Sunday, June 26, 2011

Ankara love

Wow I've been checking for some nice ideas for summer outfits and I was so overwhelmed by how much African prints have taken into the global fashion sphere. It's amazing!
A lot of clothing lines are trying to embed them into their style ranges this summer. There's something about it though that I can completely understand. Summer is characterized by people wearing clothes in bold colours and prints. The idea behind exploring tribal prints for summer is becoming very vast. And you know when you talk about bold prints, give it to those African fabrics, they are bold and catchy.


                      Gwen Stefani wearing a piece from L.A.M.B's collection
                      Photo-credit - www.fah-schyon.blogspot.com






Now i'm very sure one of my teachers will be so mad at me because he asked me to bring one for him when I was travelling home. It so happened that I had to do a presentation about Nigeria and I talked about them with some pictures and he was really captivated.
It's not totally my fault though. I didn't want to just give him the wrapper cos I thought he would just turn it into a bedspread or carpet Lol
I wanted to make it into a nice cut out outfit for him because the ones I showcased during my presentation were those made into nice styles and worn by people. I didn't want him to think I played a fast one on him when he saw just a long rectangular piece. Lol
I asked him to give me his measurements but I don't even know what he was saying and somehow he didn't until I traveled and came back and then he wasn't teaching me again and now I don't even see him again....
Anyway, I tried. I just hope he doesn't see them these days and think he would have had one of those if not that I refused to give him :(


Burberry's collection


They are really lovely. You do not really appreciate the things that you see around you until you find yourself in a situation where you can't find them so easily again. I know how much I'd spend to buy other dresses and carefully not choose anything with those prints; but right now, I know all the magic I and my tailor could create by merging our ideas together to make some nice pieces for me.
Talking about my tailor hmm! I hope I can still afford her services though. I remember how she told us(I and my friends) not to call  her 'tailor' again, instead we should address her as a seamstress because it was more 'hippy', before we could get used to that, she changed it again to 'a fashion designer'. Best believe as the name changed, so did the price. Now I heard she has upgraded it to 'a couturier'. She's really good though. As a matter of fact, all those Nigerian small tailors sorry couturiers (lol) are so underrated. Most of them are really good with incredible styles that cannot even be questioned on any red carpet event or wherever.

Anyway back to talking about ankara materials. Now I do understand why my mum used to say "Ankara has come to stay". She was buying them! I and my siblings thought hers was a tad too much. Like don't you get tired of collecting them? Wait till she sees all these new inventions and the impact it is making in the global world. I'm sure she'll close down one room and store them there or something Lol.

The creativity with these materials is really mind blowing though, I am speechless myself. There's nothing I haven't seen; from bags, to shoes, to hair accessories...and this post will never be complete if I do not acknowledge the wonderful creations by Alex Folzi. They just took everything to a different level with these brilliant master pieces. Who thinks of suitcases in Ankara prints? Give it up to those guys, their creativity is top notch.

I'll just leave a couple of pictures for you to enjoy.











   











 




















Aren't you just loving those prints even more right now?


Photo-creditswww.facebook.com/AlexFolzi

Friday, June 24, 2011

Video pick - week 14

Check out this Bruno Mar's remix lol.
This has got to be the funniest thing I've seen in a long time.

Don't know how to describe it, just enjoy it if you will



By the way, I hope everyone is having a great summer?

Have a great weekend y'all!



Tuesday, June 21, 2011

His side chic or the real one?

A little check!

We all know a few people have some problems with completely sticking to one person not when there are a lot of temptations hovering around everywhere. Sometimes it's very easy at the start, but it could happen that after a while you find yourself in a situation where you start wondering. The point is that people do change, you might have been the real one yesterday but today he met someone else(and vice versa). Such is life!
Sometimes all it takes is for one person to be a little far away and the old long 'out of sight,out of mind' rule plays in.



Here's a few things you want to watch out for:

1. Body language: Is he acting differently? But to know what is different, of course, you need to know what is normal.
When I'm friends with somebody, I take out time to understand them. After a while, I should be able to tell their every move (ok most of it). I should be able to tell when they are angry or when they are sad. When they are not talking because something is bugging them or because they just don't want to talk to me. There are 2 different things. When he acts in a certain manner, you should be able to tell why he's  doing so.




2. Communication:
Does he call and just want to stay there talking to you because there's no other place he'd rather be? Or does it happen that you go for weeks and there's no form of communication between both of you? You pick up the phone and do the calling and he tries to go as fast as he possibly can, or maybe ends with a possible 'let me call you back'?
Now girlfriend drop the phone, stop calling and engage in some activities yourself.
If his communication changes towards you, then you must work hard to decipher why it did. Is it you or is there something else?
This is very important especially if you'll ever get to the point of doing a distant relationship. Don't say you'll never, because nobody knows tomorrow. What? Will you divorce your husband just because he has to work in another city? There are certain things you have to learn to cope with and this is all about understanding each other.




3. Caring - When you love someone, you care for them. If you find that he's losing this part or even if it's never there, then you're not it at all. One thing I understand is that when he cares, the only limitation will be if he can't. And if he can but relents or not just paying attention, then you should be careful.

Here's a little example: Both of you find yourself in a point where you have to do a distant relationship, and then you find him telling you, "I was the one that visited the last time, now it's your turn to visit". But you say, "I'm not buoyant" and the truth is, you really aren't, (Not that he sees you're spending a lot tripping around but just won't make one to his) and he says, "no it's 50/50, I'm not coming again until you can make one here and only then will I  make the next one." And before you know it, he's actually tripping around. I tell you if he really cares, he'll not even mind who is visiting or who is spending as long as both of you can keep a certain level of close proximity. Once you see a guy that starts breaking it down like "If I pay for the movie tickets, then you must buy the pop corn and drinks", please my dear run o. Like seriously! Except if you enjoy helping another chic sort her man out  while she's being reserved for all the better options.
Giving depicts caring. Like it or not, I know a lot of people will try to counter this but there's no love without both partners willingly trying to give with no resentment at all. When there's true love, it doesn't matter who is giving, usually you just see the one that is capable doing it without trying to draw out boundaries and all. If he's trying to push it over to you as much as he can or maybe even wants you to do the greater chunk of the job, chances are that he's trying to reserve as much as he can for the main deal, well, because there'll be that one that makes him not to relent at all. It's either it's you, or a certain she.

Of course that's one part, the second part will be time. I'm not talking about coming around because they need something. I mean just basking in each other's company and enjoying it. 
And most especially making out time to  be there when you need them.



4. Secrets - Well some people say "what you don't know won't hurt you" but I'll say for a relationship, it's better you both see yourself as a team and share everything amicably. There should be no 'real secrets' so if he's acting as he's keeping some of those, then sweetheart, better be careful. Well sometimes he might just be sniping around because he's trying to surprise you or something, well don't spoil his surprise (esp for all ye romantic lots) but again his hide and seek camouflage shouldn't be for too long. 
Or it could also happen that there's just something he has to deal with alone for a while but again, this shouldn't be forever. One thing I know about people(men esp) is that they always want to share their problems (reason why a lot of psychologists are still in business lol). If he just keeps it and keeps saying I'm fine, I'm fine or even snaps, then girl friend, start snooping around for your own good. Look for every possible clue. Do you think the answer could lie in his phone? Then check it. If you can't check his phone then why are both of you even together? Who are you guys kidding? Well I see married couples that make their phones their very private matter and the partner cannot even touch it. Well that's more private and sensitive than all the other things you guys get along with so privately? hmm ok I'll stop now :) 
But of course you also have to understand the individual in question, there'll always be special cases. 
For example, if he's working as a secret security officer, then you have to understand that there'll be such times when you'll need to work so hard to gain his trust just in an attempt to make him confide in you.


5. Trust - And the next thing I had to talk about is trust. Trusting each other is very important. If one person loses it, then it's totally messed up. I promise you, do not push anybody because you'll live to regret it. If he can succeed in making you lose that, then just be warned. Trust goes a long way in every relationship and shouldn't be jeopardized. And if you say you're worried about certain things and he acts like he doesn't care, y'all just better draw the curtains.   

Let me share a little story and this is true life.
I was friends with this boy and afterwards, we started dating. It was just one month old until one day he turned up infront of my house asking for us to take a trip to another city. It was funny because in my house it doesn't happen like that. I can't just say "Hey mummy & daddy, I'm going to another city with a man".  What?!
So I told him, I couldn't go, and he got really angry. First of all I remember he was telling me about the trip earlier on during the week but it was that he was going alone.  
Why the sudden change of mind? I couldn't even place it. Really I was so confused and I needed and iota of anything just to give me the slightest idea. 
Suddenly, his phone rang, he didn't pick it up. 3 times it rang again, but he still didn't. And then a text message came in, he looked at it, and just dropped his phone with a smirk on his face. 
A text came in again, and he did the same thing. And then while he was still talking to me to see if I could make the trip with him, and I was still constantly refusing, he said something like "girls, they just know how to disappoint" 
"Ok dude first off, I'm not 'girls', there's only one here so..."
By this time, a text came in yet again and he refused to check it this time. 
Well I decided to help him out. "You don't want to check it, I'll help you".
And it was from a 'heartbreaker'. 
What? I quickly checked how he saved me, and I was 'Janyl'.
Of course Janyl is not my real name, it's a fond name and as of then, only real friends called me that. Like I said earlier, we were very good friends before we even started dating. 
Ok that wasn't too bad! But then I checked the message, the girl was basically trying to apologise for cancelling the trip. What? The same trip? 
I asked him if he could talk about it but he was more concerned with the 'what you don't know won't hurt you you' height of deception line.
Gosh! Did I waste my time one bit? I remember I didn't.  That was the end of that relationship, you bet. I didn't even ask one more question. I know I can have 'brain touch' sometimes but that's just me, I can't stand rubbish. Please, when we're not married? You and who is doing that one?!
Anyway, I later realised it was his ex and probably they set up the trip to go make up, or break up well or whatever or maybe just missing each other esp since I was always never disposed to those kind of moments when he needed them and apparently she could. Anyway, whatever,  it didn't help, I ended it and that was it.

Trust is really important! It's so hard trying to mend that, so if you can help each other not lose it, please do. If he doesn't try to, hmm, maybe maybe!


It's so obvious this was written bearing the ladies in mind, don't stress it, I already know. A "side dude, real dude" might be on the works soon :)
Got more to add or share or even a different opinion? Let's hear!




Friday, June 17, 2011

Video pick - Week 13

I love Shontelle a lot
Check out the new video for her song, 'Hello to goodbye'
I'm really trying to resist the urge to dedicate this song to someone, but y'all know I'm not troublesome so I'll pass :P
Like always, EnjoY!


Great job by Shontelle!


A great weekend to everyone!


Monday, June 13, 2011

A Beyonce diss?

Didn't think so! It's more like the outburst from a disappointed fan juxtaposed with the sincere truth.



First of all I want to say a big congratulations to Beyonce on the release of her new work. She has indeed been working so hard.
This was a little delayed because I don't like to be a mood spoiler.
I hope you enjoyed all the excitements for the new song tho?
If you're not done with the excitement, then I'm not sure you'll be able to receive this, so go back and relive all of that, and only click this when you are sure you're ready to stand what can be described as the bitter truth.





I received this email from a friend a couple of days ago.



Ok first all dear, I'm not a music critic or am I? :)
I just love good music so much that it hurts sometimes, hence my regular uncontrolled rants.
I love Beyonce so much, you have no idea. When I heard that 'run the world', I was like no not another feministic song from Beyonce. But I thought about it again and said, "yea she's just trying to empower women as usual. You know, maybe a lot of women do need to hear things like these everytime just to keep them on their toes".
That was it, it happens, when you like someone, you tend to make excuses for them innit? :)
Or maybe my conclusion was indeed logical. I think it was or do you think otherwise?

....Song dismissed with the excuses, now waiting for the video....

Counting on all the hype, I was really hoping.
But should I say I was disappointed when I saw it? YES ABSOLUTELY!!!
Yes to be honest, I carefully avoided talking about it. I was basically operating on the 'if you don't have anything nice to say, then say nothing' rule.

The dance was really captivating. I loved it.
Again Beyonce showed her very versatile talent in that video and of course her creative mind is top notch! Trust her to be the only one that can think of something like using those African moves and dancers.

What I didn't like most about the video was the theme "girls run the world" especially the way she interpreted it.
By acting all uncultured and *razz? (take a clue from razz-ma-tazz)
Did you notice she even flipped the bird finger?


To tell you the truth, I was expecting something really classy and sophisticated for the video and not her trying to play lady gaga or something. Save it for the masters, you can never be better than the original, so why don't you just stick to being that special you?





As an ardent Beyonce fan for years, I can only tell you so much about Beyonce.
She's a go getter, she's really strong willed with an incredible fighting spirit. She believes she can be anything and works so hard at it.
Sometimes, this can be wrong, yes trying to work hard to be everything can be so wrong.
She cares so much about competition. Which could be good, but at the same time very misleading.

Let's do a little playback:

Everybody starts talking about how Shakira has her unique style of shaking her body;
 fast-fast, girl friend released 'beautiful liar' perhaps she can show her fans that she's better.

Etta James said I see myself in Christina Aguilera a lot;
Sharply girlfriend decided to go take over by doing her 'At last'.

Ciara is known for playing the 'tom boy' role so well and she did that 'like a boy' to explore the different roles she can play; Did or didn't Beyonce try to measure up with that in her 'upgrade you' video?

Rihanna came on with good girl gone bad and it seemed like a lot of people were liking it; Beyonce released her 'I am Sasha fierce' and made sure that she was acting really fierce.

Now the whole world is Gaga crazy. Beyonce has concluded that she might lose her fans if she doesn't go crazy too. She started by getting some good grooming with the 'telephone song', So perhaps now she is ready to take over huh?

Sweetheart, these fans loved you singing all those 'me, myself and I', 'halo', 'If I were a boy' and will continue to love you. You don't need to go flipping like a chameleon.

I'm just saying, she's been out there. She has topped the charts. She has found her voice and people all over the world can recognize it. All she needs to do is to say she has a new album and everyone will be flocking to go listen to it. What's the need for trying to go extra extra(I mean out of the way) commercial?
Shouldn't she just relax now and make convenient music? (especially good ones that she'll always be remembered for).
I mean seriously, you can't see Alicia Keys doing some messed up stuff like that, and guess what? Beyonce will definitely want to be described alongside Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Lionell Richie, and the likes while also working hard to maintain her place with Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Willow Smith, Kesha and the likes.
No wonder she decided to split her personalities. How convenient!
So this is from Sasha fierce now right?

Queen B, trouble inducer! Don't you ever push me, my face no dey fear yours o  LOL

Friday, June 10, 2011

Video pick - week 12

I love Asa, she's one of my favourite Nigerian artists.
Here's her new video, 'Why can't we be happy'
Yes hun, preach it! Why can't we just.....

Like always, EnjoY!



I smell she loves pink. I see it, I see it. #teampinklovers :)
(I mean this is like the second time she's using a pink set up for her video)

A good weekend to y'all!

Monday, June 6, 2011

What is in my bag?

I was tagged by my extremely funny friend (I mean it in a complimentary way 'cos I know I do use that for strange people too) and fellow blogger Sisi Yemmie on this "what's in your bag?" meme.
Thanks for the tag miss!
Click on her name to check her blog, you'll laugh your heart out and also get your Nigerian pidgin English vocab really updated.

This meme requires that:
1. I take a picture of my bag
2.Talk about the bag
3. Empty it's contents
4. Take a picture of the contents
5. Talk about the contents

So here we go

The bag



It was a birthday gift from a darling friend. I like the colour cos I can pretty much match it with anything.  I also like it because it's big enough to accommodate the things I want to and at the same time still looks small enough to complement my petite frame :)


I can close/open the clips at the side to make it smaller or bigger plus it has 3 compartments, I can conveniently carry my school notebooks in it too.

The contents:

Sorry I didn't label them but they are quite obvious and I'll try to be consistent and go from top till I get to the bottom.

1. My stationery bag - I left it open so maybe you can try to make out what's inside if you need to. It has my usb drive, mini stapler, paper glue, text highlighter, correcting fluid, pencil, eraser, sharpener, paper clips, pens- different colours.... blue, red...
Ok guys I'm a student and I like to always have all my things in place. I'm not a mobile stationery shop :)

2. Sunglasses - A must have now. Important to shield your eyes from the sun

3.Budapest times - One of the very few English tabloids you can find around here. I try to stay updated with what's happening around me. I try to make sure that I finish it before every week runs out because it's a weekly publication so I carry it around and digest it at the slightest available opportunity.

4. Hand cream -For all the apparent reasons

5. Wallet - Everything you can think of in a wallet; money, cards, and it has a nice compartment for coins too. I love it.

6. Note pad - Something creative might just come up at odd times and for other valuable informations that I don't want to miss. You never know when you'll learn something new.

7. Journal - Important dates, to do lists....

8. Pocket tissues -Sneezing, sweating, drying my hands after washing them...and the many more functions they can serve

9. Umbrella - I hate to run around like a chicken, and I don't always remember (more like bother) to check the forecast so it's easier to just keep one in my bag and get on the move.

10. Phones - Communication is important :)

11.Music player & Ear phones - When I need to quickly get my music dose

12. Chewing gum - I carry a whole bottle LOL. I just love that fresh breath and minty blast. If you're talking to me and I can even perceive something as much as garlic smell oozing out, I'll offer it sorry or I might just puke from trying to pretend.

13. Tic-Tac - Sometimes gum is just too stressful and unbearable, so yea there's tic tac  :)

14. My lil bag - Give it a name, I'll tell you what it contains. My hand disinfectant, a little nail file, lip balm, wet wipes, purple song, mirror and brush. I don't like them scattered all around my bag so I keep them in that bag.
If I'd emptied it, this is what it'd look like



So I'll try to talk about the contents now

15. Cynex lip balm - This particular one comes in pink shade. I hate my lips going dry so this works to keep it moisturized while also giving it a nice pinky look and adds some sheen to it. It's the best thing ever since I don't carry makeup around. Before I found this, I used to carry lip balm and lip gloss but now, once I use this one, it does the magic :)

16. Fragrance - I love fragrances so I just love to always have a little bottle of something with me. This is a tiny one from pimkie called purple song.

17. Nail file - I carry my natural nails. I hate it when it cracks or gets a little rough. I try to plan for how I can fix it quickly if it happens when I'm not at home and that little file comes in very handy.

18. Pocket wet wipes - Incase I need to take something off my face or I just need to wipe my hands until I can wash them.

19. Hand disinfectant - Dealing a lot with patients and the hospital has taught me to use this regularly. Using it almost everytime now has almost become a reflex. (BTW, I study physiotherapy, just incase you're wondering what I'm doing with patients and hospital.)

20. Brush case with mirror - I love this little brush and mirror case. It's portable & it's just so convenient that it has both things in one little case


21. The tiny band on the mirror in the previous picture(the one before the last one I posted) is for my hair. I like to carry something I can hold my hair with if I need to. I leave it in the case just like that.

22. And  finally, but very important, my key set. It keeps trying to escape this (It was at the top in the first picture now it's the tiny thing that you can almost not see beside my little bag). Of course I need one if I don't want to sleep on the streets.

There you have it peeps. I hope you liked it. (*Hides face* cos I know it was just so boring)

Apparently I'm one of the last people to do this. Almost everyone has already done this. I mean it's like a flu that has captured all the female bloggers so I'll just say if you haven't done it and would like to, just let me know and I'll tag you.
I'll just go ahead and tag 5 people that I'm sure I haven't seen any post from them on this.
1. Dangel eyes - My model, open your bag, let's see what models carry around:)
2. Naomi Lucas - I recently discovered her blog. I think we kinda have a similar writing style. She's been tagged already by Sisi yemmie so this should be a nice reminder. Open your bag miss :)
3. Simply chic -  I haven't seen what a simple chic carries in her bag yet.
4. Darbie - I don't think I've seen yours too.
5. And finally Coy introvert - my most recent blog discovery.

...... and more tags!

Waiting to snoop around some more :)

Friday, June 3, 2011

Video pick - week 11

Rihanna's new video, "man down".
Apparently, RiRi just shot a man down hehehe

Like always, EnjoY!





LOL who also thinks this girl needs some therapy already?
I actually loved the African flair and I think she could make a very good reggae artist.
She did a fantastic job at it and her voice also sounds perfect for it.

Enjoy your weekend guys!