Wednesday 30 September 2015

How do you spice up your outfits? (guys)


I must say (…and that’s stating the obvious) that guys have fewer options when it comes to accessories. I mean, ladies have SO MANY forms of accessories to choose from: conventional (earrings, necklaces, hats, head chains, brooches etc) and unconventional (body chains, arm cuffs, anklets, ear cuffs etc).
Regardless, guys can still spice up their outfits to suit different occasions or to sort of add personality to the entire ensemble. Let’s see some of the accessories available to you:

Hats, ties, pocket squares, tie bars, cufflinks, lapel pins, neckchains, rings, bracelets, belts, suspenders, socks…etc.

You can use each of these or a combination of some of these to skew your outfit in whatever direction you want it to go and the impression you wanna give onlookers.
Suits/Blazers

Depending on the look you want to achieve (laid back, formal or semi formal), there are different ways to accessorize your suits/blazers.


You may decide to add a tie and a pocket square.


…or go for a tie + pocket square + lapel pin combo.


…or just a tie.


…or just a pocket square.



It is also not out of place to pair your shirts with a tie and pocket square (that’s if your shirt has a side pocket).


Tie bars are not only functional in holding your tie in place. They add a little extra. Colored tie bars are available asides the usual gold and silver. I think a black tie bar is also as nice.

Using a vest
You can wear a suit and a shirt. You can also decide to spice things up by adding a vest. From high rise, mid-rise to low rise vests, variety of designs are available to you. Explore as many colors as you are allowed to. Explore textures too (sweater vests, waist coats etc).





Suspenders
Add a little personality by throwing on your cool suspenders. Try them on. I know you have them hidden somewhere. Dig them out!





Neck chains
Well, not every guy likes to use jewelry, but they actually do a find job. Let these skimmy men inspire you.




Scarves and Mufflers
Cooperate or casual, they work. Take a cue…




Hats, Caps and socks?
Yes please....




Spice up your traditional attires with mufflers and pocket squares too.




Note: your tie, pocket square and lapel pin must coordinate well with the rest of your outfit. Your tie and pocket square don’t always have to be the same color. A rule of the thumb is to make sure your tie bar is placed between the third and fourth button of your shirt.

So guys, make your outfits as refreshing as possible with these tips shared.

Do you have other ways of spicing up your outfits? Kindly share….

Happy Independence Day to all Nigerians!!!

Thanks for stopping by!



by Ogunrinde Olayemi

Saturday 5 September 2015

Skimo's Rants: A Bridesmaid's Dilemma


For many of us who have had the opportunity to be on one or more bridal trains, you definitely know this routine:

You get the call. You are informed about the wedding and that you would be on the train. You’re happy of course (your friend, sister, uncle, aunt etc.. is getting married). It’s almost hard to say no even if you’re going through some financial mishap. Then it hits you that you were just told it would cost 20k or even more! For some it might seem like a token and for many more it’s like…damn 20k??!!

Wait a minute…the 20k might just be for the dress alone!! LOL….

You get the dress and it’s simply okay for the event but you can’t seem to wrap your head around what to do with it after the wedding.

This happens a lot.

Most often than not, we pay a huge sum for bridesmaid dresses and we just end up dumping them somewhere in the far corner of our closets. Why? because they literally scream ‘bridesmaid dress!!


It’s almost like it’s even better to be in the Aso Ebi group. At least you know you get to re-wear somehow, someday.
So imagine those who get to be on a train often…maybe because they are 'too fine' or they just know too many people or have too many friends. Think about how many dresses they have had to pay for but never get to wear them after the wedding.

Now the bride comes with this argument….

Brides may also want to argue that they don’t get to wear their wedding gowns after that day, so that’s the least you could do for them…blablabla…
But really, wedding gowns can be a lot more useful after the wedding day. You can simply put them up for rent or keep for your female children to wear on their wedding day or something.



Here’s my point,

I think brides and designers should come up with versatile designs that are wearable even after the wedding (especially when the bridesmaids are paying so much). I have seen a couple of dresses that are lovely. It’s almost hard to tell when you re-wear.
The funny thing is, groomsmen almost never face this. I mean… the shirt, suit, tie, pocket square etc are all very useful after the wedding. It’s almost always an investment for the groomsmen.


So, dear lovely brides to be and designers, help your bridesmaids. Make it worth it.

Friday 4 September 2015

NATTY NAILS- nails that inspire!


Nail art…anyone?
Well, I've got both hands flying in the air.

Quoting Prabal Gurung,
“Nails are like the period at the end of a sentence.”
I totally agree…do you?

While I must confess that I do not get my nails fixed all the time, they are either polished or simply in great condition (neat!). Often times, I just wanna do something different with my nails…not the plain ‘usuals’. That’s where nail art comes in. Beautifully polished or fixed nails are just a simple way to add extra fun detail to your ensemble.

Do you love nail art or do you want to try something different? Then let these pictures guide you.







Which is your fave?

Thursday 3 September 2015

How do you spice up your outfits? (ladies)


I love accessories! They do a fine job of hyping a bland outfit + they can help achieve any look you want. Like I always say, if you can’t readily afford a total wardrobe change, splurge on accessories!
A lot of people complain they need new clothes. But when you look closely, you realize they have not fully utilized or maximized what they have.

Let’s keep in mind that sometimes you gotta keep the accessories minimal if you've got so much going on (a busy outfit altogether). A person’s personality is usually evident in the type of accessories they are drawn to. Let’s look at a few ways to instantly glam up your outfit.


Belts? Sure…
Apart from the fact that they help cinch in your waist or define it, they also add extra detail. Trust me, a nice belt can take your outfit from here to up there. Yeah, I mean up there!! From bold, patterned, metallic, textured to colorful ones…you might wanna explore your options.


Makeup? Absolutely...


How you look from head to toe is a complete package. Hence, everything must sum up to give a pleasing effect. Your hair also counts. Be versatile in your choice of hairstyles. Play with makeup to suit the rest of your outfit. From bold lippies to well combined eyeshadows..sometimes you gotta let the hair and  makeup speak and leave every other thing quiet.


Jewelry? Totally…


This is definitely my go-to way of spicing up most of my outfits. Wearing bold accessories is another way to add interest to drab clothing pieces. Add a colorful necklace, chunky bracelet or dangling earrings. Brooches, bold rings, head chains work too.


Colorful , unique shoes or bold colored bag/purse? Why not…?


Whether you choose to wear heels, flats, sneakers or combat boots, make sure that your footwear is unique and has some sort of interest to it. Details (zippers, cut outs, lace, buttons etc) on shoes can make things more interesting. Footwear with eye catching colors is also something to look into.



Hats? Of course…


Fedoras, bowler, beanies, newsboy caps, wide brim hats… the possibilities are endless. Hats can act as a great form of expression, and they are a great way to show off some personality.


Wearing a hat to complement your outfit can illustrate that you are fun and flirty and that you are not afraid to play with your style. Attain a vintage, rocker look with a bowler hat or simply wear a fedora with a maxi.


Scarves? Well yeahhh…


In whichever way you choose to use them or style them, they simply make a difference. Use them as a headwrap or neckwrap. There are different ways to style them. Headwraps are not only for bad hair days. They can also help finish up your look.


It doesn’t necessarily have to be with the use of accessorizes. It could be as simple as a knot, half tuck (like in the picture below), a shirt tied around your waist and more.


Do you have any other way of spicing up your outfits or do you agree with these tips?…kindly share with us.