Dear hearts,
It feels like ages since we’ve ‘met’. Never mind, reunions are always lovely.
This month I have a bit of a confession to make (drums please): I have a serious girl crush on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I’ve read all her books- some of them, more than once. I don’t know her, never met her, but I’m fanning her from afar. Apart from her talents as a writer, I admire her style. She rocks out with her natural locks, like she’s a million dollar baby (if she continues to write as she does; she probably will be).
Something else I’ve noticed is that she’s also a big fan of our humble Ankara. Living in the UK, I have to say that one of the best things about summer was getting a chance to wear my Ankara outfits for at least a few weeks in the year. I know some people rock the whole ‘Ankara with jumpers/polo neck’ look, but you better believe I wasn’t committing that fashion faux pas! Having moved back to Lagos for about two years, I’m struck, by how we wear it here. We tend to wear it to work, mainly on Fridays and then at weekends and relatively informal gatherings. My thinking is, we’ve got the weather to wear it all year round, so why don’t we take advantage of that?
Designers have built entire lines around it, and women across the ocean are snapping the designs up like hot cakes. Don’t believe me? Head over to Pinterest and prepare to feast your eyes. People, we are spoilt for choice these days. Shoes, bags, headbands, they are all out there. Don’t even get me started on the wide range of ways we can style up Ankara.
Don’t fancy a full on dress? Go for a tank top under that business suit. Got a blah suit jacket? Why not ‘bling’ it up with an Ankara collar and cuffs?
The other day, I saw the most divine ‘pussy cat’ bow, knee length, Ankara pencil dress on someone. I tell you, it was all I could do to restrain myself from taking a picture and hot-footing it to my tailor, demanding “make me this dress immediately.”
So there you have it style queens, my love letter to that most humble of fabrics. I hope you’ve been inspired to be a little bolder and rock out, like the truly divine divas you are.
Until next time, wear it well.