I grew up seeing kitenge at weddings, at church and on my grandmother, who wore it every single day of her life. For a long time I thought of it as something for occasions — or for older women. Then I met my fundi.

She works out of a small shop above a hardware store, surrounded by bolts of fabric stacked to the ceiling. The first thing she told me was: "Don't buy print because it is loud. Buy it because it speaks to you."

Start with one piece

You do not need a full matching outfit. My most worn piece is a simple kitenge jacket — boxy, unlined, three-quarter sleeves — that I throw over a plain white tee and jeans. It turns an ordinary outfit into something people ask about.

Let the print lead, then go quiet

If the fabric is busy, everything around it should be calm. Solid colours pulled from the print itself work best: a mustard top under a kitenge skirt that has mustard in it, or black trousers with a shirt that has black outlines in the pattern.

Cut matters more than colour

• Wide-leg trousers in print are comfortable, dramatic, and work for the office.
• A wrap dress flatters almost everyone and travels well.
• A head wrap is the easiest way to try print if you are still unsure.

"Don't buy print because it is loud. Buy it because it speaks to you."

Buy local, keep the money local

Buying fabric at the market and paying a fundi to sew it is often cheaper than a high-street dress — and it supports someone's livelihood directly. Bring a picture of what you want, but listen when she suggests changes. She has been doing this longer than you have.

[Ayeesha — add photos of your own kitenge pieces here, and your fundi's shop name if she's happy to be mentioned.]