Style – Tadera

Trend Alert? Cotton Romance

There’s always a look of the season, sometimes it’s as simple as a colour, sometimes it’s an accessory, and other times it might be a pairing or combination.. an aesthetic. I know I’m not the only one that has noticed this Spring/Summer dress of the season. But just in case you haven’t, let me bring it to you as (Wura and) I see.

This time around it’s a dress. More often than not, it’s in the form of a maxi but I’ve seen variations – midis and on the rare occasion, minis. Heck, I’ve seen skirts too so it really isn’t just dresses. But they all largely have the same/common features:

A cinched waist that draws the eye in and is set up to be the focal point and key attraction of this dress. It is almost always cut as a “V” from high on the hips to the inner thigh.
A rather bulky bust area, often times it’s ruched with a round neckline because anything else would be distracting. Too much.
An even more excessive bottom half. You know… to give the illusion of that coke bottle body (do people still say this or have I officially aged?).

I’m not sure you could tell from my description, but this dress is definitely not one of my favourites and it most definitely would not have a home in my wardrobe, but even at that, I can’t deny what it does for the female body… feminine and modest… romanticized, if sized correctly, I’d even call it elegant but at this point, I’m using the word loosely. Whatever I might think of this dress, the fact remains that it’s having a moment and if nothing else, should be appreciated for that. I’m sure it would look great on the fashion girlies!

Source: Kai Collective

Source: Sunset Lover

Source: Rendoll

Have you noticed this trend or am I losing it? Is it even having a moment or am I making this up? Do you like or are you on the same table as me and skipping? I’d love to know your thoughts….

xXx

Ps: My skin has been skinning lately and I love it

PPs: I found reformer pilates in Abuja, but at 20k a class, I’m learning to be careful what I wish for, at the very least, I need to be more specific in my requests.

VB X MNG

I’ve always been a fan of Victoria Beckham. If ever I was going to be a Spice, I’d be Posh, no questions asked. LBD – check, high heels – why not? Bob – I could make it happen… Let’s be real, the Spice Girls remain iconic, did you see the video David Beckham posted from Victoria’s 50th last week?

Like every other Millennial, I’d been a fan of the Spice Girls from Wannabe right through to Viva Forever. Even after that, I followed Vicky Becks closely, wondering what her next big break would be. She published Learning to Fly in the early 2000s and even though I wasn’t big on reading, as a teenager, I made it through that autobiography cover-to-cover. Around the same time, she released her first solo album. You guessed it, I bought the CD.

Today, I can’t say I’m that big a fan of hers (or anyone else for that matter), but I’m not going to lie, I’ve been keeping tabs particularly on Victoria Beckham -the Fashion Designer. I low key think this is who she was supposed to be all along. Everything prior to that, was just a journey she needed to experience to arrive exactly where she is now.

Earlier this week, coinciding with their 40th anniversary, Mango released their collaboration with Victoria Beckham. The 55 piece collection covering womenswear, jewelry and footwear was inspired by La Piscine, a 1969 summertime film starring Jane Birkin (the collaboration video even shows the models jumping into a pool). Specifically, parallels are drawn between Jane Birkin’s character’s ease, natural beauty, femininity, and “a real sense of freedom”.

The collection is très chic with feminine and macho inspired looks all very much wearable. The vibes are more Spring than Summer, either way, VB and MNG kept it graceful, elegant, sophisticated. The collaboration was really a match made in style heaven given that both brands are so similar (save for the price point). It’s more of a surprise that this wasn’t done earlier.

Good Luck getting anything in stock though, from what I hear, items sold out in hours. Below are some of my favourite pieces from the collection.

Were you lucky enough to get your hands on any pieces? Let me know, would be great to hear your thoughts on the quality. I don’t doubt that it would be anything short of exceptional.

xXx

Ps: What’s everyone watching these days on Netflix or Prime? I need recommendations

Cartier La Panthère

It’s been a while since I did a perfume review. It’s crazy, I wear perfume every, single, day but somehow, for whatever reason, I’d never say I was/am big on it. I do love the idea of having a scent… that smell that rewinds people deep in nostalgia. A flashback, a memory, a unique moment, one person! Yeah, I love that. It’s that kind of reminiscent feeling that I want to leave people with when they catch my scent. But let’s be real, there are far too many options out there for me to tie myself to that one singular smell, right?

Taiwo pretty much swears by the Cartier La Panthère so I thought it would be good to pick up on my perfume blogging here. She’s been wearing it for about 3 – 4 weeks now and can’t seem to put it aside, so she recommended I wear it. After all, the scent is not just a smell, “It’s an experience”. So, I put down my current favourite, Dior’s Joy (Leah, you did this to me) and went with one spritz of La Panthère. Because from the first whiff I could tell that anything more would probably have been overpowering.

I’m going to skip the packaging because there’s nothing particularly beguiling about it. A bit of a letdown really as the bottle, although very boxy and quite masculine in appearance, harbours the mask of a well chiseled Panther. It’s like a buried secret only exposed in temperate lighting, at an undefined angle.

The scent is mature, musky, with a wood-like undertone…. It can’t be bullied…. It’s powerful! It smells like a CEO, DOMINANT. Dissecting the smell now, I can see why Taiwo likes it. It reveals everything about her argumentative side – the side I debated with at about 12:20am on White Supremacy but let’s not get into that – It’s definitely not my scent but like I said, I see why she likes it. It smells expensive… Like a lifestyle!

YouTube has been intermittently schooling me on photography over the past couple of weeks or thereabout. So, at about 1:00am, I pulled out my DSLR and thought it would be a great time to put my skills (and new-found knowledge) to the test. How did I do?

Have you tried Cartier’s La Panthère? Any thoughts?

xXx

Ps: I need to learn about photo editing next. This is really looking like a new hobby

Pps: I’m off on a trip tomorrow which I’m really excited about. Can’t wait to blog about it next week

Ladies…Frrrrost Yourselves!

I think I’m a little late to the party.

I missed the Oscars. Not intentionally….. not unintentionally either. My interests snoozed comfortably round the spectrum of indifference. I’m not bummed about missing it, like I said, I’m just “a little late to the party”. And not late in the cool, “fashionably late” kinda way…. the Nigerian kinda late when you miss the whole damn thing… and then some!

At some point over the past week, Sky News showed their typical 30 second or so entertainment news highlight/s and I came across Lady GaGa’s Oscars outfit. I haven’t had an “OH MY GOD!” moment in a long time, particularly concerning the red carpet, but this…..! This was definitely one!

The Dress

Image result for lady gaga necklace 2019 oscars — Source: eonline.com

Black dresses are always a classic but the contrast against The GaGa’s [monotone] pale skin and bleached blonde hair was ordained by the fashion gods. The exaggerated hips were an instant reflection of McQueen’s quirkiness and the pleated skirt that expanded to floor length was breath taking, but the opera gloves and Tiffany’s necklace screamed classic Hepburn from about a mile and a half off. We all know nothing screams classy like Audrey.

Now that we’ve got that dress out of the way, let’s take a minute to appreciate that necklace shall we?

The Necklace

Taiwo and I (and secretly Wura) are forever fans of How to Lose a Guy in 10days. It’s like… our go to movie. We’ve reached the point at which we recite the lines! So as much as I did/do appreciate the Alexander McQ dress, the real game changer was in fact that US$30mn Tiffany’s gem that had Wura pretty much scream (via whatsapp of course) “She’s wearing the Isadora!” LOL! That’s right, the Tiffany’s necklace had me 99.99% convinced GaGa was wearing the Harry Winston Isadora! (You can’t say/write that name without the exclamation mark. It would be criminal.)

The rock sized canary yellow gem, supported by “miniature” white gems delicately laid between both of Lady GaGa’s collar bones and had my jaw on the floor for the best part of the next 5 mins. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a rock that big, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a rock that worthy! It was breathtaking, spectacular, literally jaw dropping. It just dazzles!

Hair & Makeup

You don’t wear a necklace like that then decide to show off beach waves or silky straight hair do you? It’s got to be an up do… you know… to show off the master piece. Oh and as for the make up, gotta keep it natural looking and simple. The Oscars is no carnival!

Since I saw the Gaga’s outfit, I haven’t bothered googling any other star’s outfit. It would be unjust!

Source: GetYarn.io

This is the part where I usually ask who/what was your favourite look of the night, but today, I won’t even lie, I’m not interested. LOL

xXx

Ps: I’ve been lusting over a yellow dress very much like Andie Anderson’s on How to Lose a guy. But the price… my goodness the price!

PPs: Why was Andie carrying that horrible bag?

PPPs: I’ve always been a fan of Harry Winston. When I lived in a bubble I often fantasized that bae would propose with a Harry Winston… *sigh*

Jacquemus

[Un]Popular Opinion: cliché as it may sound, I think Pablo Picasso is a friggn LEGEND! And while we’re at it…. Cubism is in fact my favourite Art Movement.

———

Jacquemus is a young, talented, French, modern designer. His take on fashion is almost architectural in execution. He deconstructs objects, rebuilding sculpted masterpieces.

Jacquemus footwear was launched two years ago. His creative ingenuity in my opinion, borders on modern day Cubism. He leverages basic shapes and cleverly balances them to curate whimsical shoe perfection.

You see, the thing I love about Cubism is its ability to produce a conceptual image as opposed to the perceptual form. After all, I consider vision to be reassembled shapes built up to create depth and manipulated in form.

Jacquemus is only 29 and already pushing fashion boundaries. It’s a shame he’s put a stop to his quirky shoes. Regardless, I’m curious as to what he will unfold as he continues to rebuild, reinvent and rediscover.

Image result for jacquemus shoes — Les Mules Sao Mule
Source: Net-a-Porter

Pisa Mismatched Heels (my current favourites)
Source: Matches Fashion

Image result for cubism picasso — Picasso’s Weeping Woman
Source: The Tate

Who’s your designer of the moment?

What’s your favorite Art Movement?

xXx

Ps: Take my posts as they come and don’t question the [ir]regularity. After all, I’d like to think of myself as a creative 🙃

PPs: I’ve had my Nikon D3100 for 8years and only just decided to properly learn photography. So far, so fun!

PPPs: I made dumplings from SCRATCH yesterday. The result…? Meat pies! LOL

The Classics

My Mother thinks I have a problem. She’s yet to put it that candidly, but it was delicately laced in her tone earlier this month when I asked her driver to pick up my Zashadu Alpha…. “Another one?” was followed by a soft, but disconcerting smile. I’ve managed to convince myself that one of my bags will one day become an investment piece but the truth of the matter is that only selected, age old brands have been fortunate enough to make the increasingly exclusive list.

On Sunday evening, I sat in a friend’s living room getting increasingly comfortable as we argued over what to order and what Netflix movie was best suited for a Sunday night. As we lingered in and out of various conversation topics, we stumbled on investment bags. As much as I may be an advocate for the #BuyNigerian movement, I can’t deny it, I still lust over the Classics. Below are my top picks…

The Hermès Birkin or Hermès Kelly: From a very young age, my Dad hammered the concept of “Demand vs Supply” in my head. He went on and on about how this was “Basic Economics… the Foundation” and couldn’t understand why I struggled with the subject. Perhaps if he had explained this concept in Hermes lingo, maybe (just maybe) I’d have ended up with an ‘A’ instead of the dreaded ‘D’ at my IGCSEs… I digress… The economics behind the Hermès Birkin and Kelly is rooted in their limited quantities. This creates exclusivity; scarcity (in Economics lingo) and drives the prices up! A worthy number 1 in my opinion, the Hermès duo (the Kelly – inspired by Grace Kelly of course and the Birkin– inspired by Jane Birkin) will forever hold the top spot

Related image — Hermès Kelly Source: LuxuryExchange.com

Image result for hermes birkin — Hermès Birkin Source: LuxuryExchange.com

Chanel Classic Flap Bag: Somewhere between Coco and Karl, rumour has it that the Chanel Classic flap bag has (sometime in the recent past) outperformed the S&P. How’s that for a worthy investment? Any of the Chanel flap bags would do for me really. The 2.55 Reissue (named after the date it was introduced- February 1955), the Boy bag or the Classic flap, I really couldn’t care less. Somewhere between the burgundy contrast and the quilted lambskin, I’m sold!

Louis Vuitton Neverfull Bag: I know, I know… every Tom, Dick and Harry has one. But that doesn’t make the Neverfull any less of an investment. If you really want to stand out with this one, the Limited Edition pieces are (in my opinion) less generic/common and I find that the Noir/Indigo are waaaay nicer. I’ve read that these bags can get you 80-85% of their retail value.

View 1 - Neverfull MM Epi Leather in Women's Handbags Shoulder Bags & Totes collections by Louis Vuitton — **Source: LouisVuitton.com**

Loewe Puzzle Bag: This unassuming bag is made of 41 different leather pieces, nine textile pieces and 45 pieces of cloth. Take that for a mind-boggling Puzzle! Worth every penny I’d say.

LOEWE Puzzle Bag Anthracite all — **Source: Loewe.com**

Lady Dior Bag: Dior describes this bag as “Dior’s iconic bag, the Lady Dior, features all the hallmarks of Dior leather goods: soft lambskin topstitched with the iconic Cannage motif, rounded handles and D.i.o.r charms. An architectural piece, it is the symbol of Couture elegance and refinement“. I’m not sure I’m capable of better articulating this masterpiece.

LADY DIOR BAG IN CHERRY RED PATENT CANNAGE CALFSKIN - Lady Dior Dior — Source: Dior.com

What makes the cut for your top investment bags? Let me know…

xXx

Ps: I’m on to another Tory Lanez song… “Miss You” Love this guy!

PPs: Still dreaming of a helix piercing. Can’t wait to try it out again.

White Shirts & Whatnots

Growing up, a white shirt was a status symbol. It spoke at length in knowledge, uncovered depths of wisdom and expressed silent authority. Growing up, my Dad was not just the epitome of a white shirt, he was the very essence of it. It was the singular most dominant feature of his wardrobe and it could only ever be crisp… pristine… starched… SHARP! It earned him the nickname ‘GQ’ and in my book, anything short of this, just didn’t make the cut!

Naturally, as I progressed into the realm of employment, I too found the white shirt to be not just a staple, but supposedly critical for unattained heights of success. Accessorized with a Hermès 90×90 (*insert smug smile*), my white shirt wasn’t just my authority, it transformed to my cape! But I’ve since learned not to take life too seriously. SHARP! is nice, but as a lady, I much prefer my shirt (blouse?) to glide gracefully along my fashion scale, sliding from understated chic to refined grace.

Ever-adaptable, I often find that my white shirt is my blank canvas, capable of self-expression and open to my style interpretations. Somewhere between the flirty off shoulders, the hand stitched silks and the creaseless oxford cloth classics (Taiwo does this like a PRO!), I’ve found myself “at home” with this undeniable essential.

Below are my much desired white shirt chic goals

Tome | Open Back Shirt | My Chameleon — Source: The Chic Department

Cotton shirts are enjoying a new lease of life via architectural shapes. This neat bow detailing will nip in your waist too — Source: The Telegraph

I’ve learnt that maintenance is the greatest feat in owning a white shirt, but here’s a tip you (probably) didn’t know… they (Brooks Brothers, according to the WSJ) say your blend ratio shouldn’t exceed 60/40 Polyester/Cotton…. you can thank me later!

Ladies, have you invested in a white shirt? How does it work for you?

xXx

Ps: For those of you that don’t already know, I have Tory Lanez ‘Hypnotized’ on REPEAT!!!!

PPs: I can’t seem to decide if I want my hair in Senegalese twists or if I want to keep queening in my nappy ‘fro… thoughts?