Fashionistas Spot

Still on rule breaking… Yeh! Happy to disobey your fashion command. Fashion is supposed to be fun, refreshing and expressive, not a bunch of commandment. We are going to play around some rules or rather customize some rules to our benefit.

Fashion rules are meant to be followed and taken seriously

As you can see, they’re not. Wear what makes you feel awesome!

Sneakers are only for the gym

Who did set this rule? Well, recently this rule has been proven wrong.  The right pair of sneakers can take you way beyond the gym. When rocked with great fit and styled with dressier pieces, sneakers can add a modern twist to just any clothing.

 You should always match your shoes, bag, and belt

Don’t those types of fashion rules feel wildly out of date these days? Its total a non-issue in this day and age. In fact, matching all your accessories perfectly can make you look out-dated and patronal, whereas mixing things up looks fresh and modern, and adds interest to an outfit.

Only wear one bold color at a time

If we've learned anything from the recent color-blocking phenom, it’s that a bold saturated hue can look even better when paired with another bold saturated hue.  Try a bold color with another bold or even bolder and I bet, you’ll look super-modern and striking.

Brown and black don’t mix

This has long been a fashion rule that’s made to be broken, as black and brown actually go together quite well.

High-waist pants are always unflattering

High-waist bottoms get a bad rap but when worn correctly, they can trick the eye into thinking you’re taller and leaner by elongating your lower body.

Think of Your Wardrobe Budget — How much time and money do I need?

Ideally a man should build his wardrobe a few pieces at a time over a decade. In tune with his clothing needs, he should be on the lookout for missing pieces to add. 

Slowly integrating these findings into his closet, he will be ready at a moment’s notice for whatever event is thrown his way.

Remember that purchasing quality is an investment; purchasing quantity on the other hand is an expense. It’s better to own a few well-made and well-tailored clothing that you wear often than a full wardrobe of cheap & poorly-fitted clothing that, well, looks cheap and poorly-fitted.

A Man’s Wardrobe

This article is a continuation of the wardrobe series we started last week. Yeah, before spending a dime, go through your current clothing and set aside everything that you have not worn for a year or two.

Clothes that are noticeably stained, and clothes that fits so poorly not even a master tailor can adjust it to fit. 

Get people involved in your decision. The goal here is to create a network of supporters and audience which puts pressure on you to fulfill your promise.

You have to understand why you need professional clothing in your wardrobe.  Understand the style basics and your specific needs.

How to Spot New Fashion Trends

Keep current with pop. Global trendsetters tend to be musicians, actors, and other celebrities. They often bring existing subcultural trends to the mainstream or kick start crazes based simply on their personal tastes. Regardless, they tend to be a good barometer when you're trying to spot a trend. Pay close attention to what they wear.

Keep current with fashion magazines. They are also a great way to know what is trending and take inspiration from.

Keep current with social media. Social media has become an extremely important tool for trend

setters as a way to both track and disseminate information. Follow users who are popular and are in line with your own sensibilities.

Keep current with hip locations where trends tend to start. Locations known to be fashion craze or fashion freaks.  If you already live in a fashion-forward city, go to restaurants, shops, clubs, and neighborhoods that you know to be trendy.

If you notice multiple people sporting a style you haven't seen before, it's probably the sign of a new trend.

Keep current with the fashion cycle. Remember that looks come back in style over the years. Don't get rid of any quality clothing or accessories just because a trend has passed. Instead, save these items for when that look is back in vogue. That way, you'll have a partial wardrobe ready to go for next time.

Note: If you see a celebrity sporting a unique look that you love or notice people sport a style you haven’t seen before, borrow it. Don't copy the outfit exactly, but take inspiration from it.

Men and Their Wardrobe Need

Most men always take a sober time to reflect on life and plans but they fail to turn around and look back at their wardrobe. The wardrobe needs of men are often neglected, especially when they assume

they are no longer boys.

 

We've rounded up a few of the most important wardrobe needs of men...

A 3 Piece suit that is well tailored and perfect fits: There are no more excuses anymore. You're an adult now. You need at least one tailored suit or two with perfect fit, preferably black and navy or black and gray.

Really, you should have both by now. What have you been doing all this time?

A nice blazer: A nice blazer will make sure that you don't overwhelm the room with a full suit when the occasion doesn't call for it. But it can also separate you from the crowd a bit.

Wristwatch: Even if you're not a watch guy, you should realize the importance of wearing a watch on some occasions. Drop a few thousands to get a timepiece that you can call your own.

A durable leather belt: Instead of going through belts every year like usual, invest in an expensive one that you can wear for years.

The perfect T-shirt: The perfect T-shirt is not a myth. You just have to find it. Probably get a good tailor, a Nigerian tailor or fashion designer if you are Nigerian base to sew to your measurement.

There is no better feeling than to wear a perfect fit shirt or best fit for any type of clothing. 

Nigerian Tailored Suit for Men

Personally, I think a man will look better than he does when he wears a suit. It can be worn at a variety of occasions and locations without ever looking out of place, all the while enabling the individual to look and feel truly stylish.

Hence, off-the-track suit that we call foreign suit or ready-made suit in Nigeria, will never be best fit even when it’s altered by a tailor to your specification. . Be it high street or a fashion designer, suits are all cut from a precise block in order to fit the specific sort of clientèle the brand is after and unless you are that client, which is very slim that you are, then forget about fit or perfect fit.

Of course, you don’t need me to reiterate the perfect fit factor to you. You already know that the most expensive and best quality clothing will mean nothing without a perfect a fit.  A good fit should always be your first priority when purchasing new clothing.

One way you can guarantee that a suit will fit you is if its tailored to your specification. And you can only get that when you have a good Nigerian tailor or Nigerian fashion designer sew to your measurement. That is if you are a resident of Nigeria. To be continued…

Men Style Rules

1.  Care about your appearance.

2.  Have understanding of the menswear that came before you.

3.  Know that sometimes you’ll be the best-dressed man in the room.

4.  Realize that “rules” are there for a reason, even if they can sometimes be broken. And be sure of your own reason for breaking any of the rules.

5.  A good fit should always be your first priority when purchasing new clothing.

6.  Avoid temporary fashion trends and fluctuations of fashion

7.  Treat your clothing like an investment, and shop slowly but smart.

8.  Make excuses to wear the good stuff, instead of letting it get dusty in the closet.

9. Dress appropriately, whether that means dressing up or dressing down.

10. Expand your wardrobe with clothes that work together, not standalone pieces.

Creating Your Personal Style

Start your personal style journey every day by giving a damn about who you are and what you represent. If you don’t care how you look, you’re never going to look good. Attitude is everything, in style and in life.

It all starts here. Dress everyday like you care, of course you care if you are reading this article. Let it show as your dress up every day that you care about how you look. This is how...

Be ready to Explore

Don’t be scared to be the best-dressed guy in the room. As long as you don’t take all the attention from the celebrant of the occasion.

Though you could feel overdressed initially because it’s a habit you are just forming. It’s not a bad thing.  Learn to embrace it. Trust me, people will start treating you differently and it will all yield to positive reception by people. Our clothing does that. It opens doors for you; people start respecting you and trusting you more. Be ready to explore from the trend you were to an adventurous you.

Understand Clothing Fit

Fit is everything, probably the most important in style. If you don’t have the right fit, everything else

is wasted effort.

A good fit should flatter your body. Take the time to get to know your body, get a tailor or a fashion designer help you get accurate measurements.

Buy Clothing That Will Be Style Ageless

Focus on a “timeless style,” while creating your personal style

Always buy pieces that are both classic and associated specifically with men: suits, blazers, sports jackets, and trousers, both dress and casual. Buy the best quality you can afford and practice wearing your best.

6 Reasons Why Your Clothing Matters

1. People judge others based on their physical appearance. Think about it, how someone chooses to dress is usually one of the first things you notice about them.

2. Your appearance is one of the most basic things that you can change about yourself. If you look professional, well-dressed, or dressed according to the occasion, you’ll come across as someone who’s well-groomed, is capable of doing a job, professional enough to understand what is necessary for success, and has a good personality as well.

3. In order to leave a lasting impression on someone, you need to dress appropriately and according to the occasion. A good suit, ironed trousers and a shirt, polished shoes and a good watch will go a long way when it comes to making an impression on others.

4. A well-dressed person tends to stand-out. You immediately gain an edge over the others.

5. Your clothing shows that you are prepared, and did your homework.

6. There’s a ‘feel good’ factor associated with dressing well. Dressing professionally can make you feel better about yourself. It gives you more confidence 

How to Get Your Crush Crushing For You

Gone are those days when people say fashion is a girl’s thing. Well, even if it’s true, it means a guy needs to be fashionable to get a girl’s attention. Hence, beyond knowing something about color, fabrics and style, when it comes to impressing girls, the most important is confidence. Confidence is fashionable. 

To understand how to impress women with your clothing you must consider five things: Color, Cut, Context, Confidence and Cleanliness.

These are the cornerstones of male fashion. Note that cost does not factor into this list. Cost does not mean class. 

Now let's address color.

Know that different colors send different subconscious and conscious messages to women. Consider carefully primary red or blue clothing. Two basic colors that send different messages

Consider other colors such as pink and green. Pink is viewed as a light-hearted, fun loving, confident and sweet color on men and women, so don't discount it just because you heard when you were a child "Pink is a girl's color."

Cut

Understand that cut is even more important than color! There are certain connotations that go along with the way your clothes fit you, not to mention, it can determine whether or not you look attractive

Avoid 'over-sized' shirts. 

Context

 There is nothing tackier than an inappropriate outfit. Wear what suit every occasion. Don’t try showing off your talent by dressing out of context.

Know when to dress casual, When to dress semi-casual,  Learn to wear semi-formal attire appropriately and when to go formal.

Confidence

This factor can never be over emphasized. Wear confidence as clothes. It appeals to every woman. It makes women feel secured around you. Confidence is the most impressive quality known to man (and woman).

Cleanliness

Cleanliness is the last point to touch on. This is not only a matter of impressions. It is also a matter of basic hygiene.

Fashion Is Interactive

What are you wearing right now? What does it say and how does it make you feel? Does it make you feel good? Empowered? Do you feel ready for any challenge?  Or do you feel hidden, less confident and not so sure about meeting someone for the first timer?

We often make snap judgments about people from the clothes they wear. How is it that certain clothes give us more confidence, so

much confidence that we find ourselves performing better when wearing them? This goes to say there is much more to our clothing choices than we might imagine.

The way you present yourself can have a profound effect on the way you act. A little effort put into your clothing can make you think a certain way and doing something different with your clothes might be a way of changing the impression others have of you.

Take for instance, how you feel when you wear something new and how it affects your mood positively.

Taking the extra few minutes in the morning to look your best, even if you’re not leaving the house changes your path to productivity.  Dressing to impress, whether it’s to impress others or just yourself, no matter the occasion is, reflects your inner drive, your self-worth and character. When you look good, you feel good and perform well. 

Looking good is innovative

Celebrity Impacts on Fashion

Celebrities are everywhere; they are almost an unavoidable part of our life while growing up.
Starting at a young age, we look up to celebrities for many different reasons. For girls, it is usually for the beauty and extravagant style that famous women have.
For boys, it is usually the muscles and keen fashion sense of famous men that they aspire to have.

Celebrities greatly influence fashion choices of the youth because celebrities represent ideal beauty. Style is always changing and young people strive to keep up with the latest fashion trends, they want to look their best, so they look to celebrities in order to achieve that.

Celebrities are trend setters. One example is Uti Nwachukwu, the winner of BigBrother Allstars. He may not necessarily be the greatest inspiration for our youth. His fashion sense is spunky and fun, so I think that is why he appeals to young men.

Award shows like the AMVCA also inspire fashion. After these types of show, magazines and celebrity bloggers typically cover who was the “best dressed” and who was the “worst dressed.” And people pick up style they admire.


Most widespread clothing trends are first seen when celebrities wear them. Example

is nativewear called senator or south-south that former president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan made popular. Every Nigerian man has at least one it in his wardrobe.  

This is Why Clothing Fits Celebrities; Tailoring

For the last few decades, we have been trying to make our bodies fit the clothes when, in reality, we should be making the clothes fit our bodies.

The gentleman who is careful about clothing and style should also be in control of what looks good on him and his body’s proportions. 

However, nowadays a well-dressed man with a self-assured confidence is often rare. What is in store today for men’s clothing can only fit a small percentage of average sizes which means not a lot to choose from.

Tailored clothing is the way to go if you wish to obtain a perfectly fitted suit, nativewear or anything clothing. Tailoring is a simple way to make clothes way more flattering. Getting your go-to pieces tailored can make a world of difference. 

A good tailor knows exactly how to fit everything from suit, shirts to nativewears exactly to your frame.

Most men typicality wear over sized clothes, not understanding the essential elements of a good fit or compromising fit for style. 

Learn to shop less, invest in pieces you really love, and cough up the extra cash to get them tailored specifically for you

Fashion Sense Drives Business Success

Whether you like it or not, your clothing communicates — and it can have a serious effect on your ability to achieve success.

Fair or not, people judge us by the way we look and that includes the way we dress.  Especially in the workplace, clothing significantly influences how others perceive you and how they respond toward you.

Research shows that your appearance strongly influences other people's perception of your financial success, authority, trustworthiness, intelligence, and suitability for hire or promotion.

Here Are Tips To Keep A Sane Fashion Sense.

Don't show too much skin. That means no mini-skirts.

Never wear dirty clothes. This seems obvious  but plenty of people think they can get away with wearing that dirty shirt just one more time before washing it. 

Don't wear wrinkled clothing. Heard of an iron? Use it. 

Wear clothes that fit you well. Tailoring is a simple way to make clothes way more flattering. Tailor your clothes

Wear appropriate shoes and accessories. Don't wear jewelry that is too loud or obnoxious. Wear comfortable shoes that are appropriate for work. 

Wear moderate makeup. If you wear makeup, don't overdo it! 

FIVE STYLISH RULES FOR MEN

APPROACH DRESSING WITH SOME FORM OF INTENTION

Clothing can communicate some of your ideas to those around you. Your outfit is not simply a thing with a certain aesthetic appeal; it’s a form of self-expression. Your clothing says something to those around you, whether you intend for it to or not, so it’s best to approach dressing with some form of intention. 

KNOW YOUR SOCIAL SITUATION

There’s a reason you want to dress a certain way for the office, and a certain way when you’re going to a dinner party, and rarely are they the same. Clothes serve as responses to social situations. Every clothes should be able to say; “I’m present and ready for whatever is coming my way.”

KNOW YOUR SIZE AND STICK TO IT

You could have on the trendiest, most expensive outfit by the best fashion designer  in the world but if it doesn't fit you properly, you’re not going to look stylish, and all your effort and money would have been wasted.  

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

Even though it’s true that dressing should be an expression of yourself, it’s bad to completely ignore the setting you’re dressing for.  It’s healthy and wise to consider both your own desires and the situation you’re getting dressed for.

KNOW WHEN TO TRY NEW TRENDS

While we would certainly never discourage you from trying out as many trends as your heart desires, there are right and wrong places to do so. 

Five Things Every Celebrity Fashion Slayer Has Done To Look Good

Celebrity Fashion Slayers In Nigeria

1. Give a Damn.

It all starts here. If you don’t care how you look, you’re never going to look good. You can put on the best clothes in the world and you’ll still look like a kid dressing up for a school play. Attitude is everything, in style and in life. Consider who you are and what you represent.Your profession, business, family, and values.

2. Give Room to New things

The only way you’ll really learn is if you go out there and try new things. Celebrities are always ready to try something completely out of their comfort zone; many times you’ll end up loving something you never thought you would. If you make mistakes, life goes on. This is an important rule for anyone who wants to really understand his clothes, as opposed to just trusting experts to tell him what to wear.

3. Give Your Beards Due Attention

Celebrities are called fashion slayers because; they pay attention to the tiniest details before appearing on the spotlight. Even if your fashion is golden, an unkempt beard can be an attraction killer. Achieve a perfect shave by trying a shave brush your beards.

4. Give Attention to the Fashion ‘Why’

Fashion doesn’t have a lot of fixed yes-or-no rules. And the few that it does have can be broken stylishly and have been broken by celebrities. But you need to know what you’re doing, and why. Otherwise you just end up looking silly.

 

5. Buy the Best Quality You Can Afford

Celebrities treat clothing like an investment. Learn to do that.  Look for a good return on your money. It’s better to buy one item that lasts ten years than ten that last one. A serious wardrobe requires serious budgeting. You don’t have to be rich, you just have to be realistic.

Style Tips for Men

Style is an individual choice of how one want to be perceived. Some people develop style without consciously thinking about it, because it is inherent in every man. The loose end to style is that it can run to the extreme, where people can look like butterflies or monkeys on the street. This is why style and fashion have to work together to become relevant.

Style Inspiration That Will Keep Your Style Timeless

1.     Find your Color:  Knowing your basic colors will help you choose clothes that compliment your hair color and complexion. This will help you look more put together overall.

2.     Don’t be afraid of colors. Most men are scared of wearing bright color. They feel it’s loud and feminine.  Mehn, I am not saying start wearing yellow, pink and red together, but experiment with colors. It’s not bad to be the center of attention because of your daring fashion choices every once in a while

3.     There’s no shame in asking for help. If you’re having a hard time finding a style that looks good on you, ask people what they think. 

4.      Wear good shoes. Good shoes won’t only look nice, they’ll also help you keep good posture and stand taller.

5.     DO wear age-appropriate clothing. Your style need to belong to the present moment

6.     Pay attention to looking good rather than looking different. It’s OK to wear trendy items or classic pieces. Looking good will make you stand out more than any effort at looking different will.

7.     Invest in a pair of blue suit. Granted, black suit are pretty versatile but it’s always good to have options. Blue suit will look great with grey, or pink. 

8.     Ask you stick to what works for you, try new designs. As you grow, so should your style.

9.     Don’t skip the tailoring. Sure, having your clothes tailored takes time. However, unless you want to look homeless you should make sure your clothes fit properly. 

10. Invest in good laundry products. Whether it’s detergent, an ironing board or some other tool of the trade, keeping your clothing looking great will go a long way towards helping your style

Heading for a Wedding? See This....

Are you often late to wedding ceremonies because you just can’t seem to figure out what to wear? Your thought usually is to pick something right out of your closet that fits the occasion while at the same time feels comfortable, confident and you look well styled. Believe it or not this is something that can be easily achieved with just a little planning.

Plan your wardrobe the night before the event. How? Start by laying out the suits, pants shirts, ties, shoes, lapel pins that you think might work for the occasion. Style the outfits and make your choice of the best fit for the occasion. Iron those items that needed to be ironed and hang them nicely. Next morning just jump into your clothing and get your day started quickly.

It took me several years to start from the basics, if you try this and it works for you, then think of making it a habit and do it for all your clothes. This completely creates a great system for planning out a complete working wardrobe that not only fits your individual style, but also have you get dressed for any occasion at the drop of a dime. 

Imagine having a plan for your wardrobe instead of haphazardly throwing your pieces of clothing together each morning. Now imagine how much time you would save.