We caught up again with Leah Nabukeera for yet another episode of her assertive talks surrounding glamour, fashion, and style. This time, she went all out on the subtle art of appreciating glamour. We always think that glamour is just a fancy word used by stylists. Well, guess what? Leah is here to break it down for you. Glamour is looked at differently in different countries, cultures, and from different religious denominations. Enjoy!
Also Read: Leah Nabukeera Explains The History Of Fashion
What is Glamour?
Okay, so today I’m going to talk about what they call glamour. If we explore the various meanings of glamour, it is described as something attractive, fascinating, charming, and captivating—something that holds your attention. It doesn’t fade away; someone can have an outfit from 1989 to today, and when you present that outfit, others may still say, ‘Oh my God, it’s beautiful.’ Even when you reveal the age range of when the outfit was made, they can’t believe it because they still view it glamorously.
So glamour doesn’t have an age setting; it can extend far back or even beyond what we know. I feel that the word glamour, or what people should understand, is initially linked to something old, aged, or historical. But when reintroduced or reshaped into something new, it remains glamorous. If you delve into movies in today’s industry, you will truly understand glamour—something magical that keeps changing but remains beautiful.
What does society use to criticize glamour?
For one to be glamorous, people relate it to different things—it can be clothing, jewelry, hairstyle, dressing up from head to toe, the type of shoes, nails, or even the fragrance you’re wearing. I don’t only associate glamour with perfumes, as some say; I feel glamour should be related to something tangible that I can touch and see. One thing we should know about the characteristics of glamour is that it’s a combination of charm and good looks; it brings excitement. If someone is glamorous, they’re always adventurous, and you’re always fascinated. This led me to think that sometimes when people are trying to comment on or explain what glamour means, they confuse the vocabulary. When someone tells me something is glamorous, I feel like they’re trying to convey that it has a glorious and beautiful look. That’s what our perception of glamour is.
Where do we find inspiration to dress outstandingly?
It’s enticing that there’s a magazine called Llama, which is an online women’s magazine that initially tries to mix trends and offers different styling tips for women. However, it brings out a certain age group that is so relatable and above. This is the age in which a girl aspires to become more glamorous and beautiful. They tend to feel it’s time to dress up like a lady. For me, glamour is relatable to someone who is ladylike, and this takes me back to looking at Queen Realty. I would say she processes all those dresses at the tutoring. People look at them glamorously because they’re beautiful and fashionable, it’s the old style, but it’s enchanting, something that captivates you at first sight.
What does it mean when someone says ‘You’re glamorous’?
I brought out this llama wide, it’s good to have a difference. When someone tells you that you’re glamorous, it means you are completely dressed up or you look way out of the universe. So people should have a different description when someone says, ‘You’re looking gorgeous,’ ‘You’re looking beautiful,’ ‘You’re looking shiny.’ Those are things that might fade within two hours. But a glamorously looking person doesn’t initially fade away.
Glamour dates back to the days when fashion started. You could see that people who had high levels of wealth or high standards of living always dressed up in a certain sense of style. Whenever they moved out to the streets or gatherings, especially kings, queens, and chiefs, depending on the societal and cultural history. Right now, I’m looking at the whole world. I’m not focusing on a particular society. When you came out with a certain outfit full of power, adorned with stones, rubies, and luxurious elements that made you look fancy, people always looked at you glamorously.
Why? Because you looked different, you set a trend that others wouldn’t fit into. For example, imagine Queen Victoria dressed up in those big gowns with dogs around and luxurious elements. That type of hair should have, and that’s why they call it the Victorian era. So if you look at the situation I’m trying to bring up, we still have the Victorian era because that glamorous trend she set up is still remembered today. Even in movies that depict historical events, you see characters trying to dress up to the Victorian standard, and that means she set up a trend that no one can ever surpass, no matter how many times we keep dressing up the same way.
Why do fashion styles keep coming back?
How would you describe this ongoing trend? Is it a constant replication of the same style, or a continuous resurrection of a particular fashion sense that keeps making a comeback? You understand? And people still look at me like, ‘Oh my god, it’s amazing.’ Let me give an example. The series that has made history, ‘Bridgerton.’ If you examine the style they portrayed, it feels like a Victorian-era type of fashion. The dresses were always glamorous, never out of style. Anytime you bring them out, they’re bound to be stunning, depending on the material or the type of jewelry used in the design.
Another aspect of glamour I want to discuss is how it’s perceived in today’s generation. Glamour is now seen differently. Technologically, having a certain type of phone is seen as glamorous. Wearing a specific type of shoe is considered glamorous. The type of hairstyle, and even within our social circles, the kind of friends you have can define how glamorous you are, especially if you’re in high society. How you express yourself, and how you talk or interact with people, also reflects your level of glamour. In our generation, the concept of glamour has broadened. It’s not just limited to outfits or how you dress; it intertwines with various aspects of life.
What happened to Glamour in newer generations?
I don’t blame us; I feel it’s a shift in the fashion industry that is evolving and adapting to modern beauty standards. People’s opinions on how they perceive things today can be different from those in the past. Right now, everyone in the fashion industry has the right to define and explain a trend, breaking out and setting up something different. Contrasting with the historical view I gave earlier about Llama being an ode to an older era but still trendy, today glamour is more about just dressing up and looking good as long as it brings out your true self.
Glamour is an expression, and depending on what you put in, depending on what you have, it always conveys a message. In today’s era, glamour is a free expression. You can dress up, come around, and people will just have to say, ‘You look glamorous.’ They might not even say you look beautiful or shiny; they’ll just say, ‘Oh my God, you look so glamorous.’ But to me, glamour is a vast concept that explains so many things. What’s truly captivating is that it doesn’t fade. Someone once said, ‘Beauty will fade, but glamour never fades.’ So my advice to fashion stylists, trendsetters, designers, and tailors is always to understand how to describe their work based on what they’re aiming to bring out.
Do we practice glamour subconsciously every day?
Right now, as you’re setting out your work, you’re aiming to attract different age groups. Naturally, you want your work to be well-received. I don’t think anyone wants their work to be perceived as rubbish. However, I believe individuals in this category should define their work and give it the right description. It’s high time that people embrace glamour as a common term. If someone tells me I’m looking glamorous in my outfit, it makes me stand out among the rest of the room. I know I’ve been uniquely presented in my attire.
Who are the most Glamorous women in the world?
The topmost glamorous women include Jodie Comer, a British actress known for her captivating performances; Ariana Grande-Butera, a singer with immense talent and style; Zendaya, recognized for her elegance and fashion-forward choices; Beyoncé, an iconic figure in entertainment with undeniable glamour; Bella Hadid, a model synonymous with sophistication; Deepika Padukone, an actress celebrated for her beauty and grace; Taylor Swift, a singer-songwriter who combines talent with a touch of glamour; Kim Kardashian, a media personality and businesswoman known for her influential style; Rihanna, a global music and fashion icon; Jourdan Dunn, a supermodel exuding glamour; Marilyn Monroe, an enduring symbol of Hollywood glamour, and many more.
Glamour doesn’t focus on just one aspect; it’s from head to toe. Therefore, I feel fashion designers and stylists should now incorporate glamour into their definitions. This way, when someone makes a red carpet or press appearance, they exude glamour from head to toe. This ensures that we don’t question their choices and then only realize it’s beautiful. Beauty may fade, but if someone comments, ‘Oh my God, you look so glamorous,’ I know that even 50 years from now, looking at that picture, they’ll still say, ‘Yes, she was a glamorous lady who left a lasting impression on us.’
I hope everyone reading this article understands what glamour truly means. I also hope that my fellow fashion enthusiasts express their works in a glamorous form rather than just focusing on beauty. The word glamour, of being glamorous, never fades away.
