It might have been one of the most important elections since South Africa became a democracy, but nobody really dressed up for it. People turned up, but did not turn out. It was no Durban July save for a few whose sole purpose, bar making a mark on the ballot, was a selfie and a social reel.
ALSO READ: Cargos and cutouts: Autumn’s fashion tickets The early morning queues looked just as you would expect. Fluffy, warm comfort clobber in various drab colours. Jackets in shades of well-worn blues, flabby tracksuit pants, sneakers and beanies.
One person in the queue shared that she was wearing her granny’s jacket, her sister’s sweater and pyjama pants. Can’t go back to bed Ten hours later, when she was still in one of the lines that threaded into a dysfunctional voting station, a first-time voting experience had become the decimation of plans to head back to bed after casting a ballot. Guys were in hoodies in the early morning and pants that were, in varying degrees, straight from the clobber of the great unwashed.
Few had shaved. This was a common theme throughout the suburbs, from the east to the west, even the middle-North’s males did not bother too much, bar the handful that had to head back to work after voting. But everyone was in exceptionally good spirits.
Later, the look changed and men were somewhat more presentable, cleaner shaven or with trimmed beards. It was T-shirts and golf shirts with sneakers as it warmed up. Women were mostly in leggings and jackets a.