STYLE PERSONALITIES AND WHY WE LOVE THEM...

Many fashion icons or style crushes we look up to obviously have a better wardrobe or even stylists at their beck and call. However something they also possess is a confident consistency. They have tweaked some part of their personality and made sure they shine through it. 

All women of the world have worries, fears and things they will rather hide... And we all have something we are confident about as well. This is where signature style comes in. Whether we know or not, our personality reflects on our style to a large extent. Style therefore mirrors personality, and in consideration of such external influences as work, lifestyle a good eye or just acquired taste.This post will help you understand what you represent based on style personalities and will show you what to add to take it to the next level. 

Let us take a look at some of the qualities of a few style crushes...

The Bombshell: Toke Makinwa, Damilola Adegbite, Toolz

Sexy is the mantra for these women. And for them, picking pieces that show off a curvy, feminine figure is the norm. These sexy sirens do not believe in choosing a style on the basis of age.

Basic components:

·   When dressing like a sultry siren, be prepared to draw attention to yourself. Look for clothes that accentuate the hourglass. Deep V’s and high slits are acceptable necessities. 

·    Choose body-hugging, figure-flattering cuts. Avoid sack dresses, (too) simple dress designs, masculine tailoring, and anything with too much coverage. (helps even though you don't have an hour glass figure)

  ·  Brights, white, and black all work in solid shades. Prints, patterns, and elaborate embellishment detract from the focal point - your body. 

The Classicists - Kate Henshaw, Stella Damascus 

These women prefer basics — the T-shirt, blazer, white shirt, and trousers — and look effortlessly chic in simple staple pieces. These women would ordinarily not stick their necks in the tidal trend waves. They stick to clothes "as they are made to be", no fancy designs or unnecessary extras.

Basic Components:

·         Embrace tradition. Sticking with things that have stood the test of time is often the key to looking clean and elegant.

·         The hottest and newest don't always suit a simpler style. If intrigued by a trend, incorporate it into your look in a subtle way, maybe with an accessory. 

·         Keep a clean line. Frivolity, frills, and fanciful cuts are not in tune with a more established approach to dressing.

·         If you fit with this persona, pick a pared-down palette - colors that do not call a lot of attention. Black, white, navy, gray, and khaki are classic. 

The Non-conformist: Chimamanda Adichie, Asa

These ladies seem primarily attached to their art and therefore set a free-spirited style in ethnic-inspired looks. They grab your attention because they do not fit into the trendy style mould nor the basic style niche. It's like staying chic, with an aura of  very, very approachable calm.

Basic Components:

·         Master the mix. Layering pieces, pairing new with vintage, and combining multiple textures all add to the appeal.

·         Banish plain shades. Wearing peppy colors highlights a carefree demeanor. 

·         You could even rock a laid back hairstyle (like Chimamanda's threaded hair) and still be in style. 

·         Play up prints - swirly paisleys, pretty florals, retro patterns,— the haute-hippie chick can pull off funky patterns. 

The Polished ladies: Genevieve Nnaji, Agbani Darego, Rita Dominic 

The prim, polished, and pulled-together air still resonates with today's refined set. This polished persona gives her the air of unreachable elegance.

Basic Components:

·         Keep it feminine but not flirty. Pick a silhouette that shows off your waist but not too much else. If you want to show some skin, choose one erogenous zone — like your shoulders, ankles, or décolletage — at a time.

·         Add charm. A bow, a touch of lace, or a slight ruffle offers a sweet edge. But keep it to one or two flourishes. Also try edgy dress designs 

·         Classic colors are most appropriate. Black and white will never fail you. Avoid anything over-the-top or garish, especially with colors - a pop of color is always sweeter. 

·         Fabric counts. Look for structured, high-quality materials. Anything too flimsy or sheer should be shunned. 

The Eclectics: Nkiru Anumudu, Tonto Dikeh 

It's all about having fun with fashion for these playful women. The appeal for these ladies is putting on everything and boy, they sure know how to make it all work. Bright colors, madcap pairings, peculiar accessorizing and loud patterns are part of the package.

Basic Components:

·         Never say never. Follow your heart when it comes to picking out your clothes. Forget what's appropriate or safe, and don't take yourself too seriously. Serious is boring anyway...

·         Eye-catching hues, look-at-me motifs, even bright colored hair are par for the course. 

·         Mixing and matching makes sense -e.g, a bejeweled shoes over a patterned dress... 

·         Be wary of crossing the line into "tacky boulevard". Keep one of your outfit pieces pared down or your accessories classic when wearing something wacky.

The ball is your court to judge your style. What do you think about your persona and your style? Where do you fit in? Oh, you don't fit in with these? Create your persona and tell us about it in the comment box.

HEAD OVER HEELS!

Happy New Month Lovelies…I hope someone missed us? Cos we did miss you J. The write-up today is dedicated to all shopaholics (yep, that sometimes includes me..hehe), here it goes…

I like to think that I make good choices when it comes to purchasing clothes, shoes and accessories – although taking these from my sisters or mum still is waaaaaay easier than walking through shops and online stores! Well, while buying items for the kitchen and the house, I and my sister stumbled on a shoe store. The shoes were “OK” shoes, but they were good on the eyes, and there were lots of designer (... okay well, good brands!) flashing on them. About to dismiss the idea of wasting time and money on things that have no guarantee, my lustful eyes fell on a pair of satin red sandals. If you play Candy Crush the way the man says Divine is the absolute description. (It was DEEVVAAIINE!) It had a halo all around it, with its satin-covered-4”-heel-height, folded cover, little peep.

I was sure I could use it to go dancing, for weddings, maybe every occasion. My sister on the other hand was not impressed with it, she felt I had a lot and better red shoes, but she left me to gush. The bargaining began and I was going to pay. My sister tried to say that I may not use it as often as I thought; it wasn’t worth so much; I had few clothes that would need it, however I was too busy borrowing money from her to wonder about worth and value.

Shoes in hand, I was proud to show it off... Except that the only time I forced myself to wear it was with a blue dress (mismatched does not begin to describe my look that day), and that was the only time I used it. After a year, attacked by beneath-the-bed-dust, the shoes needed cleaning. Without any proper idea of how to clean satin shoes, I plopped them into soapy water to find that water made my red beauties peel. Nail polish tried to repair that damage but my shoes still sit – unused. Under the bed. Again!

Fashion buying advice is hard to adhere to because most of the time desire or lust confuses reasoning. Feelings are so unreliable and do not determine the rightness of a fashion buy. At that point of excitement no advice makes any logical sense even if the person giving you the advice was the editor of Vogue magazine. Usually, until the event ends in defiance, an “I told you so” moment, and maybe regrets... There is also the conceivable idea that we buy to prove a (non-existent) point – that we can afford some item in vogue – which in truth will probably not be used.

Thinking again, it is probably hard to define when some fashion item is important or unnecessary. 

Basic clues to know whether your purchase is worthy –

1.  Check its versatility. Can you harmonise with or match with other items in your wardrobe, especially so it can be used for other purposes? Is it irreplaceable?

2.      Lifestyle. Does it reflect your everyday life? Does it define your values?

3.      Money’s worth. Does it exceed your budget? Why buy something that goes bad in less than 3 months because it’s cheaper?

So using your HEAD over your love for heels (or any other buying choice for that matter) could protect you from falling head over heels (pun intended... twice!)! ;D