Ladies And Fashion

Amara

“Every woman, no matter her level of spirituality, wants to be the best dressed in church”—Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai.

The above statement by the popular evangelist is one I agree with completely. I know as women we want to be noticed, admired and appreciated, and that is why you see women go out of their way just to be admired by others.

In the social scene, women oftentimes, are the ones to tell the world how much their man is worth. There is a saying in my place that if you want to know how much a man is worth and what kind of man he is, check out his wife and children. Even the Holy Bible makes it clear that the woman is the glory of the man.

I love good things; I grew up admiring and falling in love with very beautiful things. Just like every other woman, I am a very fashion conscious person and I am enjoying every bit of it. We all want to be the best wherever we are and that is why, like I read sometime in a soft-sell magazine, some celebrity ladies like being late to social events. They want to be noticed by everyone including the press when they arrive.

I know you want to arrive late for heads to turn when you enter the venue of that event; heads will turn, but I just pray the turning is not in the negative. Haven’t you read interviews of celebrity women praising their beauty and fashion sense only for you to see a woman that is full of the artificial and bad fashion sense?

I love our lives as women and I am glad I am a woman. But there are times I feel women should be taken on some fashion and beauty courses. Okay girls; let me point out those common mistakes we make all in the name of being fashionable.

Sleeveless tops

A good number of women are guilty of this. I was so pissed off when sometime this year; there was a picture of one of our Nollywood stars in Grammy. I was not even concerned about the man holding her bum (it’s her life), but about the long stretch marks on her arms. Anybody can have those stretch marks (thank God I don’t have them), but we shouldn’t be too carried away that we forget the necessary things we should do in fashion.

If you are one of those with stretch marks, I would suggest you try using the cream called Strivectin; it may not be available in Nigeria, but you can ask anyone in the USA or Canada to get it for you; it goes for $100. Before the final treatment of your stretch marks in those areas like ankles and arms, please try to cover them up. You can wear a long dress and still be fashionable.

Lycra tops and downs

This one puts me off and makes me feel like sending women to jail. That clothes are in vogue doesn’t mean they are good for you. You must grow up and train yourself to be in control of fashion and not the other way round. You must not flow with every fashion trend and style.

Oftentimes, I wonder if some women have their mirrors so blurred that they don’t see the blocks of fat (cellulite) creeping out of their clothes. If you are so crazy about those clothes, please deal with your cellulites first. It is not a matter of you buying all the cream for fat loss and cellulites in the market. I am one who is prone to cellulites on the bum and so I always deal with it through exercise and diet. You can also opt for the Japanese body rolling, but I always tell people to exercise even while they roll.

Leggings

Please avoid heels of any height with leggings. Opt for ballet flats, skimmers and slides. Tunics must get to touch your upper thighs. Miniskirts can be worn with leggings. Choose a colour that coordinates with your top, keep in mind, dark colours are more flattering. For your skinny jeans, dark blue or black wash gives you the most slimming look. Balance it with volume on top, like bell sleeve tops. If your thighs are heavy, disguise with a longer, belted tunic. If you have thick calves, tucking-into boots will give you a more flattering fit.

Panty Lines

Girl, please cultivate the habit of looking at you in a mirror several times before leaving the house. Those panty lines look awful. Your pant should not be blamed for it. It is purely out of your carelessness. We now have different kinds of pants to serve every purpose and every style. For your tight jeans, skirts and pants, please go for thongs and G-strings.

Wrong dress for body type

We have different body types – the pear, apple and proportionate body types. You must identify your body type to be able to dress well. It is a fashion mistake to go for something simply because it looks good on your friend or because it is in vogue. Why would a woman with an apple body type, with her tummy rounded and big go for those lycra tops. You should go for more of cotton materials.

We must not all wear skinny jeans. If you have your thighs fat and your hips very wide (pear body type), please go for boot cuts. Avoid sleeveless if you have the “Christian mother hand”. A lot of women who are busty make the mistake of going for tight buttoned-down shirts. I will advise you stay away from buttoned-down tops if you can. Don’t go for any shirt that has the spaces between the buttons open when you wear it. It shows that shirt isn’t for you. Also avoid low-necked tops if you are busty.

Skinny jeans are not for you if you have the apple body type. Go for wide-legged pants. If you have slim legs and ankles, go for wide-legged capris and wide A-line skirt. No minis please.

Plus-size women have made great progress in the fashion industry. There are now more choices than ever when it comes to clothing. Care should be exercised, however, to not let this new-found freedom get into their heads.

Some fashion styles are just not meant to be worn by plus-size women – Halter-top, low-rise jeans, cropped or cut-off tops, open-backed tops. No matter how stylish your T-shirt is, you still do not look good with rolls of fat hanging out over the waist band of your pants.

I recently saw some birthday pictures of a very fat society lady. I was wondering if her friends couldn’t have helped her in her choice of a white dinner wear with her fat arms and cellulite. It was only when I saw her friends that I realised how helpless she was in the world of fashion. Stay off tight white dresses, skirts and pants if you are fat. Darker shades will bring out a slimmer you.

Wrong dressing for occasions

Many people are guilty of this; there is a style for every occasion. Avoid the mistake of wearing party and club dresses to church and burial. It is really sad seeing women in flashy colours during funeral ceremonies. For a funeral, please go for darker shades like black, brown, and rich tan. Even in the offices, especially the new generation banks, you now see ladies wear flowered clothes and very short skirts and dresses.

Please save your male clients the sexual harassment. I have learnt that we ladies harass men more in this generation. What do you want a man to do when you have it all out with your eyes as seductive? If you are in a corporate setting, please do everything you can to be corporate or better still look for where people like you are- in the brothel.

Hairstyle

I know women are so crazy about Brazilian, Indian, Bohemian, and Peruvian hairs. I know most of us carry even the fake ones just because we must belong. I know we sometimes go out of our way to sleep with men and do all sorts because we must buy the original one just like our friends. It is good to flow with fashion trend, but at the same time, I know there is nothing as lovely as moderation. Bear in mind that what looks good on your friend’s head may not be admired on you.

When was the last time your man saw your natural hair? I also know that he will admire you better if there is some decency in your choice of that hair. Please avoid this attitude of overdoing things. You are addressed the way you dress and I can’t see any reason behind your scattering your hair like a Nollywood star when you are in a corporate setting. Please know there is a limit to what you can do and the kind of make-up you should wear if you call yourself a corporate person looking for and attending to corporate clients.

Fashion is about you understanding your personality, job, faith, spirit, and body. Fashion should never be about your friends and the society. If there is anyone to be considered in your choice of hair and clothes, it is your spouse. As I always say, never dress for your friends; dress for your spouse and to the glory of your creator.

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