CHRISTMAS IS HERE!!! Excuse me as I type in capital letters (I know I’m shouting); Christmas is officially a week away, and I am excited. 2021 has been a particularly tough year so having something to celebrate feels good. Although the holidays are a wonderful time of the year, it can also be hectic.
It is important to take time to help yourself and your family look good and feel good, and nothing feels better than slaying in African fabric. Right now, nothing beats the joy of seeing friends and celebrating the holidays. Slaying the holidays in African fabrics can be tricky because different events call for different outfits. Below are tips that can help you be dressed appropriately for each event you attend.
THEME
When I get invited to an event, my first question is, “What will the party be like and who will be there?”. This helps me have an idea of what the theme of the party would be. You don’t want to show up for a pool party in a dinner dress and vice versa. It would be best to find out if the event will be formal, semi-formal, casual, business, or festive. You need to know whether you will be wearing an Ankara dinner dress or Ankara shorts for a day at the park.
VENUE TEMPERATURE
It is one thing for the weather to be hot outside, but it’s super cold when you get into a place. If you are attending a party in a location with their fans and air conditioning on high blast, accessorize your outfit to a long Ankara shawl or a hoodie that matches your outfit.
WEATHER
It is always important to take the weather into account. Right now in Nigeria, the weather is hot, but it is getting colder by the day. This is the perfect weather for a sleeveless batik top. It’s always awkward seeing someone in a thick hoodie on a sunny day, so dress appropriately to the weather and be comfortable.
MATCH TO PARTNER
If you are going out with your partner, the holidays are the best time to make people around you say ‘God when”. You can wear matching Ankara shorts or hoodies. To make it look even more like an accident, match your colors to his or hers, and when people compliment you guys, you can say stuff like, “I did not even notice that.”
WALKING DISTANCE AND MODE OF TRANSPORTATION
You should always dress per your mode of transportation and how far where you are going is. If you will be walking a lot to your destination, then the best fit is a comfortable pair of shoes that can carry you. Case in point, when you are already dressed to kill in your flowing Ankara dress for a holiday dinner with friends, but you are wearing heels and walking on unpaved roads, it’s just uncomfortable.
As Christmas draws nearer, the second wave of COVID-19 keeps rising; share love but stay safe. Wear a mask and spread kindness everywhere you go.
