Wander and Weave

If there is one website that can divide a room faster than pineapple on pizza, it's SHEIN. Mention SHEIN, and someone will immediately say, "The quality is terrible." And honestly? They're not completely wrong. Over the years, I've ordered things from SHEIN that made me wonder if the item and the product photo had ever met each other. I've received dresses that looked amazing online but arrived looking like they had survived three business days and a thunderstorm. If you've ever ordered something and immediately thought, "Well... this will become a cleaning cloth," then welcome to the club. But after years of shopping on the platform, I realized something important: the secret to SHEIN is not buying everything. The secret is knowing where to shop. As a tall girl living in Japan, finding clothes that fit properly can sometimes feel like an Olympic sport. Sleeves are too short, trousers stop halfway between my ankle and my shin, and finding pieces ...

How to Survive Summer in Japan Without Melting By now, I have survived two Japanese summers and I am currently bracing myself for my third. You would think that after a few years, I would have mastered the art of summer survival. The truth? Every year feels like a new season of a reality show called "Will She Make It?" If you're new to Japan or planning to visit between June and September, allow me to prepare you. Summer in Japan is not the gentle, beachy, Instagram-worthy season that travel brochures sell you. No. Japanese summer is a full-contact sport. The sun wakes up angry. The humidity hugs you like an overexcited relative who refuses to let go. You step outside looking fresh and put together, only to arrive at your destination looking like you've run a marathon in a rainstorm. Yet somehow, every year, we survive. So grab a cold drink, find a fan, and let me share some of the survival tactics I've learned along the way. One of the biggest surprises for many ...

Skeyi & Strobo Fabrik Party: The Heartbeat of Zimbabwe’s Creative Culture There is something incredibly special about spaces that allow young creatives to fully express themselves without fear, judgment, or limitation. In Zimbabwe, one of those spaces is undoubtedly the Skeyi & Strobo Fabrik Party. More than just a convention or event series, Fabrik Party has become one of the country’s leading art, fashion, music, and subculture platforms, giving Zimbabwean creatives a stage to showcase their talent boldly and unapologetically. I have attended the convention a couple of times myself, and every experience left me inspired, amazed, and deeply proud of Zimbabwean creativity. It became one of those places where you walk in expecting a fun event, but leave having discovered photographers, designers, stylists, musicians, visual artists, and underground creatives whose work stays with you long after the event is over. Some of my favourite Zimbabwean creatives today are people I first...

Colour Me Summer: My Japanese Summer Fashion Must-Haves 🌼 There is something about summer in Japan that humbles you very quickly. One minute you are stepping out feeling cute and confident, and the next minute the humidity has turned your carefully styled hair into a survival story. If you know, you know. Japanese summers are no joke. The heat is intense, the humidity is aggressive, and suddenly fashion becomes less about suffering for beauty and more about finding outfits that let you breathe while still serving looks. As we step into summer here in Japan, I have officially decided that this is my season of colour. After spending so much time hiding comfortably in neutrals, blacks, creams, browns, and oversized “safe” outfits, I am ready to flirt with bright yellows, juicy oranges, playful pinks, and every happy colour in between. If the weather is going to stress me anyway, I might as well look like sunshine while experiencing it. This summer, my wardrobe mood board is basically “co...

The Power of Networking: Sometimes the Blessing Is Outside Your House There is a certain comfort that comes with creating from home. The lighting is familiar, your mirror knows your angles, your tripod has become your unpaid assistant, and your “Get Ready With Me” videos are exporting nicely in the background while you sip your coffee feeling productive. As creatives, many of us have mastered the art of creating in private. We post consistently, edit endlessly, brainstorm ideas, and convince ourselves that hard work only means staying consistent online. But over time, I realized something important, visibility is not always the same thing as connection. Ever since moving to Japan, I began noticing that simply creating content at home was not enough. Yes, content creation is important. There is no doubt that posting your work online helps people discover your brand. Making reels, filming videos, taking photos, and sharing your creativity consistently absolutely matters. However, I star...

Sip, Sip, Hooray: The Stories Inside Zimbabwean Cups There is something deeply Zimbabwean about being handed a cup before you are even asked how you are doing. Before the greetings settle, before the gossip begins, before someone asks why you are still not married or when you are having another child, there is always a drink involved. A bottle. A calabash. A chipped enamel mug. Something cold, thick, fermented, sweet, or suspiciously strong waiting to welcome you into the moment. Last time on Wander and Weave, we spoke about treats that make our hearts dance and our stomachs forgive us for overeating. But today? Today we are opening the cooler box, lifting the clay pots, and taking a long nostalgic sip into the world of Zimbabwean drinks that deserve standing ovations. Some of these drinks raised us. Some embarrassed us at family gatherings. Some made our uncles sing louder than necessary at weddings. And some… well, some are the reason certain relatives suddenly became “professional d...