & gizzard, roti, pone, cassava dumpling, stewed chicken. I can go on and on, and this ladies is just what is from my kitchen not KFC, Chinese (from out de road), Burgers from “de Cross”…….note to self, doh be greedy.

I have friends like me, who never get clothes to fit and when they carry it to “Shirley” down the road to fix, it’s because she “take it een too tight”. Tell me if you can relate to these. When the site/book say you have an hourglass figure, they say wear wide flowing skirts, straight jeans, empire waist. Okay, fine. You tell me how I walkin down High Street in mih church dress, breeze blowin, and where am I finding a straight jeans to buy, at least for less than $600TTD and somewhere that is not online? I have jeans I buy more than five years ago and it still good, why I throwing that away? And, And, IF big IF I decide to wear mih church flare dress, I have no calves, I talkin less than Meagan Markle calves, the clothes they suggest just does not suit.

I have a friend who has a perfect hourglass shape, but poor thing, less than five feet tall, she has to wear her dresses short, but she has cellulite, and God help you if “yuh lil big”. They makin’ thin people clothes slightly bigger, so yuh end up lookin’ like yuh just happen to grow out of yuh clothes. I think Trinidad is the only place I see skinny girls with muffin top and dey clothes slack, a friend asked me flat out, how to hide she knock knee, Google that, I dare you.

I’m being honest let’s face it magazines and websites don’t advertise clothes for Trinbago women.

“Invest in a good tailor” – Kim Kardashian, What Not to Wear, Vogue, Elle, Glamour…..All ah dem. Let me tell you, I know one of the best seamstress in South Trinidad, she is my relative, but, I DOH GET THE TIME, tell me if you does get that kind of time available to you. And mih budget, I am not buying a jeans for $60 (Rattans, is a good jeans, Forever 21) to spend $100 to “fix”. Okay, I hear you, I could just buy a “good” jeans. I have jeans that cost $1,400TTD and jeans that cost $40TTD, the difference, was the denim was thicker in one, NEITHER was perfect. If the hip tight, the leg loose, if the leg tight it eh want to button up. Zara dis, and H&M dat, who wukin taxi dey?

I digress here because I’m venting so indulge me. As a Trinbagonian woman I cannot keep up with trends either. I have worn the same dress to three weddings, Indian wear worse. Don’t tell me about Summer Spring Trends 2021, Summer Spring is WHOLE year here, with a “closed toe” shoe for rainy season. The track suit trend kill mih, if you know me, you will know that I could walk in the blazing sun comfortably wearing a sweater, no problem, yuh see the track pants, that’s a different pot ah soup. If my waist is 28 inches the track pants volunteering mih waist 5 inches more, and thanks to them 80’s Bingo Bag my waist hits right under mih last rib bone, lemme know if anyone could relate to that, aside from that all of a sudden Bang Bang had basic track pants for $400, allyuh mad?

Oh Gosh and the “solve all” maxi dress, how a 32H bust wearing a strapless, and flat talk, the dress does look like a balloon, if yuh put a belt, trust me it doh look like the magazine.

Ladies I could go on and on, but mih kitchen lonely. What I’ve ranted about has absolutely nothing to do with someone not loving who they are and how they look. I am pointing out that, simply, we need our own criteria to base our style and Trinbagonian fashion on. I love to see old women dressed, and off the the bat you could read their heritage, or tell their religion, I think it’s beautiful. The way we could make our own coconut oil or just buy it from the neighbor.

This is my first post, and it was a rant, quite a pent up one, so be gentle in your comments. I welcome suggestions. Tell me what you want to talk about or what you want us to figure out together. Any topic is welcomed.