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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
StreetStyle: Weyni Abraha
Celine Bonneville Winnipeg Free Press Weyni Abraha
Astudent taking international developmental studies at the University of Winnipeg, Abraha is returning back home to Africa for her practicum. She likes to consider who makes her clothes, where it comes from and prefers them to be handmade. Abraha told us that fashion isn’t a big deal where she comes from and if the locals saw her wearing skinny jeans, they’d ask her why her pants were so tight.
Abraha jokes, "When I go back, I have to buy my clothes there. I don’t want to be pointed out, I want to blend in, but I usually end up cutting them short or styling them differently anyway."
What she wore...
JEAN JACKET -- "I usually get my clothes from my friends -- we have this clothes swap -- so this is my friend's jean jacket."
JEANS AND BOOTS -- The Bay
PURSE -- "Ethiopia. I moved here three-and-a-half years ago with my brother. It says '13 months of sunshine.' We have one extra month, which is all the eight days at the end of January. So we don't have 12 months, we have 13 months in Ethiopia."
BLOUSE AND TANK TOP -- Forever 21
NECKLACE AND EARRINGS -- "This was a present from a friend of mine; she used to live in London and when she came back she brought me jewelry."
BRACELETS -- "One is for the invisible children about raising awareness of Joseph Kony. The bracelet represents happiness and I bought it because I wanted to support the cause. I have another bracelet from Uganda, one is from my best friend and the other is from my boyfriend."
BELT -- Aldo in Toronto
SUNGLASSES -- "Osborne Village. I live right there and there's a kiosk outside on display."
Fashion essential
"I liked to wear purses and hippy-looking clothes. I'm not really into brands but I know I have some on today. I like random clothes. I always like to wear bracelets because they have a lot of meaning to me and I feel content when I wear them. I like traditional clothes that are handmade, usually from India... I just like to know that what I'm wearing is handmade; I feel like it has more value, as opposed to it being made in some factory."
Style inspiration
"There is a lot of pressure on young girls to dress a certain way; I really try and get out of that circle and dress my own way. My clothes represent me because I care about where my clothes are made and how it's made, so that's why I like to get my clothes from my friends, recycle and reuse. I like being simple and when people don't try too hard and still look good, that's what I admire."
Fashion tip
"You don't have to buy new stuff or brand names to look nice. I actually think you can find more options at thrift stores because it's simple, really nice and cheap."
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 12, 2012 E10
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