What Makes A Style Icon?

Hello. This post was inspired by a conversation I had with a friend a few days ago. We were discussing some of my blog posts and she mentioned the fact that she doesn't think Nike Oshinowo is a style icon, ANYMORE. I was a little surprised by that. So it got me thinking about what I think qualifies someone as a style icon.

So what makes someone a style icon? I think the main ingredients are an eye for color, understanding proportion and then the ability to use fashion to tell a story, ie the ability to pull a look together in a way that looks fresh. A look has got to say something. For example, my ultimate fashion icon is Jackie Onassis (not Jackie Kennedy). Even though her style was simple and looked effortless, she just had this way of working with clothing and accessories to tell you a story that said 'I'm rich but not flashy'. The sunglasses, the handbags, the simple but statement jewelry. Her look said ''luxury' and 'leisure'.

I classify someone as a style icon who loves fashion and invests the time and effort it takes to build up a cohesive wardrobe that he/ she can use to create looks that are interesting and pleasing to the eye. And then they take it even further. To them fashion is fun, an idea to play and experiment with. But then it's also serious business, so they make sure that their look is on point 99.9% of the time. A style icon never has an off day. That I think is what separates them from ordinary 'fashionable' people. They are always on. They make the effort even when they are just running errands. Every item in the ensemble is well thought out, even when it looks like they just threw it on.

One thing I must touch on is the idea that real fashionistas shouldn't wear an item more than once or at best, a couple of times. I remember the first time I heard that idea. I was compiling a list of 'most stylish women' with the fashion editor of a magazine and when I mentioned someone to her (I can't remember who), she said that the person didn't qualify because she had worn a particular skirt several times. I was shocked by that way of thinking, to say the least. As far as I am concerned, a real fashionista knows how to work an item into several, sometimes unrelated, looks. If you can take one skirt and work it into ten different looks, then you are a fashionista. If you need to always be wearing something new, it doesn't say you have style, it just says you can afford ( or rather, MAY afford) a large wardrobe.

So, back to my conversation with my friend. Her reason for saying that Nike is no longer a fashion icon is because she doesn't feel Nike dresses 'age appropriately'. I don't agree. I feel that even when she is wearing something short, she does it tastefully. Besides, she has the body to pull it off. What do you think? I must also say that I see a lot of up and coming style icons that INCLUDE Funke Fowler, Ifeoma Williams, Lisa Folawiyo, Dolapo Oni among others. Up and coming because they are on their way, but haven't quite gotten there yet. (In my opinion.) Please note that there are a lot of other people I feel are note worthy and may have to do a post to cover the list.

I hope this post helps you in your quest to put your best foot forward. Take care of yourself and remain 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.

Ankara Skirt OOTD

Hello everyone!!! Today's post is an Outfit of the Day (OOTD) one. I wore this outfit to a wedding this past weekend. The look is very classic. It's a simple white shirt paired with an Ankara pencil skirt, which is a very easy way to bring Ankara into a contemporary wardrobe (I put a close up of the skirt). I wore black shoes with a bit of gold on the platforms to go with the gold clutch in a way that is not too matchy, matchy. Nothing says "classic" like a few strands of pearls, yes?

I hope that this simple way of bringing Ankara into your everyday wardrobe will inspire you. Take care of yourself and remain fabulous.

It's Been A While!!!

Hello everyone. I've been gone for a minute and I am so sorry about that. I have been working on a project which has taken so much of my time. I'll tell you about it in a few weeks. This post is just to let y'all know that I'm back, blogging. This time, I hope to give you more. I intend to do outfit of the day posts, showing you examples of the different subjects I have covered and the many more that I intend to cover.

I trust that every thing is as good with you as they are with me. 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

How To Look Expensive When You Are On A Budget

Hello. Some women know how to put clothes together in a way that makes you feel like they spend hundreds of thousands on their wardrobe, when in fact they don't. We see her all the time. Always crisp and well put together. Her hair is immaculate, her feet look so clean, like you can eat off them, her watch is Bvlgari and you can smell the leather that is her handbag a mile away. She wears white a lot and it never turns dull yellow or gets stained. She has you convinced that she must have a walk in wardrobe filled with every designer brand. That her look must take millions of Naira to achieve and maintain. What you may not realise is that this socialite look, this Lisa Folawiyo, Nike Oshinowo or Kate Middleton look can be achieved by just following a few basic rules.

The most important thing with this look is the quality of your clothing and accessories. Clean lines, good cut and finishing made with good fabrics are key. These cannot be compromised if you want to have that 'expensive' look. In this day and age, however, you don't need hundreds of thousands of Naira to get that well tailored look. With brands like Next, Zara and French Connection, you can get clothes that look expensive without the price tag. Keep the style simple, you want to avoid trends. Trends have an expiration date and will make you look dated after a while.

Another thing is to always calculate cost per wear. I for example, have no problem spending a good amount of money on quality Jeans. The fact that I will wear it all the time, that the fabric is luxurious and the cut is perfection means that I am very willing to see it as an investment. The same goes for my watch and my handbag. The key here is that to look expensive, there a few things that you cannot cut corners on. Know what they are and invest in them. The key, when you are on a budget, is to know when to buy. A quality leather handbag can be bought for the equivalent of $200 and less at the right time of the year. Look out for periods when shops are clearing old stock out to restock for the new season. Also, look out for people and brands that sell good quality clothes for very good prices. There is a lot to be said for people who sell from home, their cars or online because, in a lot of cases, since they don't have the overhead of big stores, they tend to be cheaper. A good number of online shops are now available in Nigeria so you can give them a go. A lot of them allow you to pay money into their account, for those afraid to give their bank details on a website. Just do your due diligence to make sure the site is legit.

There is a lot to be said for bulk buying. Say you have come across that perfect pair of Jeans that makes you look slim and your behind look fabulous. It's the right wash, length and the fabric is superior. It will be a good idea to buy a couple. The same can be said for all your basic; white shirts, ballet flats, tank tops. That way, you always have a new pair to bring out as they wear out. If it makes you look so fabulous, you never want to be without it and you never want to continue wearing it after it has lost it's luster.

Take proper care of your stuff. Always read the care instruction before you buy an item to be sure that you don't end up with clothes that you can't afford to maintain. The reason is that caring for your clothes and leather goods in the correct way help them last a lot longer. For example, hand washing your 'Dry Clean Only' silk blouse will wear the fabric out really fast. Also, avoid bleach as it is very harsh on fabric. Instead wash your whites in hot water with detergent and a bleach alternative like vinegar. Be very careful to separate and wash like colors together and if you use a washing machine, wash each item in the correct setting. Do not wash delicates and Jeans together nor should you wash them with the wrong setting.

When it comes to beauty, you need to take care of the basics. Have a manicure and pedicure every few weeks and style your hair as and when due to keep you looking clean. Also, taking care of your skin; cleansing, exfoliating, and using a good moisturizer help you look bright and beautiful. Your hair should always be shiny and neat. Make up should be natural looking and applied on a clean face. Do not forget your deodorant and perfume as nothing spoils a fab look faster than a bad smell.

Let me end by giving you a list of what I feel you should splurge on and what you can save on. You should splurge on your classic pieces; neutral colored Cocktail dress, handbag, sunglasses, wrist watch, blue Jeans and neutral Ballet flats or Pumps. These are the things that you will reach for all the time. You need to make sure that their quality will withstand the continuous wear. Besides, we can all spot cheap a mile off. You can always save on items that you will not wear so often. Colored shoes and handbags, tops, dresses and accessories because since you probably buy lots of different styles of them, you don't wear them as much. Like I said earlier, there are good brands that sell designer quality at high street prices. Look into that and find out where you can get them for a reasonable price.

I hope I have succeeded in adding some measure of value. Remain fabulous.