Men in Chains
Wearing chains seems to be the latest fad for men. We are not talking of teenage or post-adolescent boys here, but men in their 30s, 40s and even 50s. At any cocktail or Friday night affair, take careful note of the shiny thing that peeps from under the collar of some of Kampala’s top managers and
By Elvina Nawaguna
Wearing chains seems to be the latest fad for men. We are not talking of teenage or post-adolescent boys here, but men in their 30s, 40s and even 50s. At any cocktail or Friday night affair, take careful note of the shiny thing that peeps from under the collar of some of Kampala’s top managers and older men.
Many of them wear the chains and drop the first button of their shirts to reveal their bling bling.
So what is the big deal? At one point it was a put-off for a man to be seen wearing chains. You would look like Congolese singer Kofi Olomide or one of those black American “bad boy†singers like Sisqo, 50 Cent and P. Diddy. Others associated it with homosexuals, bayaye (lumpen) or pimps. Now it looks like our middle-aged men have come up with a trend of their own.
Godfrey Mulengi, an advertising manager who wears gold and silver chains on Fridays and weekends, says he does not do it to make up for any lost time in the days of yore. “It makes me feel that it is really a dress-down day,†he says. Mulengi says what makes the difference between him and the singers is that he wears “small, classy chains that don’t attract a lot of attentionâ€.
“For me, it is a personal thing. I just like good things. I like class. The type and size makes the distinction.â€
Michael, 38, an accountant, says he started wearing a chain after seeing a top Kampala bank manager wearing one. Michael went for silver because it is cheaper than gold.
Mian Raheel Ashraf of Raheel Jewellers on Burton Street says wearing chains by men is a new trend in Uganda. He says many men have picked the style from western footballers, adding that the culture is an old one in many western countries like Italy. Raheel says some people wear chains because they have seen other people looking good with them.
A journalist who has been spotting the same chain for several months says, “It is about status and class. Cheap things don’t last.â€
I would like to say that perhaps it is because he does not shower, that his chain is still neat and intact. But no, he always smells fresh, which means that he did invest in the chain. He says it has everything to do with money and prestige. “My 10 carat gold chain shows I am loaded (have a lot of money),†he boasts.
Raheel recommends chains made from Italian silver because they look nice and never fade. Mulengi who wears pure gold chains says a gold chain calls for financial sacrifice because gold is very expensive. But what is price when it can get you the attention of the ladies?
en admit that their chains draw extra female attention to them. “They are quite a stand out in the sense that they poke everyone’s interest. It is a statement,†says the journalist.
What do the girls think? Do men who wear chains look more attractive?
“I think they are trying to be stylish; some look good, but some wear ugly big ones that make them look like thugs,†says Sarah Bingi, a third year Makerere University student. “Although men with chains stand out, it does not necessarily mean that they are rich. Some are given the chains as gifts. Besides, there are lots of rich guys who do not wear chains,†she adds.
Sheila Sentongo says small chains are okay for men and look really good. “Those who wear big ones are like wannabes. It is like they missed a stage in life. Big ones just look showy.â€
“I think that they have totally refused to grow up and want to be identified as teenagers,†says Joana Apio, a public relations manager.
Charlotte, a 25-year-old social worker, says, “It makes a man look really cool. However, I am not sure about them being rich. Some guys I know with chains are so dead broke!â€
“People have different approaches and opinions,†says Godfrey Nyakaana, Kampala Central LC3 chairman, who often steps out in a gold chain and casual wear. He says wearing a chain does not affect his work. “It’s about the person, not what they wear,†he says.
If you see the chain as a trend worth investing in, then go and get yourself one. Their cost ranges from as low as sh1,500 in the taxi park to over sh250,000 for a chain of about 22 carats in uptown jewellers. The price increases with the more carats.
However, if you are buying chains because you do not know who you are anymore and you are trying to make up for lost time, you need a shrink to help you find your identity.
Places that sell chains include Jit Jewellers on Kampala Road, Red Rose Jewellers on Charm Towers and Charms Beauty Shop on Jinja Road. Grand Imperial and Sheraton hotels also have jewellery shops.
Wearing chains seems to be the latest fad for men. We are not talking of teenage or post-adolescent boys here, but men in their 30s, 40s and even 50s. At any cocktail or Friday night affair, take careful note of the shiny thing that peeps from under the collar of some of Kampala’s top managers and older men.
Many of them wear the chains and drop the first button of their shirts to reveal their bling bling.
So what is the big deal? At one point it was a put-off for a man to be seen wearing chains. You would look like Congolese singer Kofi Olomide or one of those black American “bad boy†singers like Sisqo, 50 Cent and P. Diddy. Others associated it with homosexuals, bayaye (lumpen) or pimps. Now it looks like our middle-aged men have come up with a trend of their own.
Godfrey Mulengi, an advertising manager who wears gold and silver chains on Fridays and weekends, says he does not do it to make up for any lost time in the days of yore. “It makes me feel that it is really a dress-down day,†he says. Mulengi says what makes the difference between him and the singers is that he wears “small, classy chains that don’t attract a lot of attentionâ€.
“For me, it is a personal thing. I just like good things. I like class. The type and size makes the distinction.â€
Michael, 38, an accountant, says he started wearing a chain after seeing a top Kampala bank manager wearing one. Michael went for silver because it is cheaper than gold.
Mian Raheel Ashraf of Raheel Jewellers on Burton Street says wearing chains by men is a new trend in Uganda. He says many men have picked the style from western footballers, adding that the culture is an old one in many western countries like Italy. Raheel says some people wear chains because they have seen other people looking good with them.
A journalist who has been spotting the same chain for several months says, “It is about status and class. Cheap things don’t last.â€
I would like to say that perhaps it is because he does not shower, that his chain is still neat and intact. But no, he always smells fresh, which means that he did invest in the chain. He says it has everything to do with money and prestige. “My 10 carat gold chain shows I am loaded (have a lot of money),†he boasts.
Raheel recommends chains made from Italian silver because they look nice and never fade. Mulengi who wears pure gold chains says a gold chain calls for financial sacrifice because gold is very expensive. But what is price when it can get you the attention of the ladies?
en admit that their chains draw extra female attention to them. “They are quite a stand out in the sense that they poke everyone’s interest. It is a statement,†says the journalist.
What do the girls think? Do men who wear chains look more attractive?
“I think they are trying to be stylish; some look good, but some wear ugly big ones that make them look like thugs,†says Sarah Bingi, a third year Makerere University student. “Although men with chains stand out, it does not necessarily mean that they are rich. Some are given the chains as gifts. Besides, there are lots of rich guys who do not wear chains,†she adds.
Sheila Sentongo says small chains are okay for men and look really good. “Those who wear big ones are like wannabes. It is like they missed a stage in life. Big ones just look showy.â€
“I think that they have totally refused to grow up and want to be identified as teenagers,†says Joana Apio, a public relations manager.
Charlotte, a 25-year-old social worker, says, “It makes a man look really cool. However, I am not sure about them being rich. Some guys I know with chains are so dead broke!â€
“People have different approaches and opinions,†says Godfrey Nyakaana, Kampala Central LC3 chairman, who often steps out in a gold chain and casual wear. He says wearing a chain does not affect his work. “It’s about the person, not what they wear,†he says.
If you see the chain as a trend worth investing in, then go and get yourself one. Their cost ranges from as low as sh1,500 in the taxi park to over sh250,000 for a chain of about 22 carats in uptown jewellers. The price increases with the more carats.
However, if you are buying chains because you do not know who you are anymore and you are trying to make up for lost time, you need a shrink to help you find your identity.
Places that sell chains include Jit Jewellers on Kampala Road, Red Rose Jewellers on Charm Towers and Charms Beauty Shop on Jinja Road. Grand Imperial and Sheraton hotels also have jewellery shops.