Thursday 5 May 2016

Colour Blocked


Three Quarter Sleeve Dress - Junarose 
Expression Multi-Flower Rose - The Bay 
Tora by Madison - Shoedazzle

One of the top questions I get regarding my personal style is how I can be both a print mixer and a minimalist. First of all, style is a very personal and often subjective thing. This means that, luckily for all of us, we can adopt as many style types as we want and embrace them in every facet of our lives. 

For me personally, my love of print mixing stems from my heritage. Print mixing is pretty much the only way to dress in the Nigerian culture. Being able to mix vibrant prints, textures and colours creates such stunning outward expressions of style and I was lucky enough to be brought up in that culture. As far back as I can remember, I have been invited to lavish Nigerian events which inevitably became a sea of every colour imaginable. You have to come correct to a Nigerian function, rocking timeless trends in colour and print combinations that still literally blow my mind to this day. But even more importantly than that, Nigerians have a remarkable ability to stay positive through out the hardest of times, and our everyday clothing represents this fact. On my trip to Nigeria a few months ago, I was so inspired by the street style I saw that it rejuvenated in me the ability to push my personal style and mix prints in the most unique ways. 


My minimalist side comes from my personal need for order and organization. I am a type-A personality all the way. I have this deep seeded need to make sure lines are straight and things go where they belong. I apply this type of thinking to my minimalist looks. Minimalism does not necessarily mean wearing white, grey and black, but rather it means putting together a look that takes your eyes and brain a minimal amount of time to digest. This means using colour blocking techniques, like I utilized in this look, or playing down accessories to provide enough negative space for the viewer to interpret the look. As much as I am a minimalist, I still love and appreciate colour, a part of my heritage that finds its way into my minimalist side. For this reason, I enjoy utilizing colour as a way to simplify a look. This can manifest itself in a variety of ways, such as an all red look or a look with a singular pattern, allowing the minimalism realm to be endless.  


I guess the moral of the story here is whatever your style preference is, own it! There really is no need to explain yourself to anyone when it comes to what you like to dress your body in. I think it is so important, however, to analyze your own personal journey to see why you tend to lean towards certain styles because it can help you hone in on it. And, most importantly, allow your sense of style to adapt and change. I am certainly not the same person I was when I started this blog, and my style reflects this as well.