Language Challenge

So I participated in Sugabelly's Language Challenge which is an awesome incentive to get people to speak their native languages more often. Y'all already know I love my Igbo even though I'm not fluent and my pronunciation is atrocious, so I was uber stoked to do this.


I'm currently recovering from a nasty bout of tonsillitis so my voice might be more Kat Von D than Audrey Hepburn but hopefully by the time I'm done with my meds my vocal chords would have straightened themselves out.

Audio Recording on Friday morning by ThirdWorldProfashional


TRANSLATION

"Hey Blogville, it’s your girl TWP, Omalicha 1 of Ndi-Amazu, the Ada Mazi of Arondizuogu and the only Asamkpokoto from Sokoto. Well not exactly from Sokoto, from Imo actually but I had to give love to my kinsmen P Square.  

I heard about this language challenge from Sugabelly’s blog and after listening to her own audio post I thought it was such a great idea and decided to attempt to do one myself, you see I used the word attempt because I’m not exactly fluent in Igbo. I speak more of a hybrid Igbo or Engli-Igbo to give it its true name. As long as you guys understand me I think we’re all good.

I haven’t been my usual joyful self because I currently have tonsillitis, it’s pretty much gone down now but between Saturday and Tuesday, I honestly thought I was going to die. My throat felt like it had ground glass in it and I literally couldn’t speak because it hurt so much. I communicated solely through written mediums and sign language, I kid you not. I finally managed to get a GP appointment on Tuesday to the glory of God and was immediately put on Penicillin and like magic at about Tuesday evening I was able to eat my first solid meal in three days. I’d been living on warm yogurt and indomie because those were the only things my poor bruised throat could swallow. Anyway praise the Lord for I am healed.

 Been taking it easy so as not to aggravate my throat any further even though I’m getting better which means I’m going to be a passive participator in all the Independence activities this weekend. And since I’m on severe antibiotics I can’t have a drink, not even cider. It’s going to be a long, sober weekend for real.

 I’ll def try and blog again this week if my health allows me.

Thank you for listening and please all the bloggers I tagged in this challenge make sure you do it."

*Decided against tagging anyone, if you feel like participating just go ahead.

RULES

1. It DOES NOT MATTER how well you can speak your language. The goal is to speak regardless. So don't worry if you don't speak that well or you have to include lots of English words. ALL language levels are welcome.

2. Video posts or Audio posts are strongly preferred. This is because the point is to hear and enjoy the spoken language. Written posts are frowned upon but will be accepted too. ^_^

3. Please always provide a translation for your readers of other ethnicities! Translations should be in English and can be in the form of captions under a video post, or written transcripts for audio and written posts.

4. Please tag each participating post as - language challenge - and post the link here in the comments so I can link to it and make all of them easy to find.

5. Please encourage other Nigerian bloggers to post in Nigerian languages.

Love and light xx
p.s. Was going to write "love and light" in Igbo but I drew a complete blank at the Igbo word for love. Someone please educate me.

TWP Hearts Jini

Jini is a Nigerian label by young designer Ejeme Iluobe. I heard about her for the first time from her sister who's a friend of mine but it wasn't until I saw her designs for the first time that I understood what all the hype was about.She makes amazing clothes that are not only beautiful but are more importantly affordable. Seriously Jini is probably the most affordable Nigerian designer I've ever patronised.

If you are a regular TWP reader you'll remember this dress from a post I wrote last December, its totally one of my favourite party dresses, fun, flirty and imbibing the oh so hot trends of print and colour. As long as I can fit into this dress I will continue re-rocking it a la Kate Middleton.

Wore it out last night for my friend Kim's dinner/drinks do.

This didn't come out clearly, I was trying to show my cockatoo and frog rings. I'm totally into animal jewellery these days, snakes, owls, dragons etc. If it howls, barks, moos, neighs, roars etc; I will wear it.

This is a bit clearer so hopefully you can make it out. Gorge non?




Happy birthday Kimmie!!

Love and light xxx

LPM - SEPTEMBER EDITION

The growth and success of the ‘little market’ over the years is as a
direct result of the love and support LPM have received from the shopping
faithful. To show their appreciation, they’re handing over the reins for the
October Marché to you! Simply send an email to info@lpmnigeria.com telling
LPM your idea, or what you would like to see at the October Marché. An
uber-fab prize awaits the idea that gets picked! Make sure to send in
those pointers you’ve been itching to give LPM all this time!
Now, to this weekend.

It’s here again! The September Issue of Le Petit Marché is only a few days
away and we’re brimming with excitement at the plans for this weekend! For
the fashion-conscious, all roads lead to the ‘shopfest’ that will be
taking place at the GET Arena, come Sunday.

Take a look at the fab vendors this month!

The HD Shop| OremiCraft| Esfans | Dadu Bajo | Republic of Foreigner |
Rukkies | Virtue by FocusWear | Cam Cam Sweeties | Ours by Juliada | Wow
Fashion | J Shuz | Vitoes | Maju | Rouge Vallari | Jumii Designs |Y. Craig
| Bubbles & Scents | Inner Eye | Kikcot | Myda Inc | Literati | DivaNista
| Bideux | La Bennis Creations | BebeGrafiti | Raindrops & Roses
Whether you want to grab a one of a kind find, window shop, or just enjoy
a nice Sunday meal and cocktail, LPM will be happy to host you.

LPM August 2011
Date: Sunday 25th September 2011
Venue: GET Arena, Opposite Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island Lagos
Time: 12 Noon – 7pm

What I Wore: Fashion Mavericks Edition

One Outfit, Three Ways (sorta)
Encouraged by the fact that I had hammered the night before at the ELLE Magazine event, I decided to take my new osho free clothes for a spin. I never save clothes, I've been known to buy something and wear it out of the shop. Unlike some people I know who have suitcases full of clothes with tags on them

*cough* Molly and Hilda

Really, buying clothes and just keeping them has to be a sin, how people have the willpower to resist ripping off the tags and taking those babies out on the road baffle me.

Anyhoo, this look is loosely androgynous, based entirely on the long waistcoat. I detest full on androgyny, I admit some people rock it very well but its just not my thing. I was saved from pulling a Katherine Hepburn by my bum grazing leather mini. You can't have legs on display and look like a boy, impossicant. Especially legs of my 36 inch variety (yes I know how long my legs are, if you were my height and have as much trouble as I do finding the right size jeans you would too).

LOOK 1
Left the waistcoat hanging open, realized too late that my delicates were on display *sigh* Well as long as the twins didn't make a bid for freedom I think my bride price is still intact.

and yes that is my hair hanging off the back of that oblong orb known as Daks' head. In case any of y'all thought I was rocking gorimaps under them weaves.

LOOK 2
I belted the waistcoast and this was how I eventually attended the show, in some other pictures I took it kinda looked like I was wearing a school uniform. See why I hate androgyny?

LOOK 3
This Look actually happened by circumstance. After the show, with my stomach leading the way Molly and I headed to The Mango Tree (have I said how much I love Thai? Maybe a couple thousand times) to have dinner and I gorged myself so much that belting was not an option anymore. I was a gross, fat whale by the end of the meal and well....lets just say I required a bit more freedom. This led to me having to untuck my shirt and then I randomly decided to button it all the way up and layer my necklace over it.

Ladies and gentlemen...perfection!

I loved it, it was giving me serious Alexander Wang vibes, I kinda wish I had worn this all day.

Oh well

Top: H&M shimmery, sheer shirt
Vest: H&M long waistcoat
Bottom: H&M leather mini skirt
Neck Candy: random store, can't remember the name
Arm Candy: Pamela Love studded bangles and random black Art Deco bangles
Watch: Gucci
Sunnies: Valentino wing tipped sunglasses




My booski Molly P!

Love and light xxx

Fashion Mavericks

My friend Jacqueline Adholla runs the event Fashion Mavericks which takes place every season during London Fashion Week with the aim of providing a platform to new and independent designers.

Since the debut event in February 2010 Fashion Mavericks has hosted over 25 designers during London Fashion Week to an audience of buyers, press, stylists and keen fashion enthusiasts.

I attended the FM show during London Fahsion Week in February and I remember it was the first time I saw designs by Kiki Kamanu, I was totally blown away. Loved them.

Designs by Kiki Kamanu during LFW February 2011


I also met stylist extraordinaire and a profashional in every sense of the word, the formidable Omoyemi Akerele of Style House Files

She was wearing the sickest trench with beading and Ankara details, I think she said it was by Lanre Da Silva, I forget. Somebody please enlighten me if you have any ideas.

February's Fashion Mavericks was an amazing event and this September's wasn't any different. All the creatives and fabulous people were out in full force.

My favourite this year was Anna Grzegorczyk, she was working a lot of natural, earthy tones, free flowing fabrics, very high priestess/earth mother chic. Love!

PEOPLE


Ran into Yoanna Pepper Okwesa, FAB Magazine Style Editor, fashion stylist and owner of the vintage store Retrospective

Sinem Bilem Onabanjo, Editor-in-Chief of FAB Magazine was also there

Sinem and Yoanna



Kiki Kamanu, who was also showing at Day 2 of Fashion Mavericks

Some of her designs

Loved her neck candy, I'd definitely wear that



Elaine Edozien, a make-up artist

In the words of ONB, Elaine's jacket from MyAsho.com was giving me oxygen, the sleeve detail was beautiful


And this precocious 9 yr old fashionista in the making. Homegirl was rocking a tweed short pants suit with a printed tee, he blazer even had elbow patches and she had model off-duty cool down pat. The child was fascinating. She even sat in the front row, amazeballs.

The proprietor of Fashion Mavericks, Jackie Adholla.

Pictures of What I Wore tomorrow.

Love and light xxx

ELLE/H&M Fashion Network Event

I've had the weirdest luck this week, really good things have been happening to me with little or no effort and yesterday was no exception.

So last night I attended the ELLE Magazine/H&M Network Event, it was a unique opportunity to meet ELLE and H&M insiders and get the inside track on the industry, have an exclusive preview of the latest H&M collections, enjoy an exclusive 20% discount on purchases, indulge on Tanqueray cocktails and be entered into a draw to win a 250 pound H&M giftcard and London Fashion Week tickets.

Basically all that good stuff.

Blazer: H&M Tuxedo style blazer
Dress: American Apparel tank dress
Bag: Calvin Klein
Shoes: Urban Outfitters perspex brogues

Neck candy: Dorothy Perkins
Python bracelet and ring: Primark
Winged ring: Topshop
Watch: Gucci
Arm candy: mixture of Miss Selfridges and Indigo Boutique Lagos
Earrings: no idea

I didn't want to go all by my lonesome so I registered my friend, the very reluctant Molly, to attend the event with me

Molly




Fortified myself as usual before heading out. I'm such a dustbin its not even a joke, I eat like food is going out of style. Shout out to Mrs. U's awesome Mbaise genes keeping me trim, may my luck never run out n'aha Jesus.

So I got to the event first while Molly was busy inventing excuses not to attend, I literally had to threaten her to come. As usual with every fashion event this whole week, it was packed, people that were there just for the free drinks mobbed the bar.

There was a Style Talk by ELLE's Executive Fashion Editor, Anna Ogundehin, who was super super cool. Why are magazine editors so rad btw? I've always wondered if they were born that way or the job makes them awesome, like which comes first; the coolness or the fashion editor job?

A Top 10 mystery right up there with why the damn chicken crossed the damn road, we'll never know.

She's wearing the same H&M fur gilet my humble self also possesses, yay I have Fashion Editor type style know-how. I was actually really proud of that, you'd think I sewed the thing personally even.




The Talk was basically a short introduction into how to get into the fashion industry, Anna said she started out working on the floor at Paul Smith, then Fashion PR and now ELLE, very interesting talk sha, however everybody's mind was on who was going to win the 250 pound voucher and tickets to the LFW.

She announced the winner and my dear readers it was none other than this heifer

I could not believe it.

She didn't even want to come, I registered for her, before they even called her name Molly had wandered off somewhere out of boredom I had to go look for her to claim her prize.

As an awesome bff though, my darling Mols shared the voucher with me and one of her tickets and we got our SHOP on.

Remember that everything was also 20% off for people that attended the Network Event. I had absolutely no intention to shop when I left home that day and I ended up coming out with bags plus a ticket to LFW.

My cup runneth over.

The tickets, woop! Excited.com

The goody bags. I've already learned to not get excited by goody bags, they are never that serious. At Fashion's Night Out, the Hermes goody bags had only catalogues in them, smh. These ones had the H&M catalogue, ELLE Magazine, a mini makeup bag, lip gloss and a python skin keyring.

Our loot at the end of the day.


The Lord works in mysterious ways y'all, so'm to be Chukwu.

Love and light xxx

p.s. Its so many awesome people's birthdays today, Happy birthday to my Aunty Kelly and my fabulous friends Ediri, Joke and Eniba xx

pps. Check out my feature on the faboosh blog and Winner Best Fashion Blog at the Nigerian Blog Awards, Chic Therapy HERE

WLFF Presents The Old Hollywood Fundraising Grand Ball

WLFF ‘Old Hollywod’ Fundraising Ball

Does the idea of a glamorous evening appeal to you? 3 course meal, Wine, Live music? WLFF are offering all this and more, this October in London (and its all for a great cause)!

Date :       Saturday, 1 October 2011 

Venue :    Hotel Russell, 1-8 Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London, WC1B 5BE 

Price :      Fifty Pounds (£50) 

Tickets :  Available for purchase online at: WLFF Old Hollywood Ball Tickets 

Attractions include: Red Carpet | Drinks reception |Three Course Meal | Live Music | Drama | Fantastic Raffle prizes |Old Hollywood photo-booth | Authentic, show stopping, oh-i-know-he-didn't-just-play-another-great-song DJ.  

The ball will showcase the above attractions; with a nod to the Golden ‘Old Hollywood’ Age... do not miss it!

All profits from the WLFF Ball will go towards the WLFF Project 2011.

With Love From Friends (WLFF) is a not-for-profit organisation run by seven friends with the aim of advancing quality education in Africa. Each year they select & partner with a charity based in Nigeria, raising funds to provide basic educational resources including textbooks, school furniture and writing materials for children in a community where basic and urgent educational needs exist; they have raised over £10,000 for chosen communities since 2008. 

This year, WLFF is working with LOTS (Love on the Streets) Foundation in an area called Dustbin Estate, a neighbourhood made up of wooden/aluminium homes on an active refuse waste disposal in Ajegunle, Lagos State, Nigeria.

Find out more about WLFF and the Love on the Streets (LOTS) Foundation working together at they website WLFF/LOTS.  

For ball updates, follow us on Twitter @WLFFGIRLS!!!

Do The Side Slit

 Stayed up late last night watching the US Open, I won't say I'm a bonafide tennis fan now but its a pretty interesting game once you get into it and I totally get the whole "game, set, match" thing now. Congrats to Djokovic (sp?) btw.

Anyhoo staying up that late while snacking on garlic bread and bananas ensured I couldn't go to bed for the longest time so I started messing around on TWP and totally by accident stumbled on a way to make my pictures larger. I'm a massive blonde around computers or anything the least bit techy so don't even shake your head at the fact that I had no idea how to do this, I was soooo excited when I found out because I had zero idea how to do that before. So yeah TWPs on that massive photo p now.

Can I get a woop! No? Ok then.

Last week I went out to dinner at the Gordon Ramsay restaurant at Claridges with my friends Molly, Jackie, Kemi and Lovena. Prior to that I'd never dined at any of the Gordon Ramsay restaurants so I was pretty stoked to try it out, I was promised a culinary experience surpassing even that of my mother's Ofe-Ora and Mrs. U's Ofe-Ora is legendary so I was ready to be blown away.

My feet remained firmly on ground though, I barely even shifted talk less of been blown anywhere. It wasn't awful, it was just....I can't explain it, veering more towards the aesthetic aspect of dining than actual gastronomic satisfaction. Really pretty food, excellent service, surprisingly good dessert but I suggest you fill up on some pounded yam if you plan to dine there.

Trust me.

I was strongly channelling Morticia Adams minus the Cher length hair in my long side slit Zara dress

Forgive the sulky expression, I wasn't trying to give off supermodel vibes I was just starving from having been served five courses of rabbit food.



Smoky eyes, nude lips, slight pompadour....

Win? Non?

This is the actual Zara dress, from this photo I thought the dress had a single side slit but it actually has two, wasn't really feeling the two slits, might just sew one shut because the slits are quite high and baring one leg is enough, two is just a bit much. I felt like a faded cabaret singer trying to revive her career.

Liza Minelli anyone?

The dress is reeaally long, with long dresses though I'm a UK10, I usually buy a 12 or 14 just to get a longer length but with this one I bought a small and it was quite long. So unless you stretch up to 5'10 or 5'11 in heels you might look like you're wearing your big sister's dress because it would be like a train almost on a shorter person. Plus its very clingy and slightly sheer therefore it hides nothing, wear at your own peril.

*sidebar* Molly and I were cracking up at the fact that Zara uses really "straight" models to advertise their clothes so you won't even know how clingy a dress looks till you wear it and people mistake you for an akwuna akwuna. Cos they're so slim a total kpomilade dress will look demure on them till you put it on. Funny stuff.

Molly

Jackie of Fashion Mavericks, FM has two shows during London Fashion Week. The first one is this Friday, I'm so pumped to go, Kiki Kamanu is going to be showing and at February's LFW Kiki Kamanu show I got an ankara ruff in my goody bag, so I'm in there like swimwear this week.

Kemi and Lovena




Staying in the whole day watching Mega Power Ballads on MTV Classic, the Eighties were a very interesting decade by the look of these videos. Seriously interesting I tell you.

Love and light


p.s. Saw this photo last night on Jibbys blog, 'Life of a Fashion Student', of Angela Simmons in a Virgos Lounge dress at the Betsey Johnson show at NYFW. This is her second time wearing Virgos Lounge and I'm really impressed by the designers' ability to get their clothes out there.

What you may not know is that Virgos Lounge is also surprisingly affordable, I'm actually shocked at how affordable their clothes are considering how intricate their designs are. Where some Nigerian "designers" would sell a single dress for like N25,000, roughly a 100 pounds or more, you could get two or more VL dresses at that price. 

My friend Molly ordered two VL dresses and I love her choices, definitely copping a few very soon.

Vogue's Fashions Night Out

Thursday, September 8th was Vogue's Fashion Night Out and I suppressed my natural aversion to crowds and chaos to attend.

It. Was. Mental.

Literally the biggest party in London all year, Fashion's Night Out is an event created by Madame Editrix herself, Queen Anna Wintour as a proper celebration of fashion. Matthew Williamson says FNO is about brand building and having fun with people who have a keen interest in fashion. It also acts as a precursor to both New York and London's Fashion Week.

It basically acts an incentive to encourage people to shop, luxury stores and High Street stores alike host parties that night, celebrity Dj's spinning, free champagne, canape's, goody bags, celebrities are on the prowl everywhere and it happens simultaneously all over the world. Everywhere there's a massive fashion presence; Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Spain, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey and of course the heavyweights the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

I never do this, but I got an email asking if I could list my apparel and accessories more often. I will oblige for one week only, if anyone wants to know where I got a particular item, email me and I'll let you know.

Top - DKNY plaid shirt

Gilet - H&M fur gilet

Shorts - Guess denim cut-offs

Bag - Ralph Lauren Epi leather tote

Boots - Office

*phew*

So now that's over, lets get to it. I was out pretty early on FNO but that was because I had loads of errands to run. I had a member verification exercise at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a committee meeting at the International Bar Association (oui, I have a very boring other life as an over-achieving lawyer).

Once that was over.....PARTAAAAY!

Had to go fortify myself at first with dessert, chocolate mousse and a Bellini

I was on Oxford street at first but it was kinda dulling, so I headed to New Bond Street where all the luxury stores are and it was packed.com

The mass of people out was mind boggling, I literally couldn't walk more than 2 steps a minute, human traffic was overwhelming. Ran into Miss Jayla outside Hermes, she was at Coach earlier where she spotted The Gwyneth Paltrow, I made tracks over there sharply, unfortunately Gwyn (as I call her since she's my big sisters bff) was nowhere to be seen, I've deceived myself into believing I caught a glimpse of the back of her head or something.

Miss Jayla

This dude was just doing the mostest, everybody wanted to take photos with him.

The "D" emblazoned black cab outside Dior

An actual New York taxi-cab outside DKNY

The crowds proved too much for me at the end and I got way tired way too early, started heading home and would you believe it, on my way to the tube station I ran into.......

Wait for it.........

Drumroll please.........

OZWALD BOATENG!!!!!

Ozzy baby (as he said I must call him, I said I would only if he'd call me Daks *sigh*)

He's super tall, I was wearing heels and I'm already pretty elevated on my own and he still towered over me, I was impressed. He was sooo nice, in my excitement I botched the first couple of photos I took and he was patient enough to wait for me to find the right setting on my camera and take a few more pictures.

Daks & Ozzy

So that was my FNO, pretty fun. I doubt this would work in Nigeria because all the fashion stores are not concentrated in a single area like they are in the UK or the US but with planning they might just pull it off. To get from store to store might be a problem though, the traffic that day would be demonic and its not like "fashionistas" would be jumping okadas to get around. I think LPM, Fusion and the other monthly shopping events we have are mini FNOs on their own anyway.

I would definitely do this again next year, with better planning so I can hit all the good stores early enough,

Love and light xx