Dress Up! (Male) Part 1

Are you tired of trying too hard to make a fashion statement? Are you wondering how that cool dude keeps getting all the attention, and of course the babes? Are you clueless about how to go about it? You must hate David Beckham right now, don't ya? Let me guess, Uti Nwachukwu must be a devil, right? It sucks, doesn't it? Now yell after me, I can do this!!!

 The good news is: You are not alone (Yea! You heard me right!). Feel better?, i bet you do!

  

 #1. Start from the scratch.

 Saying goodbye to some of your favourites will be hard (#NP Goodbye My Lover- James Blunt), but you will get new favourites soon (started from the bottom, now we here #That'sWatsup).

 #2. Forget everything you think you know.

Assume you know nothing (itiboribo, olodo!), you will be open to know everything. Things you think are insignificant may be actually important. Things you thought are crucial may turn out not to matter at all.

 #3. Focus on the basics.

Now that you basically have fashion amnesia, we can focus on the basics. Too many men shoot themselves in the foot by getting the basics wrong. Do not fall into that trap.

#4. Build a solid wardrobe foundation.

Get versatile clothing wears that match well with almost anything  #AnywhereBelleFace (white tees, dark blue jeans, grey sweaters). They will serve as training wheel while you learn to get the basics right. After you have built your foundation, you can add more eye-catching clothes to your wardrobe.

  #5. Keep it simple.

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. As a man, being extravagant is not necessary (except of course, you are looking up to Denrele).

 #6. Fit comes first.

This is a golden rule! You do not want to look like you raided someone's closet #MyPapaDashMe. Whatever you wear, fit comes first.

 #7. Trim your wardrobe.

You won't need lots to have a great arsenal of stylish outfits. You would be amazed at how few you really need. Prune your wardrobe periodically (except you are a laundryman) for items you no longer wear, that no longer fit or that looks washed out. Loose that 'akagum' fist of yours and give them out.

#8. Expand your options.

Yes! I said it! :P. This is different from rule 7, in that rule 8 emphasises on varieties not same-old-same in your closet.

#9. Layer Up.

Knowing how to layer clothes will give you that ultimate magical style look while you wear the same outfits (the more you look, the less you see). Learn how to do it properly so as not to look like a colour riot football fan heading to the stadium to watch a FIFA world cup final.

#10. Forget the trends, Develop your style first.

Acquiring the latest trends doesn't necessarily make you more stylish. Once you figure out what image you want to portray, you can start adding trends that will work with that image.

 ...to be continued

DENIM TOPS (MALE AND FEMALE)

In this era where the collation of fashion wears and accessories could give you more drama than baby-mamas, denim tops will always stand out and give you more options than a multiple choice exam. It offers something to every wardrobe; it transcends age, season and style with little effort and brings a rugged texture and blue collar roots to any look, never appearing out of place.

 

From the 80's to the 21st century, denim tops can be likened to that good wife who just won't back off through the thick and thin of seasons and generations. A denim shirt can be considered the quiet workhorse of a male and female capsule wardrobe.

Business, casual or high-summer looks, Pop Culture takes you into the world of endless choices with denim tops.

1. Wear different washes: When considering a denim top on a pair of jeans trouser, always remember that the stronger the contrast, the better. A light blue or white-washed denim shirt will look trendy when paired with dark wash skinny, boot-cut or straight jean. Wearing jeans that are the same shade as your denim shirt can make your attire look monotonous, bland and overly casual.

2. As a jacket: You can always blend your open-bottoned denim shirt with T-shirts and tank tops such that your denim shirt acts as a jacket. Denim is considered to be neutral in the fashion world, so you can mix and match a variety of colours with it.

3. Accessories:

 The accessories you choose will determine if you want to look formal or informal. Be it a leather, chain or rubber watch; bracelets or bangles; over sized or petite earrings; sun shades or recommended correction glasses, denim tops will always be there to compliment the right accessories.

4. Right shoes:

 Moccasin boots (masculine and feminine) have been devoted to the outstanding success of denim through generations. A brown fashion boot plays into a casual nature of denim while a black boot adds a subtle of class. Nevertheless, 21st century style has evolved to give us multiple options for footwears. Coloured flat-soled foot wears, closed toe heels, strappy kitten heels and gladiator shoes for ladies and sneakers are also great for men.

5. Trousers, Leather pants and Leggings:

Spice up your look with a denim top and a pair of straight leg trousers in black, grey, pinstripe or khaki. This will surely give you the looks that will turn heads in your direction.

However, fitted leather pants paired with a slouchy denim shirt creates an edgy rock-n-roll atmosphere. Leggings (tight trouser material), Jeggings (tight jeans trousers for ladies) and the 2014 trend, Meggings (tight jeans "butt-revealing" trousers *if you know what i mean*) with your denim top will not only turn you up but also turn the heads of the most devoted spouses and straight men (for the meggings men *winks*).

                               6. On a dress and skirt:

Your fashion style can't go wrong when you wear a denim top over a dress. A simple professional dress with a structured pencil skirt and a muted print or colour takes on new life when paired with a botton-down denim shirt. For sun dresses, light washes work best since the lightness creates a more spring- or summer- refreshing feeling. However, when choosing a skirt to compliment your denim top, go for texture and print. With floral or lace texture, you can wear the loose-flowing maxi skirts or you could wear them as tighter-fitting mini skirts and knee-length skirts.

 7. With Cardigan:

Layer your denim top with a cardigan in cold months to give you that awesome innocent look. Thick knit cardigans look especially catchy with a denim top. Warning: Do not try this fashion tip in hot and stuffy weather conditions.

8. Caps and Scarves: Caps and scarves are not left out. This is a testament to the fact that denims are not biased when it comes to religious and personal differences.

                                          9. African Fix:

One can argue that Africa is where fashion is taking centre stage today and the continent is catching up fast with its European counterparts from mind blowing fashion creativity to top fashion designers and supermodels. This is evident in the restyling, repackaging and rebranding of denim wears. Fashion designers, take note!

Don't find yourself in the league of those with the usual and predictable fashion statements. Get uplifted into the fashion world by getting your denim top today.

Thank you for reading.

PS: Don't just do fashion, Be fashion.

Do not forget to bookmark this page. Stay trendy.

Please drop your comments, suggestions and criticisms.

. . .ALL IN THE EYES

Stunned, amazed, jaw-dropped, heart beating faster than an African drum as he confessed to her the obvious (or not) statement every female wants to hear, if possible every second, till her last breath - YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. One can only help but wonder if words like Respect, Love and Cherish are odds-on for a fighting chance when the beauty of a woman is involved. Hence, one of the first rules of being a gentleman (or a player *winks*) is to appreciate a woman's beauty. #ThankMeLater

Make-up (aka cosmetics) are generally care substances used to 'enhance' beauty (My dear, no-be-by-force!). For the essence of this article, we shall limit our discussion to that of facial make-up.

Make-Up Know-How

Sometimes, even a good night's sleep is not enough. From eye brightening to erasing those pesky dark circles, here are the golden rules.
1. CONCEALER: 

 Start with a concealer. Never put concealer or foundation on your eyelids as a base, it will cause your eye make up to crease. Apply below the eyes and also to the inner corner and the brow bone. Then, blend with your finger for a quick way to brighten the whole area. 

2. FOUNDATION:

Use your fingers to apply your foundation if you want sheer coverage. Use a brush if you want more polished, medium to full coverage.



3. POWDER:

Always apply powder where you are shiniest first, which is usually your T-zone, with a very light dusting everywhere else. 


4. BRONZER:

 You should put bronzer on your neck, face and chest to even out your skin tone. Be sure to take a step back, look into the mirror and make sure the colour evens out.

5.BLUSH:

When applying blush, relax, smile :-), then start on the apple of the cheek. Blend the blush back towards the top of the ear, then down towards the jawline.

6. EYE BROW:

Always apply your brow pencil or powder to the upper portion of the eyebrow to lift your face up.

7. LIPSTICK:

You want to make sure your lipstick is not too defined at your cupid's bow (the top of your lip), and that it goes all the way out to the inner corners of your mouth. Be sure to press down hard as you apply.

8. EYE SHADOW:

 Always start with the base shadow without any shimmer that matches tbe lightest skin tone on your face. Then apply all over your lid up to the brow. You should use this base shadow to make sure the darker shadows used on your lid up to the crease, are properly blended.

9. EYE LINER:

Instead of looking straight ahead at the mirror, get as close to it as possible, stick your head up and bring your chin towards the mirror. You want to look down as you apply, starting with the inner corner and making sure to go all the way out to the fold on the outside of the eye.

10. MASCARA:

In slow motions, curl the lashes well and apply mascara starting from the roots of the top lashes and wiggle the brush to get full coverage. With the new generation of high tech mascaras, you can style your lashes anyway you fancy. There are two things you need to know when heading to the beauty counter though: The Formula and The Wand.

 A tightly packed curvy big brush lifts lashes and coats them well. When it comes to formula, look out for mascaras that contain conditioning oils and vitamin E to keep lashes in top condition. Lightweight formulas are better at "lifting" lashes for a truly wide-eyed effect.

  

If symptoms of beauty dissatisfaction persist, please consult your beauty specialist. If beauty appreciation is still on a decline, please consult your relationship counsellor as you may need more than beauty to have and keep that man.

Thank you for reading.

PS: Don't just do fashion, Be fashion.

Do not forget to bookmark this page. Stay beautiful.

Please drop your comments, suggestions and criticisms.