The idyllic countryside of Arigidi-Akodo is a town that moves at its own pace. Here, life is not lived in haste. The people, outside their traditional trading, depend on nature to nurture them through farming. Since nature does things at its own pace, they, over the years, have learnt to be patient.
However, the month of July is different. It is the month Arigidi-Akoko rolls out the drums in festivity. The month is for the celebration of the Okota Festival.
The festival was initially low key, however, within the last few years it has grown to become perhaps one of the great festivals in Ondo State. It has become an avenue to showcase hitherto unpublicised rich culture of the people in an effort to attract in-bound tourists to the town.
It is organised for the town through the Olokun Festival Foundation that has been championing cultural rebirth in Yoruba land.
The Okota River, where the festival got its name, is located at the foot of the hills of Ede-Uyo in Ijaja quarters of Arigidi-Akoko. The festival is held annually in honour of the river goddess.
The town shed its toga of serenity as gaily dressed indigenes trooped to the venue of the celebration to witness cultural dance, traditional games and displays.
•Otunba Adams (middle) with some traditional rulers
The chief promoter of the Olokun Festival Foundation, Otunba Gani Adams, said the festivity was in honour of the goddess of the river for her benevolence.
“She is ascribed to possess great potent supernatural powers. Our commitment to annual celebration of this festival is informed by the numerous benefits we derive from its presence here in Arigidi-Akoko.
“It should be understood that the strategic location of this river is a boost to agricultural production of the people.
“The celebration of the Okota Festival is also a boost to the development of tourism and economic sustenance of our people.
“As you can see, this festival has drawn people from far and near. Along with the presence of the crowd, this celebration has drawn the brisk business they are doing.”
Adams said the celebration of the festival was the people’s way of thanking the benevolent deity, seeking forgiveness for their sins in past years and praying for favour and blessings of the goddess.
He said his organisation’s investment to put together the annual festival was also an opportunity for the town to showcase the event as an important tourist attraction to the world.
“One of the ways the Olokun FestivaI Foundation continues to contribute to individual and governmental economic development efforts is through identification and exploration of prosperity potential that is inherent in the development of religious and cultural tourism.
“Annually, these two areas of tourism have been a boundless and inexhaustible source of economic growth for some countries,”he said.
Adams said in the light of the current economic reality, there is the need for the government to look at tourism as the alternative source of income for the country.
The Osun Osogbo Festival, Nigeria foremost cultural tourism event, will be heading for the stock exchange. This was disclosed by the marketing consultant of the festival and Managing Director of Infogem Limited, Mr. Ayo Olumoko, during the unveiling of this year’s Osun Osogbo Festival.
Olumoko said the festival, having been consistent as Nigeria’s foremost tourism event and a big attraction to both local and foreign interests, the organizers want to move the festival to the next level by seeking its listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
At the corporate sponsors’ unveiling, the date for the grand finale of the festival has been slated for August 21. However, sixteen days to the grand finale, the traditional rite will commence with the Iwapopo, the traditional cleansing of the town which begins the countdown to the grand finale.
Other events that would hold before the grand finale include the lighting of the sixteen point lamp and the assemblage of the past crowns of the former kings of Osogbo.
Among the corporate sponsors for this year’s event include telecommunication giant, MTN; Nigerian Breweries, using one of the company’s beer brands, Goldberg; Grand Oak Limited, brewers of Seaman’s Aromatic Schnapps; Kasapreko Limited, producers of Alomo Bitters and many others.
Mark Lutz, a Dutch, and his wife, Els Lefere, a Belgian, have just been married for about two years.
Lutz used to be a cyclist, participating in cycling competitions such as Tour de France and many others on the circuit while his wife used to be in the glamorous job of being an air hostess.
As soulmates, they had the dream and passion of touring the world. After marriage, in the course of a discussion, the idea of world tour cropped up. They could not resist the temptation of striking out into the unknown in search of new experience, new culture and to meet new people.
It took courage to engage on such journey, but the couple were bent on actualizing their dream. Els quit her job, while Mark bided farewell to competitive cycling.
So, at the beginning of the year, they and their dog embarked on this one in a lifetime experience. And in this month of July, seven months later, passing through about 10 countries, they are in Nigeria.
Els talked about herself, husband and the world trip: “We got married two years ago and then we got talking about going on a world tour.”
According to her, the idea came from a conversation: “We don’t remember really. We just remember that one of us, just mentioned it and the other one said yes.
“So, there was no discussion about. It was just an idea and we started talking about it and once we started talking about it, it became real. So we just did it. From then, we started thinking how it was going to happen.
“We had many choices. We decided to take our dog which is a large one, a little bit over 30 kg. So, flying was not an option. It would be too stressful for the dog. He could do a flight or two, but not continuously. Public transport would be a problem because not every body would want to take a dog into a bus or a taxi, or whatever, and they were not going to accept us with the dog either. So, it was obvious for us that we needed to do everything by road.
The heater, freezer and bed area
“We had to pick a vehicle. We started goggling around, reading experiences of other people. Since we were two and a half, two adults and a big dog, we needed to be in a vehicle that would be big enough.
“We had personal criteria like, we wanted to fix a bed, not the one you had to put on and off every day since we planned to travel a long time.
“My husband is tall. So, he wanted to be able to stand up and one very important one, since we decided to start with Africa, it needed to be a vehicle that is possibly repairable in Africa.
“It needed to be an old one. And then, we started looking again, trying to match all these criteria. And we went to the gathering of long-time travellers and we saw a lot of the same types that we are having now being converted into motor homes.
“So, we thought, if so many people were doing that, if so many people were picking the model of this type, then it was probably a good idea. So, we started, looking for that. All of a sudden, there was one for sale in the village we lived in. So, we went to have a look. It was a large old Mercedes Benz truck.
“We had a look. We went inside and then looked at each other. It was what we wanted. The next day we bought it. The only problem was that we needed a truck driver’s licence which we didn’t have.
The kitchen
“We bought the truck before having the licence. We had to arrange that, but we’ve been on the road now for a bit over six months and think it has been a really good choice. One advantage is that it wasn’t expensive, another one is that it was already converted.”
Els said the discussion and planning stage took about a year before they took off.
“Since we started talking about it, I think it took us about a year. All the preparation almost happened in the last three weeks. We were very bad in preparing. For example, our apartment was rented out. We found somebody to rent it, two weeks before we left.
“We were supposed to leave on December 27 last year which was a very bad idea because it was between Christmas and New Year. So, it made us leave our home for the renter to move in. We just stuffed our things in the truck, and put on our things in the basement and with other people.
“Then, we went to Mark’s mother who lives 10 kilometres away. And she was very happy to have us. We parked in front of her house and took the extra time to bring out our things and sort them out again to decide which things to take or not to take. We left on January 2.
“It was in the middle of the winter, very cold. Initially, we wanted to visit some friends in Austria and Switzerland, but arriving in France, it was so freezingly cold that the drinking water of the dog was freezing inside the bus at night. We had a heater in the bus. During the day, it was not a problem. The night was cold. We decided to skip Austria and head south for a warmer weather.
“We drove through France, visited some friends and went to Southern France which gave us a little bit of warmth. We were basically free camping all the time. We quickly went to Spain. In Valencia, we had friends that we wanted to visit on the road and then in Malaga, South of Spain, we had friends also. One stupid thing that happened: I was too late applying for a new passport in Belgium. We left home without my passport and I needed it for Morocco. It was sent to me in Malaga through that friend of mine. While we waited, we did a little tour which was really nice. It was still cold but less cold than in France.
“Basically, the idea was to do Africa, and the plan was not to plan. So, we did not plan. We basically decided to see what would happen along the road, and then decide. If there was a country we couldn’t do, then we just went around it. That was the idea initially. Now we know it is not as simple.
“The idea was actually not to have a plan. We went into Morocco actually not knowing what to do there. We went into Mauritania not knowing what to do there. It always happens that way based on our interaction with people along the road.
“They actually advise us on where to go and where not to go. It makes us more flexible because the more fixed a route plan is, the more you will want to stick to it. It makes you unsure and insecure when you deviate from it.
“It is a good idea because it makes us so flexible. It makes us choose how long we stay in a place. We can decide to go left instead of right, even when everybody is going right or the other way round.”
Asked when they intend to complete the trip, Els said they had earlier planned to complete the journey within a year, but it was not possible.
“We thought we would make it in one year, but I think it is not going to happen because we are almost seven months away,and we are still in Nigeria. If you want to go to South Africa and then go up again through the East African countries, it is really going to take us more than one year. It is not a problem. It is not going to stop us because the year is over. We will just continue. That is the plan.
“We came into Morocco and you expect to be in Africa, but Morocco is very westernized compared to many of the African countries. It was all new really and very safe. There were lots of fruits and vegetables to buy and cook. Almost everything that we can think of in Europe.
“Since it was very comfortable and the weather was getting better and better, we stayed two and half months because Morocco gave us standard visa for free for three months which you can even double. We almost did three months. My husband, Mark, was especially eager to move on.
“The next country was Mauritania. We had a lot of cow boys stories about the no-man’s-land between Western Sahara and Mauritania. So, many people, especially those who have not done the route, somehow, they like to make you afraid.
“ I think we talked a lot about border-crossing experience with fellow travellers and we all agreed that if you go there, expecting that it is going to be amazingly difficult, it will be. If you go there, saying this is going to be interesting again, let’s see what happens, it usually turns out to be easy. So, the no-man’s-land between Morocco and Mauritania appeared to be no problem at all because we were very well informed and followed the rules that we were told.
“We spent an little longer time at the Mauritanian border, but then we have a vehicle, we have our home with us. What we usually do when they try to be difficult is just to turn off the engine, open the door in the back and I will start cooking. That is what I do. For them, it is obvious; we are not in a hurry. If they allow us, we take the chair outside. And that is when most of the time, they will say, now you can go.
“ Mauritania is fine. It was hot with a lot of sand, and then we stayed to arrange the next visa to Senegal.
“Senegal was abolishing the paying visa. We just had to wait a few days, and then we crossed. Senegal is good and people were very kind to us. They are big in tourism and very welcoming. Everybody wanted something from you, but they were used to seeing tourists. That was obvious.
“Then we had to decide whether we were going through Mali or Gambia and Guinea. We chose to go to Mali. In Bamako, we arranged visas again. And then we went to Burkina Faso. It was completely new. There was so much green vegetation after the sandy Sahara.
“From Burkina Faso, we went to Ghana. There was a lot of rain there. Since we did not plan anything, we arrived West Africa in the middle of the rainy season. We decided that if it was too bad and the road was going to be difficult, we would just wait until the end of the rainy season. We met some very nice people who were helping us to get to the next country.
“After Ghana, we were in Togo, then the Benin Republic and now we are here in Nigeria.”
Asked whether they had an unpleasant experience, she said: “We had a problem getting into the Benin Republic. We had a letter from Nigeria. Benin Republic was asking us for a letter to be able to apply for a visa just to pass through which we did not have. Before getting the exit stamp of Togo and we were talking with this officer, he took us to the Benin Republic side to ask if we could get through the Benin Republic with the Nigerian invitation letter though we would just be crossing.
“ We asked the officer to join us to go and ask because we wouldn’t want to get the exit stamp of Togo because we would not be able to go back. So, the Togolese officer went with us and asked the officer from the Benin Republic side and the officer said yes. Okay, so we went back, got the exit stamp and back to the Republic of Benin side. That was when they said no, it was not possible. So, after about an hour, they said no.
“Luckily, we went back to the Togo side and they annulled our exit stamp. We went back to Lome to arrange for the visa. They were not really aggressive, it was just bad information.
“We decided to start with Africa. I knew I was going to feel well in Africa. My husband was more distant because he had never been to Africa. We just kept an open mind. The purpose of our journey was to meet people and have new experience. Actually it is not a good way to put it since there are really many African countries.”
The couple linked another couple that were on a tour round the world, Mr. Nick Lubout and his partner, Marjolijn Polman. They met in Lome and decided to do four countries, Togo, Benin, Nigeria and Cameroon together before splitting.
For Mark and Els, it is going to be a long journey through Africa, but would, within this period, see the country in its true form and enjoy its rich culture.
The palace drummers in their white attire went into action. The sound fluctuated between high and low beat. They had sekere, gangan and other smaller drums.
It was a welcome performance by the drummers at Iga-Idugaran for royal guests of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu 1.
These particular visitors were not just strangers; they are personal friends of the king and as such received special welcome from the palace.
This happened recently when the out-going American Consul General Jeffrey Hawkins and his team from the Lagos office visited the palace.
It was an opportunity for the palace to show the rich history and culture of Lagos. The initial reception was done in the modern palace of the oba. But to show the esteem with which he held the Consul General, Oba Akiolu moved the visit to the old palace.
A visit to Iga-Idugaran without a tour of the old palace of the kings of Lagos is almost like not visiting the palace at all.
The entrance to the old palace is a structure like an old safe. The king’s court is by the left. Here, there is an old throne with two stuffed lions on both sides as guards.
With the king on the throne, the white cap chiefs who had earlier come in a of procession took time to pay obeisance to the king.
The traditional custom of kolanut and hot drink presentations to the visitors were also done.
•The guests dancing
Jeffrey Hawkins explained the purpose of the visit, saying he had enjoyed a very close and warm friendship with the king, hence he deemed it necessary to specially visit the king to thank him for the relationship and bid him farewell.
In his response, the king praised the outgoing consul for his support for the state.
Oba Akiolu then talked about the old palace which was the venue for the reception. He said the palace was more than 500 years old and was built by the Portuguese. The influence of the Portuguese architecture could be seen in the design of the wall pillars.
On the outgoing consul, the oba said he was a pride to his country throughout the period of his stay in Nigeria, and he was very supportive of Lagos during his tenure in Nigeria. The oba said he believed Mr. Jeffrey Hawkins would one day return to Nigeria as an ambassador.
Oba Akiolu also took time to talk about the old palace.
“This place is called the old palace. It was erected by the Portuguese. It is over 500 years and very important. Lagos was formerly Eko, but when the Portuguese came, they changed it to Lagoon de Kuramo, land near the water. From that it became Lagos. This palace like I said was built by the Portuguese.
“The artistic work, you can hardly find anywhere. It was built of red oil and mud. Thanks to the Lagos State government. They have been trying to look for a conservation architect who will put it right.
“ It is only our close friends and visitors that are allowed to visit this place. Almighty Allah, particularly in this month of Ramadan, hears the prayers of all of us. We still have a lot to learn from your country, the United States of America,”he said.
He also called for greater support for the present government.
The consul was later presented with a gift. It was the painting of the iconic cultural festival of Lagos, the Eyo masquerades display.
Speaking on his visit, the consul said it was imperative for him to pay a visit not only to thank the oba, but also to give the staff of the embassy opportunity to have a taste of the culture and tourism asset of the state.
He said to really understand the people of Nigeria, a visitor has to understand the traditional institution because it is the link between the past and the present.
Outside the palace, there are some very interesting artefacts on display. Among these are old cannons brought by the early Europeans that came to Lagos.
The outgoing consul and his entourage had a wonderful time enjoying the rich culture of Lagos.
The government of Osun State and a private tourist operator, Chief Mrs. Margaret Bolanle Fabiyi, are to partner on the development of a world-class tourism resort in Ikirun.
The project, which is being fine-tuned, will cost billions of naira and when completed, serve as one-stop centre for leisure, hospitality, entertainment, shopping, conference business and tours.
The resort, second to none in Nigeria, will also have an agricultural component to grow tourism and residential houses in addition to creating room for service providers a hospital, school, jetty, helipad and filling station, among other facilities.
Speaking in Lagos with the travel writers, Mrs. Fabiyi, popularly called Webisco, said a project of this magnitude would certainly address the problem of unemployment as it would create jobs and also generate revenue for the state in the face of stifling economic condition caused by the fall of crude oil price at the world market.
She disclosed that efforts were being made to complete the land acquisition and documentation, adding that the state government should do the needful by showing above average commitment financially and otherwise to birth the resort.
‘We have acquired a 25 sq km land in Ikirun, Osun State for the development of a one-stop tourism resort second to none in Nigeria yet. The land was facilitated by the Akirun of Ikirun, Oba Rauf Olawale.
“ The resort, when developed, will have a hospital, school, jetty, filling station, business outlets, parks, conference centres and residential buildings.We are working out the modalities and would make an appropriate comment on its update when we have sorted out the grey areas”, she said.
Mrs. Fabiyi, who is an active member of most tourism and travel organizations in Nigeria, including the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), is a leading member and country liaising officer for the Africa Travel Association (ATA) with headquarters in New York, U.S.A.
“As we continue to invest our individual efforts in promoting and marketing tourism in our country, we hope that very soon we will begin to reap the dividends. A trip by President Barack Obama, for instance, would drive heavy traffic to this country.
“Although we will not bank on that, given that his tenure is running fast, we are committed to continuously promoting our country as the home of hospitality in West Africa.”
The Bauchi State government has pledged to upgrade the Yankari Game Reserve to an international tourist destination.
The deputy governor of the state, Nuhu Gidado, made the pledge while inspecting facilities at the park with top government functionaries and some professionals in the state.
Nuhu Gidado said the Wikki Warm Spring and the game reserve are some of the natural endowments that would be redesigned in such a way that the natural flow creates scenic beauty.
He expressed optimism that the hotel accommodation at the reserve which requires some improvement would be of international standard, adding that both the animal game viewing and the museum treasure are going to be the centres of attraction to both European and American tourists.
The deputy governor directed the management of the reserve to develop a comprehensive staff audit with the view to developing their skills and professionalism, pointing out that the report has indicated that the previous administrations neglected the aspect.
The General Manager of the park, Mr. Yohanna Y. Namchi, briefed the deputy governor that the most critical areas of administration that require immediate and quick intervention are game viewing facilities.
Yohanna assured the deputy governor that investment in the reserve would be money well invested.
The founder and president of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort , Ikegun, Lagos and La Campagne Club, Ikeja, Lagos, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, has been honoured with the 2015 Nigerian Tourism Man of the Year.
This was at the 2015 Accra Weizo. The organizers said the award was in recognition of his contribution to the development tourism in Nigeria and West Africa.
The honour, according to the organizers, was also in recognition of his contribution to the promotion of African culture.
Akinboboye, who is also the founder of Motherland Beckons, a body which is devoted to promoting African culture and integrating the black race all over the world to their ancestral home, Africa (Motherland), was described as a huge personality and investor in the travel and tourism business whose involvement in the Nigerian tourism has greatly helped to extend the frontiers of the country’s tourism.
His indefatigable promotion of African cultural heritage through his various engagements and platforms such as Motherland Beckons, Atunda Entertainment, KampAfrica and HURP, was also applauded, a fact that is well replicated in his La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, a wholesome Africa-themed resort where he has succeeded in blending nature with a rich mix of Africa motifs and tinges of modernity and sophistication to bargain.
Akinboboye, who is also the Tourism Ambassador of the World Conference of Mayors (WCM), is currently replicating truly and successful the Africa-themed resort in Cote de Ivoire with over 20 of the resorts billed for operation in no distance time across the French-speaking West African country.
The Gambia, known as the smiling coast of Africa, has always prided itself on being a prime tourist destination for inbound tourists from within and outside Africa. Hitherto the focus had been on leisure destination and also for historical tourism for many blacks in the Diaspora. Thanks to Alex Hailey’s popular novel, Roots.
However, there is an effort by some of the hospitality outfits to strike off the beaten path and are now promoting health and wellness.
Flourish Wellness Resort is one of its top hospitality properties, a luxury boutique property, which besides its leisure appeal, is classified as Africa’s number one wellness and health resort offering premium wellness facilities and services.
In an effort to woo Nigerian tourists, the Marketing Manager, Mr. Arafang Saine, said the resort is a class act designed to give first-class treatment to patrons, particularly the high-end client desirous of private and exclusive treat.
According to him, the resort, which has Kanu Nwankwo as its ambassador, cherishes its patrons and is devoted to attending to their needs at all times, hence the resort is highly rated when it comes to personalised services.
“No matter how sophisticated your taste is, how well-travelled or exposed you are, Flourish Wellness Resort is designed to meet them and encourage you for a repeat visit,” said Saine while making a pitch for the resort.
Located in a beautiful, naturally alluring landscape and nestled against the ocean in the Kotu area of Banjul, the resort offers 40 exclusively furnished deluxe suites, all offering good view while enjoying rich décor and amenities such as free high speed WIFI, cable TV, fridge, tea and coffee making facilities and telephone, bathroom/shower and Jacuzzi, kitchenette and entertainment centre.
The exclusive suites offer expansive and aesthetically inviting living rooms with large and beautifully furnished bedrooms with in-built wardrobes, while you have the luxury of enjoying a free walk to a private veranda or balcony to relax and explore nature and bath under the canopy of stars.
Inagbe Grand Resort and Leisure in Inagbe Island, Lagos, in an effort to make its resort affordable and available for Nigerians and international tourists, has launched its Explore Cards.
At a press conference at the resort, its Managing Director, Mr. Adeyeye Ogunwusi, said “the resort is out to revolutionize leisure and relaxation in the country”.
He said part of his strategy was to use locally sourced building materials in building the resort. He said “the visitors have the opportunity to have a taste of truly African experience”.
He said: “We have a 1200 multi-purpose hall, a floating lounge that could take about 700 guests. Our corporate clients can, after their schedule for the day, go to their rooms and come for party at the lounge. It is a perfect resort for our corporate clients. But over and above, we want to reach out to typical Nigerians, non-Nigerians and even Nigerians in the Diaspora. We want to sell the tourism sector of the country to the outside world.
“The Explore product is something we are launching to make the average Nigerian knows that the resort is not for the elite. It is a typical destination getaway for your holiday, honeymoon, marriage renewal, marriage vows and generally a place to have a good time. It is ideal when you have day’s event and it is very close to the city. Even the boat experience of coming to this island is very refreshing. A lot of Nigerians are warming up for it now.
“We also have mostly foreigners coming here. Nigeria is a country like Gambia, Seychelles and even France which depend on tourism. We want the resort experience to be reachable to typical Nigerians. We are coming up with a scheme that has actually been tested and open to the public. It is going to be on point based. It simple means you will sign up to have Explore Cards, if you want to come and experience the entire resort. You can assess it at 25,000 points and each point is given at two naira. It can be converted for our foreign visitors with the dollar equivalent.
“You can come here with as low as 25,000 points and you will experience everything that can be experienced at the resort because the Explore Card comes with some level of discount. It is going to be a loyalty package.
“At the time we launched it last year, we had so much demand that we were unable to meet up and we worked to try and get everything right. Now we are ready to provide Nigerians and non-Nigerians to come and experience the Inagbe Leisure experience. You can see how refreshing it is when you wake up in the morning. You breathe in the clean air devoid of pollution. It is a typical getaway.
“Tourism is culture we want to encourage for Nigeria because we can’t continue to depend on oil for everything. Like I said earlier on, some economies depend on tourism, so we want to focus on it.
“Holiday season is coming again, July to August. Everybody knows what the foreign exchange is saying. It has really gone up. So, to encourage local tourism, so that a typical Nigerian would say I want to come and rest. I want to get away. When the children are not in school. You want to travel out of the country. This is an environment that we would want Nigerians to come and feel. We have a lot of different packages for children and teenagers, they can come with their parents. It is more of a family oriented environment.
“Explore Card is our loyalty programme that you can use. From time to time, you will be upscaling it. You will then acquire points which you would spend here. You will get points for you accommodation, luxury chalets, romantic dinner at the floating lounge, business meetings, children’s fun, boat cruise, jungle experience and so on.
“Our objective as a company is to set up this all over the country to offer the experience. Our strategy over the next five years is to replicate this resort all over the country.”
AT long last, you bought that expensive dress that you have been eyeing , saving for and dreaming of. So now you have an important function to attend and then it hits you, it looked wonderful in the shop, on the mannequin, how do you make it look gorgeous on you? Sit back on enjoy the steps.
Choose the right shoes, shoes are most important accessory for the it-woman. The woman of style knows that shoes can make or mar an outfit, the right shoes can move the same dress from the office, to church, to the beach, simply by changing your shoes.
Only wear what fits
1.This means knowing your body type and sticking with what works for you.
2.If you are pencil slim, wear a flared dress, to create an illusion of volume.
3. If you are pear shaped, wear a form fitting or bandage silhouette, especially if your stomach is not big, if not, wear a body shaper or girdle to create the illusion of a flat tummy.
4.If you are apple shaped
5.A rule of the thumb of fashion in shoes is wearing covered shoes with short dresses, and sandals or slippers for maxi dresses. Simply put, the longer the dress, the skimpier the shoes and vice versa.
6. If your dress is monochrome, that is one colour, wear silk or patterned shoes.
7. For a neutral colour dress, wear red, black, brown or grey shoes
8. If your dress is black, white , or silver, go for earth toned shoes in gentle browns and blues
9. For a bright green, blue, or yellow, wear white, black or biege shoes.
Choose jewelry that suit your dress
11.This means that the collar/neckline of your dress determines the jewelry, especially the earrings and necklace.
12. Also, when wearing lace dresses, wear a pearl necklace, nothing else. Anything else would be too much, reducing the beauty of your dress.
13. A vintage dress (or old school style as we call it) wear pearls or vintage earrings. Do not wear big earrings.
14. For a dress in a modern style, you can heap on bracelets, especially geometric ones, ditch the necklace.
Wear the right make-up
15. For a vintage dress, wear false lashes or plenty of mascara.
16. For a dress in a modern style, use make-up effectsto make your eyes look arger, and “pop”. Wear nude lipstick.
17. For a simple, chic dress, a smoky eye and pink lips in a soft shade.
Wear the right hairstyle
20. For a vintage dress, pile up your hair, or leave it down looking natural. If you are wearing earrings, rock an updo.
21. For a dress in a modern style, pile up your in an impressive style, wear a hat, or wear your hair straight.
22. For a simple, chic style, make a curly style or a wavy one.
