African Fashion Style: Nigerian Contemporary Style
The sun is shining in Berlin and I couldn’t be happier! It gives me an opportunity to sashay shantay in my spring/summer clothes. Today, I want to get into African fashion style. I was in Lagos recently and during that time my mother’s African-inspired clothing shaped my African fashion style while I was in Nigeria . Continue Reading…
African Fashion Style
When I was in Lagos in April, so many things inspired me. This caused me to not only dress differently, but it also changed me emotionally. I was more confident.
My morning ritual was to go to my mother’s walk-in closet, peruse her various African-inspired garments and choose my #OutfitOfTheDay.
This purple print dress was one of my favourites.
Last week, I discussed what African fashion style meant to me. I like to blend Western and African pieces. I believe this makes the outfit look more wearable and contemporary.
I flirted with the idea of borrowing this dress from my mama indefinitely. In the end, I didn’t because I had to get real. The dress did not fit with the life I have in either Berlin or London.
I used to be a firm believer of dressing for the life I aspired to have rather than the life I was living. The problem with this is you tend to accumulate pieces that take up wardrobe space and pretty much nothing else.
At least, this has been the case for me, more or less.
Inspiring Stores in Lagos
I had very little time when I was in Lagos to hop, skip and jump around. Despite my time schedule, I made sure I made a quick trip to one of my favourite stores, Quinessence. It’s your one-stop destination for African-inspired art, sculptures, clothes, accessories, furniture and more.
When I’m in Quitessence, I’m in my happy place. I adore the layout of the store.
Quintessence always inspires my African fashion style. It’s diverse pieces give me ideas on how to fuse their African pieces (e.g. accessories) with my Western garments.
Their artwork isn’t too shabby either. These are some of their eye candy I went ga-ga for:
These 2 pieces were created by the same artist, Chika. I want to marry him. Our house would be like an art museum. The End.
Who Inspires You?
In my last post, I showcased an outfit I bought in my favourite design store in Lagos, Grey Velvet:
Top: Frankie & Co. | Skirt: Frankie & Co.
I got the loveliest surprise when my designer friend – Eric Farr- posted this sketch on his social media pages with the following words,
‘When you see something on a fellow blogger and get inspired to sketch out a couple of looks that you need to add to your capsule collection, you just ride the wave of inspiration!!!! Girl, that pic with the top and skirt, set something fierce off in me today!!! Need to take this further!!!!’
His lovely words made my day and in turn inspired the theme of this post.
And that my peeps is the power of inspiration. It’s like a powerful fluid force that goes back and forth.
African-inspired Clothing
I couldn’t round this post off without showing you another dress of my mother’s. I felt like a Nigerian Princes in this print number. It made me float not walk.
Me with my two Berlin mates who came to Lagos ( :
And Finally…
Do tell me what inspires your style, interior design and creativity? Which cities, Instagram Feeds, cultures…I’d love to know.
Till Soon,
Bisous
