Now That You Are Clean, What Next?

Hello. Welcome to today's blog. In the last blog, we talked about how style starts from the basics. If you haven't read it, please do. Now that you are clean and your skin is prepped, your next focus should be on how you smell. There are different ways to smell to come across as stylish. Your smell can be strong or mellow, it can be woody, musky,spicy etc. I believe that part of being stylish is deciding on a particular type of smell so that people associate you with that smell. Shave your armpits and private part. After your bath, use a good roll on, a good body spray and then perfume. Take time to choose the smells carefully so that it is harmonious and not irritating to people that you come in contact with.

Once you have sorted your smell out, the next focus should be your make up. What does your face look like? What is it's shape? What's it's color? What is your lifestyle? When you are coming up with your make up routine, consider the message that you are trying to send. Your make up attracts or repels certain people to or from you. Then there is your hairstyle. To be considered stylish, it must not only go well with your coloring and face shape, it must go with your lifestyle. How do you want people to respond to you?What kind of people are you trying to attract? These are important when choosing a hairstyle.

Now, you can start thinking of how to dress yourself, i.e. the clothes that you want to wear. Next week, we will touch on that, before we subsequently start dealing with the whole picture in detail. Until then, remain stylish

Are You Really Leveling Up?

Hello. Welcome to today’s blog. The question for today is who is a stylish woman? What is it that makes us think of a woman as being stylish? Is it Just the way that she dresses?

In my opinion, style starts from good hygiene. Do you brush your teeth every day? Do you scrub your tongue? There is no style if your breath stinks. Do you wash the dirt off your skin and help it to smell good every day, regardless of whether you go out or not? Or do people have to hold their breath when you approach? What about the quality of your skin. Do you take care of it? Is it clear and supple? Cleansing, exfoliating, toning, using a mask and moisturizing all contribute to being a stylish woman. All these are basic, without them, there is no style. Just an odd-looking woman who doesn’t look like what she is trying to portray.

Are you trying to be stylish? Is leveling up part of what you are trying to achieve? Before making your hair, putting on eyelashes or buying that wonderful leather bag, take care of the basics. Make sure that you are clean and smell good. That is the foundation on which any stylishness is built upon.

We will continue this conversation next week so that the post isn't long. Till then, think about where you are falling behind on your level up journey and do better. Remain Stylish

Starting All Over Again. Fashion To Elevate you.

Hello everyone!!! I am sure most of you who have been coming to this blog for the past few years wondered why I have not been posting. Wondering if this was a lost blog. Well it isn't anymore. I have decided to continue the journey although I am taking a slightly different route.

Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Ajiri Avae. I am a fashion entrepreneur from Nigeria, West Africa. I make African inspired clothing, I sell clothing and accessories and I also style. Last year, I even started an African inspired T shirt label.

This time around, this blog will be more focused on helping you, the reader to elevate your personal style and step out as the best you possible. So watch out for the new posts coming your way in July

Take care of yourself and see you in a few days

How To Dress For A Boyish Figure

Hello. Today, I'm going to talk about dressing for a boyish figure. A boyish figure is a straight up and down figure. A small bustline, no discernable waist, and small backside. A lot of women with this figure also have wide shoulders. What this figure needs is the illusion of fullness in in the bust and narrowness in the waist. That will help create curves.

The first thing to deal with is your underwear. You want a bra that helps to create more fullness, like a push up or padded bra. Frills on your bra also adds volume. You can also wear a corset to create the illusion of a slimmer waist. There are also padded panties to create fuller hips and backside.

Ruffles, well placed pleats, and other decorations create a fuller bustline. Avoid sweatheart necklines as they draw attention to your flat chest. Halters, turtle necks and wrapped tops (and dresses) are a lot more flattering. Puff, bell and kimono sleeves give the body more width and so, the illusion of curves. Peplum tops (and dresses) give the illusion of bigger hips and backside. Flowy fabrics like chiffon add femininity to your look. Avoid tight fitted tops as they draw attention to the fact that your body lacks definition. Avoid boxy jackets that end at the waist because they make you look straight up and down. Instead, go for longer jackets with a defined waist and also smallish cardigans. You can add definition to the waist by using a belt. Also, jackets that flare out at the waist and stop at the hips give the illusion of a curvier backside.

The boyish figure, due to it's angular frame, looks more feminine in flowy fabrics. That kind of fabric gives the the body a softer look. Peplum, baby doll and tulip dresses all make the figure curvier. Look for dresses with ruffles, embellishments and other forms of fullness on the top half. You can also use a belt to create a waist.

Women with boyish figure are lucky because they look fabulous in skinny jeans. Just be sure to pair it with flowy, feminine tops that stop at your hips and give you a waistline. Also, leggings look good on them, if they follow the same rules. Wide leg pants and jeans also look fab on the boyish figure as they add fullness to the bottom half. But you have to be careful to wear flattering tops with a defined waist if not, you will end up looking straight up and down. You can also get away with a fitted top when you pair it with wide leg pants or jeans. Another style of trousers that look fab on them is structured pants made with soft, fluid fabrics that stop at the ankle or higher. They make the body look more feminine. On your jeans, look out for details on the pocket, like stones, pocket flaps, embroidery and other decorations as they make the hips and backside look bigger. Wearing light colours on your bottom half draws the attention of the eye and gives the appearance of being curvier. Bleached or faded effect on the thighs of your jeans also make you appear curvier.

As for skirts, avoid boxy mini skirts as they draw attention to your straight up and down figure. Instead, go for skirts made with soft fabrics that flow and swing. As with everybody else, the A line skirt is also flattering. Pencil, mermaid and tulip skirts make you look curvy when paired with flattering tops.

I really hope that I have been able to add some value to you and have helped in your bid to look even more fabulous. Enjoy your weekend and I hope to have something new for you soon. Remain fabulous doll!!!

Dressing For Your Figure.

Hello!!! Today, I want to talk to you about dressing for your figure. You see, one of the main components of being stylish is how well your clothes fit your body. It is important, when choosing pieces for your wardrobe, to have a realistic knowledge of what your body looks like. What is your body shape? What is your height? Let’s say you are curvy. Are you petite curvy or tall curvy? Are you long waisted or short waisted? You have to use this knowledge when choosing clothes.

If you are interested in knowing whether you are long or short waisted, it’s very easy to do. Measure the distance between your armpit and your waist, and the distance between your waist and the bottom of your bum. If the distances are not equal, and the top half is longer, you are low waisted, if the top half is shorter, you are high waisted.

The main thing when choosing clothes is using them to make yourself look more proportional. So if you find that you are high waisted, the best way to make yourself look more proportional is to wear tops that make your top half look longer. Wear tops with vertical stripes to make your top half look longer by drawing the eye up and down the length of the top. Also, avoid wearing tops that need to be tucked into the bottom. Another thing is to avoid dresses with waist bands. They too draw attention to your waist. If you find that you have to wear a belt, go for thin belts in the same color as the clothes so as not to draw the eye. It is also important to restrict your wearing of prints to your top half, as wearing prints (especially brights) will only draw attention to your high waistedness. Also, try as much as possible to wear tops that end at your hips, like tunics.

The problem that low waisted people have is that it makes their legs look shorter, so they need to wear clothes that make their legs look longer. One way to achieve this is to go for Empire waist clothes as they lift the waist and so make the legs look longer. Also, low waisted women should avoid waist baring clothes like tie tops. Your tops have got to be long enough to cover your waist. Bottoms like trousers and skirts should start from your natural waistline or a little higher but never lower. Low rise jeans are not your friend. Another thing that can help you is to wear shorter jackets and boleros. These help to lift the eye and make your waist appear higher. Last, but not least, wear heels as the make your legs look longer. And avoid shoes with ankle straps as they make your legs look shorter.

I hope I have been helpful in your journey towards being more stylish. Enjoy the rest of your week. Remain fabulous.

Building Your Skirt Wardrobe Part 2

One major thing to consider when choosing skirts is that where ever you put light/ bright colors appears larger. So, If you have wide hips or a large backside, and you want to minimize it, avoid light/ bright colored skirts (and trousers) and stick to basic neutrals. If on the other hand, you have a small backside but you want to draw attention to it, wear light/ bright colored skirts. One tip is that if you have more curves than you are comfortable displaying, you should try body shapers to help hold everything in.

If you are very curvy but want to draw attention away from, another trick is to choose skirts that have details that down play them. Examples are a simple black skirt, an a line shaped skirt, a full circle (swing) skirt and any skirt with vertical details like pleats, vertical stitches, and an elongated pocket. Another tip to draw attention away from your bottom half is to wear an interesting top to draw the eye.

If you want to add curves to a small bottom half, or to balance out a no waist figure, you can wear bright colors and shiny fabrics. Because they visually expand the your hips and backside. You can wear balloon skirts, printed fabrics, a line skirts and faded washes of denim skirts. These will help you look curvier than you are.

If you have a straight up and down figure, with no definable waist, wear smug pencil skirts. The tapering around the thigh creates an illusion of curves.

I hope I have helped you in becoming more stylish. Stay fabulous.

Building Your Skirt Wardrobe

Hello. I hope you enjoyed my last couple of posts. They were Ankara focused and hopefully gave you an idea or two. Today, I want to talk about skirts and how to utilize them in your wardrobe. Especially since most of us live in jeans and only wear skirts to work.

Usually, most of us start off our wardrobes with the basic and timeless A line or pencil skirt, depending on our figure. The versatility of this basic fashion skirt, in a neutral color makes a very easy to mix and match wardrobe especially when one is on a budget. It is important when one is starting out, to avoid skirts with any fancy details on them, so that it is easier to to wear it time and again. This way, the skirt can be the canvass while embellishments can be added with the top or the accessories or even with color.

Another essential skirt to own is an neutral day to night skirt. By that, I mean a skirt that can be dressed up or down, that is formal enough for the office but casual enough to wear on a night out. This kind of skirt helps to open up your wardrobe to accommodate both your work and social life.

After you have these essentials, you can begin to look at growing your skirt collection. You can do this with more sophisticated styles of skirts like body con skirts, or draped skirts.

Another kind of skirt is the feminine skirt, like a lace or swing skirt. These kind of skirts soften your look and make you look very much feminine and stylish.

Then, there are the trendy skirts. These are whatever skirts that are on trend at the moment and they keep your wardrobe current.

I hope that I have been able to inspire you as you expand your wardrobe. I hope to talk more about skirts in my next post. Till then, stay fabulous.

How To Dress To A Wedding

Hello. How are you doing? So, I got my inspiration for this post from my last (OOTD) post. That post had me thinking and I have tried to come up with a guide on what to consider when getting ready for a wedding.

Now we all love to look good, but the pressure goes up a bit when it comes to a wedding. Why? Because it's a festive occasion and with so many people coming, some of whom we haven't seen in a long time, we tend to want to go that extra mile. Also, is the fact that weddings are a very good place to mingle. They also present an opportunity to be approached by guys. And so we tend to want to look attractive. Besides all that, it's just polite and shows consideration to the bride and groom to bother to dress nicely. I mean they did go through the trouble and expense of putting on a show, right?

Anyway, that not withstanding, there are things to consider when choosing what to wear for a wedding. The first one is to not outshine the bride. It is her day so please let her be the star. That includes not wearing any white dress in a style that looks even remotely like a wedding gown. You know, long and flowy or princessy, etc. It's rude to do that. I find that a white short dress or suit or (of course) 'native' are fine. Also, while you want to look as fabulous as possible, do not over do it. It's not your wedding.

Do not wear jeans or denim to a wedding, please. It's just plain rude to the couple to not bother to dress up. I have been guilty of this before. I was once out of town and had to show up some long lost, distant cousin's wedding when I was totally unprepared for it. Believe me, I did everything to make sure that I made the jeans look as dressy as possible and it still felt rude. The way I see it is that the couple has planned and payed for a nice event, show them the courtesy of dressing up. Another thing is that showing up in jeans makes it look like you don't know the couple. Like you heard through the grapevine about the wedding and just showed up, uninvited.

Another thing is to dress modestly. Please, do not over do the sexy. It's a wedding not a date and definitely not a club. So not too much cleavage, or legs and nothing overly clingy. If you must wear a sleeveless or strapless dress, wear a bolero, shrug, jacket or wrap to the church. You can always take it off at the reception.

So, hopefully, I've got you thinking about what is appropriate and what isn't for your next wedding. If you are guilty of any of these offences, you are going to need to repent. Anyway, this was written in the spirit of 'nothing but love'> Please remain fabulous.

How To Wear White.

Hello. I hope you had a productive and happy week. Things have been busy here at headquarters. Anyway, since my last post was on how to wear Black, I decided to talk about how to wear White this time. So, what is the first thing to consider when deciding on whether or not to wear White?

Like in the case of Black, not everyone can wear crisp, clear White. Different shades of white suit different skin tones. Like in the case of Black, the best way to determine what shade suits you is to stand in good, natural light with the white placed next to your face. When you have decided on the best shade for you, the next question is "How practical is it?"

Because of the fact that dirt easily shows on White, It is advisable to avoid White if you have kids around, and avoid it as a bottom if you are on your period. Also, because of the fact that it becomes transparent when wet, avoid it on rainy days. Of course there is the thing about rain and mud. The fact that White is easily transparent, it is best, when purchasing a white piece of garment, to place your hand under the item in bright light to see if your hand shows clearly through the fabric. One thing to keep in mind is the fact that with White, the quality of the fabric usually makes a difference since inferior quality Whites tend to be more see through.

One very big issue with White in regard to transparency is under wear. We all know that wearing white under wear under white garments is a big no no. So we tend to wear it with black under wear. This however, also tend to show under White. The best color to wear under White is your skin tone. Always have under wear that is as close to your skin tone as possible. With Skin tone under wear, there is no contrast to draw the eye to the wrong place. Also, when wearing White skirts or dresses as with all light colors, wear a slip. It may seem old fashioned, but it is still very practical in today's world.

Another issue with White is that, unless you have the perfect, slim, hourglass figure, it is not advisable to wear White in the form of clingy clothing. This is because White tends to show every roll and bump on the body when it clings. Also it tends to make big women look even bigger. White just looks better when they are loose and flowy. Choose silhouettes that float away from the body. Just make sure that it fits close to the body at the waist. That will help to give an hourglass shape.

When accessorizing, White looks especially good worn with bright tones. Colors like Coral, Orange, Pink and Turquoise look beautiful against White. Of course, being a neutral, White goes well with every color, these just happen to give White a certain freshness.

For anybody who is not comfortable dressed in all White, try White as an accent. A white pair of shoes, handbag or jewelry can be used by anyone who is not ready to be adventurous. However, for anyone who is ready to take it a step further, white skinny jeans, pants, or blazer can really give that freshness to an outfit. I personally love the look of a white, well fitted suit. Think Bianca Jagger or Dianna Ross in the seventies. Another thing is that if you think an all white out fit is too monotonous, try layering different shades of White. The different shades give depth to an otherwise flat color story

I hope I have added some value with this post and I look forward to your stopping by soon. Remain fabulous.

How To Look Good In Black

Hello. It's been a week since I put up a new post. Things have been busy here at head quarters. Anyway, one of the things that have been on my mind lately is black clothing. For a lot of us, Black has become our go to color. We've all heard it before. Black is slimming, it's a classic, and it goes with every thing. True. But it only works if it suits your skin tone.

It is very important to make sure, before you rush out to fill your wardrobe with 'all black everything' to be sure that it suits you, because the black close to the face on the wrong skin tone can age you significantly. It can highlight dark circles around the eyes and also wrinkles for older women. Also, Black can leave your face looking ashy and dull if it doesn’t sit well with your skin tone. In fact, less than a quarter of us have the correct skin tone to look good in Black. Black tends to look good on people with cool skin tones. It just drains warm skin tones. The best way to determine if it suits you is to put Black next to your face under natural lighting in front of a mirror to see if it picks up your dark circles and wrinkles and if your skin looks dull aand lifeless. You may need a friend to help out with this.

So you’ve done the simple test and it turns out that Black doesn’t suit you. Does that mean that you can never wear that LBD that you had hoped would become your new go to dress for every occasion? Not really. If it turns out that black isn’t your color, you can still wear Black. All you have to do is to make sure that you put color around the face. You can do that with quality colored jewelry, say a lovely red statement necklace or turquoise chandalier earrings. Or a scarve/ pashmina. Just make sure that you have a more flattering color around your face to counter the negative effects of the black against your face.

Another thing is that the idea of the little Black dress comes from the fact that it is a neutral so it goes well with other colors and the fact that is slimming. Generally, darker colors tend to be more slimming than light colors. So a suitable alternative for Black is Navy blue. Navy tends to read better against the skin than Black and even many shades of Brown. And then of course, it’s also slimming.

I really hope this post is of benefit to a lot of you who read it. Thank you so much for stopping by. Remain fabulous

Developing personal style

Hello.

There is something about the way certain people dress that sometimes, when we see a certain clothing or accessory item or something else, we say " that is sooooo so and so". It's called personal style and it gives us (at least fashion wise) so much character. Think Mai Atafo in his fitted suits, Nneka with her bohemian chic, Kim Kardashian in her feminine, figure flattering clothes. There are so many ways and directions that one can go in developing personal style.

Of course the first thing to do is to assess your already existing style. What do you tend to lean towards? Are you are classic dresser, fashion forward or romantic? You need to understand what you are comfortable with so that you are developing your style in a way that is sustainable for you. You need to determine what it is that you are trying to achieve with said personal style. Do you want to be more memorable, or do you want to be more chic or to just be more experimental? It may help to study a lot of celebrities' style and you will begin to see that you prefer certain looks over others. It is important however, to know the difference between using someone else's style a template and being a caricature of the person

At first, you may have to follow the look of your favorite celebrities, but after a while, your confidence will grow and you will understand yourself and your preferences to begin to grow in your own direction. Just make sure that it suits your own personality or you will not be comfortable with it. Decide what you are comfortable changing.

You could decide that you want to change your hair, for example. You may want to try a new hair style or color for a while if changing your wardrobe is not what you want to do. Just be sure to change it in stages so that you get comfortable with the idea of change and to be sure you that it suits you. Or you could start to wear certain colors a lot. This is another way of being unique without changing the type of clothes that you are comfortable with. You can start out with a couple of shirts, or a few scarves to be sure that you really like the color and that it looks good on you. Another way is accessories. Chunky jewelry, a particular style of sunglasses or just always having sunglasses on or cocktail rings are another simple way of changing or developing style. Truly, the possibilities are endless.

Naturally, as you become sure of what you like and what you want, your confidence will grow and your style will develop. I really hope I have been helpful. Remain fabulous.

Getting out of a Style Rut.

Hello. Do you find that most of the time you reach for the same clothes over and over again? Do you have problems deciding what goes with what? Or do you always feel like you have nothing to wear despite having a wardrobe filled with clothes? If you answered yes to any of these, then you are probably stuck in a style rut.

Most of us have a fashion comfort zone that we feel safe within and try not to dress in a way that is outside of that.Unfortunately, it just keeps us from developing our sense of style and feeling bored with what we have in our wardrobe. Our style should always be evolving in the same way other parts of our lives evolve.We just have to be willing to try new things; new shapes and silhouettes, new colors and textures.

The key to getting out of your fashion comfort zone is to take the time to organize your wardrobe, and then plan your outfit before hand. Take the time to think of how you are going to put an outfit together. Don't just reach for the same old, same old. By organizing your wardrobe, you are checking to see the tools your have at your disposal to help create the look you are going for. You need to ensure that you have your wardrobe basics because that will give your options to build your outfit on. If you don't work on your essentials first, your attempts at being stylish will get messy.

Once you know what you have in your wardrobe, you need to put thought into how you put things together. The main things with putting an outfit together is your figure and your coloring. Stand in front of the mirror naked and decide what your best features are and accentuate them and what your flaws are and hide them. What ever you put together must flatter you. How you choose to do that is up to you. It is also very helpful to put colors that suit your skin tone around your face. The right colors will make you look prettier.

I really hope this has added some value to you in your quest to evolve your style. Remain fabulous.

How to dress youthful without looking like you are trying too hard.

Hello everyone. I've noticed that these days, I sometimes find myself looking in the mirror, wandering if what I'm wearing is age appropriate. The thing is, I still feel so young and yet I know that my body is not quite were it was a few years ago. I was telling a friend a few days ago that I have just a few more years to wear shorts of a certain length and that I know the time is coming when I'll have to take the length of my shorts about four (4) inches lower. As much as I want to dress as young as i feel, I am only too conscious of the fact that there are very few things worse for a woman than the perception that she is an 'old mama youngy' (I'm sure y'all know what I mean by that).

So how can you dress in a way that makes you feel young without coming across as trying too hard or inappropriate? Well there are quite a few of them.

Jeans.

The cool thing about jeans is that you can wear them whether you are two or twenty or forty or sixty years old. The only problem I see with older women wearing jeans is that most of them, especially over forty, tend to close their eyes to what the current trends are and go for cuts and washes that were trendy when they were younger. No matter your age, get yourself a pair of jeans in a cut and wash that flatter your body and you can be sure of being appropriate AND sexy.

Dresses.

Again keep your eyes open for current trends. Pretty print or block colored dresses in bold or pastel colors that show some skin (but not too much) make any woman look feminine and youthful. They soften your look and make you seem less of a matron. If showing skin is uncomfortable, you can always throw on a cover up.

Body Shapers.

These little miracles in fabric form help you life and pull in any dangling or bulging bits. They help you hide your flaws so that you can wear clothes that you ordinarily wouldn't and give you an attractive silhouette. There are many brands and types to help you with your hips, thighs,stomach, breasts and even some for a total body lift. Be sure that it is firm but not tight as you don't want to spend your time uncomfortable.

A sexy bag.

The wonderful thing about handbags is that they don't care what size you are so every woman can partake. So please forget the big, bulky, matronly handbag and get yourself something with attitude. There are enough bags that are practical but yet have character and they help give you a youthful look.

Shoes.

Another thing that you can go all out with are sexy shoes. As long as it doesn't affect your posture, you can wear any height, any color and any style.

Make up and Hair.

As you get older, the mantra becomes "less is more" when it comes to make up and hair. With make up you want to look natural as you get older. That is not to say that you can't do a smokey eye or bold lips. What it does mean is that you must not have too much going on at once.

Hair should also be natural looking. Avoid overly long weaves or shouting hair color. Simplicity is the key.

I hope I've been helpful in some way. Till me meet again, hopefully soon, remain fabulous.

How to choose a handbag.

Hello. Today I’m going to talk to you about choosing an everyday handbag. For a lot of us, buying a handbag over a certain price (depending on budget) doesn’t make any sense. We don’t believe it’s worth the extra money to buy what I like to call a ‘serious’ handbag. I’m not talking here about designer bags. I personally am yet to buy my first big name designer bag so that is not what this post is about. I’m talking about a good quality handbag. A lot of ladies would prefer to own twenty cheap bags that two or three quality bags.

What they don’t seem to understand is that when it comes to handbags, you get what you pay for. Quality bags last so much longer than cheap (disposable?) bags. Those handbags that you buy for four (4) thousand naira that you have to change every year are costing you more than the bag someone else bought in 2006 for twenty thousand, carried everyday for four years, rested for six months and has been carrying everyday since and is still in perfect condition. Your four thousand a year handbag habit has cost you twenty four thousand naira in that same time and you probably don’t have anything decent to show for it. At the end of the day, when shopping for your basic everyday bag, cost per wear is a good consideration. There is now the added benefit of second hand value if you choose to sell through a ‘vintage’ stop.

Making the move from buying cheap bags is quite a serious business for a lot of us. I remember when I first made the decision that it was time to start carrying quality bags. When I thought about how much it was going to cost me, I almost changed my mind. However, when we do get to that point, a lot of us don’t quite know what to look out for and some even assume that because it costs more, it must be better quality.

The first thing to do when buying a bag is to pick it up. A good quality leather bag will always have some weight to it and the handles will be quite sturdy. Another thing is that stitching will be very neat and very secure. As an example, I know that an authentic Hermes handbag’s stitching is so secure that if the stitch gets broken at a point, the rest of the stitch will remain in place and even the next point will not unravel. It will stay put. Also, ALL the edges around a good handbag will be covered so that you cannot see the roughness of the leather. All hardware on the bag will be strong and of good quality. The zips will be metal with big sturdy teeth. The lining of the bag will be some kind of soft leather like material and these days most good bags come with a lot of compartments inside for you phone, credit/ atm cards, a key ring etc and even an attached matching purse for you money.

I hope this has been helpful to anyone thinking of buying a quality handbag. Don't forget to enter the competition below. Entries close on Saturday at midnight. Good luck. Remain

fabulous.

Updated Wardrobe Foundation

Hello everyone. I’m so glad that you stopped by today. Its been a busy few days for me but it’s been really good. I trust that you are in good spirit. For the last few days, I’ve been thinking about what young ladies coming out of school and getting their first job and thinking of what I believe should be the first set of clothing items that she should buy. Let’s call it her wardrobe foundation. I’ve done a post on this before so this is an update.

So let’s say you just got you first big pay cheque and you want to update you wardrobe from that of a girl to that of a young woman. What are the first things to spend your money on, assuming the said cheque isn’t blank?

The White Shirt.

Popular convention says that you should start out with one white shirt. Experience has thought me that that is not adequate. You need at least three white shirts to start with. Idealy, these should include a plain, formal looking botton down, long sleeved white shirt, the other two can have some kind of feminine details like frills, pleats, lace etc. Just remember not to go too crazy if you want to wear them to work. When purchasing, be on the look out for quality of fabric, cut of the shirt ( to be sure that it flatters your figure and washing instructions. You don’t want to end up with a ‘dry clean only’ when you are on a budget.

Blue shirts.

After you have you most basic white shirts, you need to own at least two blue shirts. As in the case of the white, you can’t make do with only one. The particular shade of blue should be based on what shade suits you the most. One plain, formal looking, botton down, long sleeved blue shirt and another more feminine, more detailed shirt. Look out for the quality and feet and washing instruction as above.

Camisoles

One of the most important elements especially for work, are camisoles. You can never have too many of them. It is with your camisoles that you can really go crazy with different colors. Just remember that they should always be worn under a jacket to keep from looking unprofessional because of the fact that they show your arms.

Suits.

You need to start with at least two pencil skirts. One plain black, preferably high waisted pencil skirt and the other can be either black pin stripped or some other neutral like navy blue, gray or brown. There are those who think that you can buy trousers in place of skirts. I don’t agree. I think that because of the conservative nature of the avaerage workplace, you want to own at least one skirt. Ideally, you should not start with Trousers until after at least two skirts. Of course you start with black and work your way through the other neutrals. I think that at the foundational stage of your wardrobe, you should think more in terms of separates than an actual suit. So next should come two jackets. First a black plain jacket and then either a black pin stripped or a navy jacket. Note that with jackets, fit is key. The bodice of the jacket should fit your body closely but not be tight. The shoulder of the jacket should also not extend beyond your natural shoulder. Also, with formal jackets and skirts, you have to be very careful with the care label because so many of them are better dry cleaned and so you have to be sure of whether it’s hand washable or mashine washable depending on what your resources are. The wrong cleaning process and your jacket, skirt or trousers will not just last as long.

Accessories.

To start your wardrobe you need a pair of COMFORTABLE black shoes. I know a lot of people say court shoes/ pumps, but I think that they have to be shoes that you can be comfortable with. Just be careful that they are formal. Anything from the court shoes/ pumps to ballet flats to loafers to stiletoes are adequate. You also need a neutral big handbag. It could be a grab bag, a tote, a shoulder bag, what ever as long as it is somewhat formal looking. With both items, it is important to buy the bast quality you can afford as it may not be ideal to to have to change your basic bag too often. Your basic bag should be able to hold its shape through the abuse of everyday use.

With these, you have started your journey into your adult wardrobe. As a lot of older women will probably tell you, building an enviable wardrobe is a marathon, not a sprint. As long as you nail the foundational items, you can take a bit of time to start to build a wardrobe that will have pieces that you can still enjoy even after.

I hope that this information has been helpful. Remail fabulous.

The Role of the Accessory

Hello babes, today I’m going to talk to you about accessories. It is really quite simple. Without accessories, all you have is cloth. Accessories make the outfit. A lot of ladies don’t wear a lot of accessories apart from the very basic shoes and handbags. Others add a basic, everyday necklace, earrings, and watch. Very few of us will ‘because it’s Tuesday’, for example, pair a fabulous statement necklace with a pair of jeans and t shirt and maybe even add a waist coat, working it into a unique ‘look but yet’ suitable for whatever activities we have planned for the day, whether it be going to work or school or just running errands.

There cannot be style present if accessories are absent (I just made that up so feel free to quote me). It is important as a fashionista to have a healthy stock of accessories that you can rely on to help you bring to life the various looks you try to achieve every day.

Go beyond the ordinary, think spectacular. In a world of mass produced clothes, where you and a few thousand or even million people have the same dress or something similar, your choice of accessories is what will stand you out. I don’t mean shoes and bags, except of course they are som’n special. When you think accessories, start to think scarves, cocktail rings, statement necklaces, pendants, bangles and bracelets. They don’t have to be gold. They can be silver, wood, leather, hemp, glass, etc. You could work with vests, waistcoats, hats and even gloves (if you can find any that don’t look ridiculous in this heat).

For example, a t shirt worn with blue jeans with a pair of sandals and your basic bla

ck bag is sooooooo blah. However, choosing to use a red belt instead of your basic black one instantly lifts it. You can then add character by adding a lovely beaded Ankara vest. That gives the ensemble a boho vibe. You could instead of the vest, layer on different lengths of gold chains. That gives it a funky vibe. So over the next few days, experiment. Look through your accessory collection, whatever the size, and go where they take you.

I hope I was able to add value. Hope to see you soon. Remain fabulous.

Elements of Style

What is it that makes you choose what you wear? Is it comfort? Style? Color? We all choose our clothing for different reasons. Some of us want to stand out, others want to blend in. Whatever the core reasons, the one thing to keep in mind is that there are certain basics which must be achieved before we can even talk about having style. What do I mean? I mean that whatever it is that we want to express with our look, we must make the conscious effort to keep within the boundary of style. Every style can be overdone and look cheap or done tastefully. It’s about balancing every item within the look. The single most important thing to consider when choosing clothes is your body shape. No matter how cute that dress is, if it was not designed for your body shape, you will end up looking silly. Ever body shape can be flattered by wearing the right cut of clothes just as great injustice can be done to a figure by wearing the wrong cut. The next thing to consider is color. Every skin shade has certain colors that enhance it and others that subtract from it. Some people look better in warm colors while cool colors work better for others. An easy way to find out which works better for you is to drape different colored fabrics around your face and you will begin to see that certain colors read better against your skin tone. It is even easier to have someone help you observe the effects of different colors.

After that, the next consideration is occasion or practicability. You don’t want to be the girl wearing a suit at a picnic or the girl wearing that Herve Leger stunner at a young child’s funeral. As long as you get these basics right, you can be sure that you are on your way to projecting yourself stylishly. Without taking these into account, one is likely to miss the style boat. Your attempt at looking like a rock chic will be unsuccessful if the jeans are the wrong cut for your body shape. Also the most stunning dress will look drab if worn in the wrong shade of green. Of course we all know that the flyest outfit will only make you look like a fool with money if worn to the wrong occasion.

It is when all these have been fulfilled that one can start ones style journey. With these conquered it is easier to navigate the murky waters of fashion to arrive at whatever style destination we set for ourselves.

I really hope I have been of help today. Till we meet again, hopefully soon.Remain fabulous.

Bohemian rhapsody

Hey y’all. Sorry I’ve been gone for so long but my day job has been hectic. I trust that y’all have been having a blast. Anyway today I am going to be writing on boho chic.
What exactly is boho, you might ask. Well, its an eclectic style. I guess you can say it’s a “creative” way of presenting ones self. In the form of dress it tends to involve a lot of flowing, maybe even oversize clothes.
The bohemian look is a hark one to work because it’s a thin line between looking hot and looking “what is she thinking”. You really need to have a good eye to rock it. The pieces I think are essential for the look are gypsy skirts, embroidered tunics, kaftans, long flowing dresses, a messenger bag, sandals and ethnic jewelry.
As with every other style point of view, this are just the essentials and not by any stretch of the imagination all that is contained in the wardrobe of a true eclectic. I personally love to see a boho diva getting it right.
In terms of décor they tend to go for ethnic inspired surroundings. They also tend to love earthy colors like browns, reds and greens. I also notice a love of pattern especially flowery ones.
Anyway I’m sure in the future I’ll do a more in depth analysis of boho chic. Till then stay fabulous.

the classics

Like I have said in a previous post, when it comes to style, everybody has a particular aesthetic, no matter how nice or how much they seem to miss the mark. In this post I want to treat the classic which is my personal favorite. I like to refer to myself as casual chic.
What makes a woman’s form of dress and lifestyle classic? Well, looking good in a way that appears nonchalant and effortless. However, any classic fashionista will tell you that the natural look is not gotten by hanging out with mother nature. It is worked on and very well thought through.
Surprising as it may seem to fashionistas of other persuasions, the very foundation of going the classic route successfully is good skin, hair and makeup. Why, you may wonder. Well, because the style appears so, well, classic that you need to take care of yourself. This includes, having your hair and nails done, waxing off all body hair and eyebrows in place. While other fasionistas may understand the absolute importance of these key elements, the classic is even more concerned because that is what takes her outfit up from common place. Remember classics don’t usually involve themselves in trendy things.
It is the classic you will see wearing a white tee shirt with dark bootleg jeans, a good leather belt, good leather bag and a pair of loafers. Simple, casual, but incredibly chic. In fact I’ll say the classic works a mean capsule wardrobe.
Anyway I’m sure I’ll have a lot more to say about the classics in the future. In the meanwhile stay fabulous.

the capsule wardrobe

What is a capsule wardrobe the uninitiated might ask. Well for those who don't know, its the most basic items that every wardrobe must have. It contains pieces that can be worn together to form many different outfits.It is usually advisable that every woman own these pieces in her wardrobebecause with them she can never go wrong. It is also advisable for young women just starting out in their careers with minimal cash to first invest in these key pieces.These key pieces include,a white dress shirt,a pair of black trousers,a pair of dark blue jeans,a classic black dress,a white tee shirt,a wrap dress,a formal black skirt,a blue dress shirt, a pair of gold hoop earrings,pearl necklace,a pair of black loafers,a pair of black stilettoes,a black handbag,and a good quality watch either in black leather or stainless steel and gold.I'm sure with these basic pieces any woman will be able to come up with a week worth of outfits at the very least.So now that I've armed you with the very basics, you have no excuse
Stay fabulous