Kanyi Okeke
How would you describe your fashion sense?
If I must put it into words, I would say it is very eclectic. It is slightly influenced by things you could pull out from your father’s closet today and tomorrow, it may be something you could pull out from your boyfriend or husband’s closet. It depends on my mood really. I do a lot of sneakers. My style mixes. Today, I could dress down and tomorrow, I could be classy.
While younger, did you always dress up?
Not really. It is just like that with my brothers and me. I don’t know what came out during summer or what is even in the winter line. I don’t flip through magazines and say, ‘oh! I must get this!’
What is the predominant colour in your wardrobe?
I love loud colours. My wardrobe is filled with things that are very expensive and things that are very cheap. I don’t buy things because of the brand. I buy things because I like them.
Do you have a favourite outfit?
I love wearing a pair of shorts and sneakers. I wear a nice shirt or blouse on top of it. I wear shorts a lot. I am not a skirt person, I would rather wear dresses. But the thing is that I love shorts and I wear short shorts.
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When did you develop the passion for wearing shorts?
I have always worn shorts. When I was little, my mum would always put a pair of shorts on me. I was a tomboy. Incidentally, my mum used to wear shorts a lot when she was younger and it was because of the nature of her job. She is a civil engineer and she was always building roads and bridges. She was always on the site. So I grew comfortable wearing shorts. For me, the shorter the better. I wear a base ball cap to go with it.
Don’t you mind that men would be looking at your legs all the time?
I have not had that kind of problem. But then, my legs are long and there is no way you will not notice them. I could wear boubou and you would still notice my long legs. What I get from men and women is that I have long legs and they say I could use my legs to measure lands. I have really long legs. My legs start from my eyes and I show them off pretty often. I have long legs so why not show them off?
How would you describe your body shape?
I have broad shoulders. It could be a curse or blessing. I could wear things and people would be so jealous of my shoulders because things hang on them really well. I could wear the wrong thing and I would just look like an American football player.
With your long legs, do you still wear heels or flats?
I wear sneakers a lot. I am a sneakers freak. I even collect sneakers. But then, I wear heels a lot because I do like to intimidate people. Now that I am older, I no longer wear the kind of heels I used to wear years ago. I used to wear six-inch heels. I enjoy being tall. I have never felt I can’t deal with my height especially if I am taller than a guy I am with. I like it when I walk into a place and people gasp and say, ‘she is tall!’
How do you keep in shape?
I run a lot although I have not run in two months because I had a bad knee. I fell down while I was running and I still continued running until it got worse. I had to chill out. I enjoy running because it is very relaxing, especially when I am tensed. I put on my ipod and I just go. I enjoy running in the rain, it cools me down. I just make sure my phones and ipod don’t get wet. Running for me is therapeutic. It doesn’t have to do with dieting because I love to eat and cook. I am also blessed. Even when I gain weight, it is not easily noticeable. It might be because I am tall.
What is the first thing you do in the morning?
I try to pray and I jump out of bed and run (for the days I have to run). Otherwise, I take my dogs out (they sleep with me) so they can do their ‘business’ and then I check my phones and the messages and the social media and I get up. If I have a crazy morning, I just get up, try and get my breakfast and I start dressing up.
How long does it take you to dress up?
I have found out that the older I get, the longer it takes to dress up. Now, it takes me more than an hour to dress up.
What is the fashion item you would like to own?
I might say sneakers because I am a sneakers freak. But then, I don’t want it to identify who I am. I am not the kind of person that would see something in a magazine and I would want to own it. There is nothing wrong with people that do that anyway. My sense of style could be weird or classic or even rock and roll. It can be all of these fused together.
Have you had a fashion disaster before?
Of course. But then, everybody wants to look nice and when you look nice, you feel nice. I may not really call this a disaster because it wasn’t. But there was a time I had fibroid and it was growing rapidly. I have sorted it out anyway. But that time, when it was at its worst, I looked as if I was six months pregnant. In fact, the size of it was like that of a six-month foetus. I didn’t tell anybody about it; it was just very few friends and family that knew about it. But then, I had to go and get an award in the US. It was an achievement award. My problem was what I was going to wear. I eventually said I wasn’t going to go because I didn’t want anybody to think I was pregnant. A friend of mine eventually went online and looked for something I could wear. We eventually found a short cape dress. She called the store and told them to hold it. I had pick up the dress before I went for the award ceremony. I arrived an hour late. And as soon as I walked in, people were stunned. They said I looked amazing and nobody noticed my stomach. So, I wouldn’t call this situation a fashion disaster but it was a very difficult time for me. I didn’t want to have the ‘are you pregnant’ conversation.
Do you take your time while making-up?
If I have to attend a very special event, I must consider getting a make-up artiste to get my face done. Otherwise, I do it myself. But I take time to learn new techniques for make-up. I watch youtube videos and I stay up to date with products. I don’t ‘pancake’ my face. I don’t like to look ‘pancaked’. I like my skin to breathe. I don’t like to be all caked up but then, there are times I don’t mind it so it could cover my imperfections. I use light foundation. I spend money on make-up especially now that I am older. I have to cover things. But then, I don’t want to look like Dracula. I have not been able to know how to do my eyebrows. I love to have my eyebrows looking as natural as possible. I dress up very quick but it is the make- up that takes most of the time.
Do you feel nervous each time you are hosting a show?
The day you stop being nervous, then you shouldn’t be hosting a show. I have the anxiety and I change it to adrenaline and that is what fuels me. If you are not nervous, you may not give in your best.
What would you consider as your most treasured possession?
There are things I love but I don’t think I love such things more than the rest. I don’t have a favourite colour or dress or food or music. I have a few things that are valuable to me. I can’t think of one thing above the rest. But if I have to choose, I would say my passport is very important. It is either my passport or my brain if it is not a physical thing. They are both very liberating. Without my passport, I can’t go anywhere. As for my brain, I am very confident and comfortable. It is very liberating. I can go to the bar and restaurant and buy my drink, I don’t have to depend on anybody. If I want to travel, I could just buy my ticket and take off. This makes me feel I can do anything and be anything.
Where would you love to travel to that you have not been to before?
Travelling is one of my favourite hobbies. I have not been to Asia. There are few countries in Asia I would love to go to. It would be an adventure.
