Style Watch: Kerry Washington

If you haven't watched Scandal, boy are you missing out! I watched it a couple of months back and I must say I'm hooked and as you all know, I look for fashion in everything. Kerry Washington is the star in the show and today we look at her style and as expected my favourite pieces.

The lawyer in me... Copyright

Yes fashion is my passion but I have more layers SO TO SPEAK. I was trained to be a lawyer and yesterday while doing some work on my old PC I came across some of my work. It has to do with Copyright laws in Kenya. As a blogger trust me you need to acquaint yourself with it. This is specifically for my Kenyan readers. Do enjoy

The law of copyright rests on a very clear principle: that anyone who by his or her own skill and labor creates an original work of whatever character shall, for a limited period, enjoy an exclusive right to copy that work. No one else may for a season reap what the copyright owner has sown.
The basic rule is that the first owner of a copyright in a work is the person who created the work, the author .However, where a work has been commissioned, the first owner is the commissioner as per S. 31 as read together with S. 23 and S. 24 of The Copyright Act 2001. Where a work is made within and in the course and scope of employment, the ownership vests in the employer. Works made in the course of government employment belong to the government while those made in the context of employment in international bodies belong to those bodies.
Authorship deals with the question of who has brought a work into existence whereas ownership deals with who has proprietary interest over a work. Section 2 of the Act defines “author” in relation to-

a) a literary, musical or artistic work, means the person who first makes or creates the work;
b) a photograph, means the person who is responsible for the composition of the photograph;
c) a sound recording, means a person by whom the arrangement for the making of the sound recording were made;
d) audio-visual works, means the person by whom the arrangements for the making of the film were made;
e) a broadcast, means the first broadcaster;
f) a published edition, means the publisher of the edition;

g) a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work or computer program which is computer generated, means the person by whom the arrangements necessary for the creation of the work were undertaken; and
h) a computer programmer, means the person who exercised control over the working of the program.

S.31 (3) in this section “owner of copyright”-
a) where the economic rights are vested in the author, means the author;
b) where the economic rights are originally vested in a physical person other than the author or in a legal entity, means that person or entity; and
c) where the ownership of the economic rights has been transferred to a physical person or legal entity, means that person or entity

Copyright is divided into two broad categories; moral rights and economic rights. Moral rights have to do with the author’s right to integrity and freedom from false attribution. The author has a right to be named, and the right to claim authorship and ownership when not credited. Moreover, the author has the right to object to any distortion, mutilation, or other modification, as well as any derogatory or disparaging reference to the work. Moral rights live and die with the author. Economic rights seek to secure the material or financial benefits from or of innovation or creativity. These include: the right to reproduce work, communicate to the public, broadcasting a work or distributing it, developing a derivative or adapted work from an original work that is controlled by the author because his economic interest are affected.

The significance of authorship and ownership under Kenya’s Copyright law.

Not only is the correct identification of the author important for determining who the first owner of a copyright work, it is important in respect of infringement, moral rights, and determining the duration of the copyright term.
As stated above the general rule is that the author is the person who creates a literary, artistic or musical work. Reason demands that the creator of an artistic, literary, or musical work etc be entitled to the ownership of his creation. The argument is that the creation of a person’s mind is an extension of his personality. This is the main derivative of the Kenyan law of copyright and thus the author, except where others, may have a prior claim, is presumed to have the first ownership of copyright.
Ownership of copyright may vest in a variety of people depending on the circumstances of each particular case under consideration. Thus copyright in a work may belong to an individual author, joint authors, an employer; a person or institution who commissioned the work; the government; an international agency; a testamentary assignee on death of the author; or a licensee.
The author mainly deals with moral rights and economic rights where the same have not been transferred where as the owner of a copyright works mainly deals with economic rights. Infringement of copyright is the dealing with a work which is controlled by copyright in a manner that is contrary to the interest of the copyright owner without his authority, consent, license or permission. Moral rights live and die with the author whereas economic rights can be transferred and thus be infringed.
In Kenya copyright generally lasts for lifetime of the owner plus fifty years. This does not apply to secondary works such as audio- visual works and photos, sound recordings and broadcasts. © Act in Kenya grants © to the © owners. It subsists for the life of the owner plus 50 years. In case of sound records, they compute 50 years after the year in which the first recording was made. The problem with duration is that most computer programs have a very short life span and there is no need of protecting them for 50 years plus. Anonymous Works: © subsists for the duration starting from the year of publication which is strictly 50 years but if the author decides to disclose his identity before he dies, then it will persist for his lifetime and then another 50 years after the author’s death. These are called pseudononymous works.


The footnote references are as per below in numerical order :
Designers Guild Ltd vs. Russell Williams Ltd (2001) F.S.R 113
S.11(1) Copyright Act 2001 Laws of Kenya.
S.6(1) & S.11(2) Copyright Act 2001 Laws of Kenya.
S.32 Copyright Act 2001 Laws of Kenya.
S.26-29 Copyright Act 2001 Laws of Kenya.
S.23 Copyright Act 2001 Laws of Kenya

Street Style Photography

Hey as promised I did finally start a photo blog for my beloved city. The biggest hurdle is getting over the nerve of taking people's photos. Not as simple as it sounds.

If interested check out the first batch:

http://styleszamtaa.blogspot.com/2012/07/girls-outside-steers.html

More than anything I'm proud of myself for finally starting something I've always wanted to do but not been able to do till now

Style Watch - Emma Watson

While doing a post on the royal style I came across a photo of Emma Watson in this gorgeous mouth-watering dress hence I decided to look further into her style to see if she has more of those. I'm not a movie fanatic truth be told and I can be pretty lame at remembering names of actors but I rarely forget a stylish look. In summary Emma has acted in Harry Porter, is the face of glancome and is still in Uni. Emma can sure rock a pixie haircut.

For those who love background information, Emma has her own website which provided the following information about her. Emma is best known for playing the iconic character of Hermione Granger in the eight enormously successful HARRY POTTER films. Her performance in the first film of the series, HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE, won her a Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actress. Emma also acquired two Critics’ Choice Award nominations from the Broadcast Film Critics Association for her work in HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN and HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE. The completion of the seventh and eight movies saw Emma receive nominations in 2011 for a Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award, and for Best Actress at the Jameson Empire Awards. The HARRY POTTER franchise won the BAFTA for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema in February 2011.

Emma’s additional credits include the lead role of Pauline Fossil in the BBC adaptation of Noel Streatfield’s classic, BALLET SHOES, which aired on BBC One on Boxing Day to 5.2 million viewers. In her first animated feature, Emma voiced over as the character Princess Pea in THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX which grossed $86.2 million worldwide. Further to her acting career, Emma is an ambassador for Lancôme, following in the footsteps of Penélope Cruz, Kate Winslet and Julia Roberts as the face of this celebrated brand. Emma has also worked with Fair Trade and organic clothing producer People Tree and collaborated with Alberta Ferretti on the organic Pure Threads collection.

Emma is in her third year of study at Brown University where she is concentrating in English Literature. She is currently on a year abroad studying at Oxford University.

Raf Simons...the Underdog? Not anymore

It's amazing how at the time of the split between Jil Sanders group and Raf Simons more people bet on Jil Sanders remaining a success with Raf Simons perhaps floundering off into oblivion. I would say after Raf Simons successful first Haute Couture show for Christian Dior the windings are blowing in a different direction. The fashion world is as fickle as you can get. Only a few months back there was much speculation and gossip as regards his fate at Jil Sanders. After his first show as creative director at Dior which was very well received, the fashion world cannot get enough of Simons. Jil sanders the founder of Jil sanders group agreed to once again return to the label as creative director. This wouldn’t be the first time the 68-year-old German designer left and then returned to her namesake label. She initially resigned in 2000 because of disputes with Prada’s CEO Patrizio Bertelli after Prada bought a 75% stake in the label, only to return in 2003, produce two successful collections, and resign a second time because of Bertelli. Raf Simons was replacing John Galliano at Dior

Something of a quick study, Simons had no formal training in fashion. He was a student of industrial design at the Antwerp Royal Academy before he launched his men's collection in 1995. Simons has been widely know for his minimalistic styling and architectural lines. Perhaps the stint at Jil Sanders influenced him greatly as regards minimalism while his industrial design training influencing his architectural lines. That said and done his stint at Dior has started with a roaring success as he was able to combine Dior's classic aesthetic with his own.

Styling Tip : Scarves, Shawls and Wraps

So two weeks ago I did a closet edit for my friend Cyndi and to my utmost shock she had millions(ok that's hyperbole) of scarves!! Let's just say we took more time negotiating as to how many she should keep and how many she needs to get rid off. I promised her a post on the scarves as one of the deals.

First things first we do definitions. Blame my legal training :-)A scarf, also known as a muffler, warmstrangler or neck-wrap is a piece of fabric worn around the neck, or near the head or around the waist for warmth, cleanliness, fashion or for religious reasons. They can come in a variety of different colours. Ancient Rome is one of the first origins of the scarf, where it was not used to keep warm, but to keep clean. It was called the sudarium, which translates from Latin to English as "sweat cloth", and was used to wipe the sweat from the neck and face in hot weather. They were originally worn by men around their neck or tied to their belt. Soon women started using the scarves, which were made of cloth and not made of wool, pashmina, or silk, and ever since the scarf has been fashionable among women.

The most important thing to remember when styling with scarves is to keep it simple and avoid perfection. The great thing about scarves is that they read better the more “thrown on” and sloppy they appear, and they communicate an effortlessness that is always attractive. Also important, wear scarves (in fact, this applies to all clothing) in such a way that you are comfortable. If you’re uncomfortable, you’ll end up fidgeting. Don’t force a scarf if it’s not working


Scarves can be categorized according to the materials used to make them, to the function they serve, and to the kind of designing method employed.

By Material
a scarf can be made of silk, wool, cashmere, pashmina, cotton, acrylic, viscose or polyester.Silk is a natural fiber that results in a simply beautiful fabric; it is light and airy, whilst being the strongest natural fiber known to man. Wool is taken from animals in the Caprinae family, principally sheep; it is used in clothing for its warmth and sheer versatility. The insulating properties of wool can even be used to keep cool; many desert peoples use thin wool scarves to keep out the heat of he midday sun.Cashmere wool is spun from the fleece of the Cashmere goat. The fleece is known for its unrivalled softness and can be spun in a variety of yarns and fibers. Pashmina is a type of fine cashmere wool from Himalayan Mountain Goat and is prized for its incomparable softness, warmth and light weight.Cotton is the most popular natural fiber in the world. The Woven cotton fabric is a wonderfully light, breathable textile and easy to take care.Acrylic fabric is a type of fabric made from acrylic fibers; it is an excellent wool substitute. Clothes and scarves made by acrylic are considered as good as or even better than cashmere in softness, light weighted and appearance.Viscose is created from a combination of natural and man-made components. Viscose rayon has a silky appearance and feel, and also has the ability to breathe in a manner similar to cotton weaves

By Function,
Some of the major types include head scarf, winter scarf, beach scarf, and neck scarf.
• Head Scarves: Are the scarves worn on the head either as an adornment or to shield one’s hairdo.

• Winter Scarves: Are made of thick fabric (wool, Cashmere, cotton, etc.) great for insulation, are used during the cold winter months to protect oneself from the chill.
• Beach Scarves: Are mainly used during beach outings, with designs that depict beach scenery. They can also be a part of one’s daily accessory.
• Neck Scarves: Are worn stylishly around the neck as an adornment or to add a personality to one’s overall look.


Types of Scarves


Now an essential fashion accessory, scarves have a long history of using which can be dating
back to 1000 B.C. Today there are countless kinds of scarves in the market.

Scarves can be categorized according to the materials used to make them, to the function they
serve, and to the kind of designing method employed.

By Material
a scarf can be made of silk, wool, cashmere, pashmina, cotton, acrylic, viscose or polyester.


• Silk Scarves:
Silk is a natural fiber that results in a simply beautiful fabric; it is light and airy, whilst being the strongest natural fiber known to man. China developed silk by 3000 B.C., possibly even earlier. This light and radiant fabric has a smooth texture that feels great against the skin and drapes wonderfully.



• Wool Scarves:
Wool is taken from animals in the Caprinae family, principally sheep; it is used in clothing for its warmth and sheer versatility. The insulating properties of wool can even be used to keep cool; many desert peoples use thin wool scarves to keep out the heat of he midday sun.

• Cashmere Scarves:
Cashmere wool is spun from the fleece of the Cashmere goat. The fleece is known for its unrivalled softness and can be spun in a variety of yarns and fibers. Cashmere is said to give the highest insulation with the least bulk, making it perfect for light shawls and cashmere scarves that are cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
• Pashmina Scarves:
Pashmina is a type of fine cashmere wool from Himalayan Mountain Goat and is prized for its incomparable softness, warmth and light weight.


• Cotton Scarves:
Cotton is the most popular natural fiber in the world. The Woven cotton fabric is a wonderfully light, breathable textile and easy to take care.


• Acrylic Scarves:
Acrylic fabric is a type of fabric made from acrylic fibers; it is an excellent wool substitute. Clothes and scarves made by acrylic are considered as good as or even better than cashmere in softness, light weighted and appearance.

scarfscarf

• Viscose Scarves:
Viscose is created from a combination of natural and man-made components. Viscose rayon has a silky appearance and feel, and also has the ability to breathe in a manner similar to cotton weaves.


By Function,
Some of the major types include head scarf, winter scarf, beach scarf, and neck scarf.
• Head Scarves: Are the scarves worn on the head either as an adornment or to shield one’s hairdo.

• Winter Scarves: Are made of thick fabric (wool, Cashmere, cotton, etc.) great for insulation, are used during the cold winter months to protect oneself from the chill.
• Beach Scarves: Are mainly used during beach outings, with designs that depict beach sceneries. They can also be a part of one’s daily accessory.
• Neck Scarves: Are worn stylishly around the neck as an adornment or to add a personality to one’s overall look.

By Design, there are hand painted scarves, beaded scarves, and embroidered scarves.

For a more detailed step by step look at how to wear scarves and how to use them as accessories check out http://pennyluxe.com

Style Peep: Diana and Kate Middleton

Let me start off by saying that this post was inspired by a twitter conversation I was having with one of my closest friends whose a Kate Middleton fan while I'm a Diana fan to the blood. Not that the two are mutually exclusive but after the Royals killed off Diana- I firmly believe this by the way- I stopped carrying about the royal family so while the whole world was going gaga and is still enthralled by Kate, I really couldn/t give a toe. I don't hate her or dislike her. Just collateral damage of Diana, the queen of hearts being offed.

That said and done this post is about a peek at both their styles, and obviously I will pick a few of my favorites seeing as these women probably have over three outfit changes in a day.

Diana loved red!! Like no kidding but it suited her. She was doing color blocking way back in 1989! Can you believe that? This woman did not wear outrageous clothes but she commanded such a following due to her quiet charm, personality and easy style. I have not always been a fan of some of her hairstyles but for most part it suited her. So do the big shoulder jackets, plaid, hats,and well fitted suits. She was not afraid to show a bit of leg :-)though often paired with some bit of hosiery.

As for Kate :-) how many pairs of boots does this girl own? more specifically knee-length boots! That and coats!!!!!!! albeit they are feminine and all but she has enough as far as I'm concerned. My favorite Kate looks are the turquoise gown and marine inspired Alexander McQueen outfit. I had to include the horrid yellow hot pants that makes me wonder what Kate was thinking when she bought, wore and left the house in those. Topped off with a blue sequined top! That was one big gaffe. That said and done. This is one pretty girl and who I have to admit has a style of her own. She looks especially good in the gowns she has been seen in so far plus she carries off all those quirky hats splendidly. I'm now a fan? Nope but I get why she has the following she has.

So do tell which of my picks are your favourite and which are a total no-no for you. Furthermore of the two who is your favourite?