THE PERFECT ANKARA FLARED SLEEVE DRESS
Hey
beautiful people!
Now I know you didn’t think I'd be
gone for too long. I just needed some time to regroup hence the break.
Thank you all for understanding but your girl is back. Just one week of
inconsistency and I can already see the effects so I'm back to three posts a
week guys. How are we all doing by the way?
Today I'm bringing to you this simple ankara co-ord set which
has the appearance of a flared sleeve pencil dress. I like the option of two piece
sets rather than a seperates as it offers more styling options. For example, I
could pair the flared sleeve top with some flared high waist bell bottom jeans.
Or style the pencil skirt with a white crisp shirt.
Flared sleeves which (I've styled here and here) are all the rage right
now so I thought why not incorporate this trend into Ankara African fabrics and
boy oh boy, do I love how it turned out. In styling I opted for my brown obi
belt and my blue ankle strap court shoes.
Related : 5 Ankara African Print Styles
I'm quite
excited about today's post as if you refer to my 2017 style goals, one of them
was to invest in more ankara fabrics. And we all know, Nigerian tailors can be
so unfaithful hence my trust issues and lack of ankara outfits despite my love
for them. You know I have an aunt that knows how to sew (She made these dope trousers here) but she
takes forever. Several years ago, my mom gave her one of her prized materials and till this point, it’s still missing.
Then there was this other time that
a tailor promised me heaven and earth with my design, acted like she knew what
do, messed up the style, my fabric and produced a dress that I could not even
struggle to fit into. And then she had the audacity to say you young people and your
styles can be so difficult.
But shoutout to Mummy Clara, who though not on social media, did a decent job with this one.
Photography by Ruth Audu
In all honesty I think the best way to avoid tailor
horror stories is to learn how to sew and 360creativehub offers sewing tools
as well as creative spaces for all the dope designers and faithful tailors out
there. If you are one, please leave a comment down below.
Now, working with Ankara can be quite tricky sometimes as the prints can be quite
daring but this post featuring 5 ways to rock ankara pieces has got you
covered. Also see here and here for more ways on how I style ankara co-ord sets in the past.
How would you style this dress or co-ord set differently?
Any horror stories at the hands of Nigerian tailors? Please share them below.
What trends are you currently incorporating into your ankara or African print
fabrics?
See you on Wednesday for another outfit post.
Talk to me on
Love the sleeve!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks hun, flared sleeves are my favourite at the moment.
DeleteFIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRE! I love it. And I'm all about separates, myself. It just gives me more value if I can wear them in multiple ways.
ReplyDeleteBerry Dakara Blog
Right, multiples offer more styling options. Thanks Berry
DeleteMummy Clara did an amazing job, when you find a good tailor hold her close cos they are hard to find oh.
ReplyDeleteI love the addition of the belt made the look.
Girl did you change your camera the pictures look so good.
Itsdivadiaries.com
I know girl, felt the pain when I left my good tailor in Calabar. Mommy Clara understands me, my main issue with her is her finishing. Thanks, I initially unsure of the addition but I'm glad it worked out. And, no I did not change my camera, I'm finally learning how to use it better and Photoshop editing is helping too.
DeleteLove, love, love. Love the fabric and the style.
ReplyDeleteI would need an entire month to talk about my experience at the hands of Nigerian tailors. From outfits that looked nothing like we agreed on, to fabrics that just plan got missing.
What annoys me the most isn't even the fact that they get the styles wrong, but that some of them dare to insist that the style they have made is what we agreed on. Some would even say it's not possible to achieve what we agreed on and I'm just there wondering why they didn't just say so from the get go. Rather than use my fabric to do a a gamble. Tailors and mechanics. All of them are not well. lol.
Now, I've learnt that its a risk. 50/50 if you may. It might just come out well or not. lol.
DeleteThanks Tee, coming from the Ankara queen, it means a lot. I feel you girl, it’s sad we should catch up on those stories one of these days. Yeah girl it’s frustrating when they do not get your vision. Honestly all these Nigerian Artisans are the same; they will never tell you they can't. They'd rather do trial and error than loose a customer. And yes it's a risk even with good tailors. They might sew nice stuff for your friends but then when it comes to you they mess up. I think the best thing to do though is to learn how to sew and forget them.
This Ankara outfit is perfect, love the color it's really attractive. If I were to style it, I'd do away with the belt. I actually don't have any horror story from Nigerian Tailors, my mum sews my Ankara outfits.
ReplyDeleteBernie, xx
The Style Fanatic
I love the colour too girl. And honestly since its a two piece and not a dress, I doubt it would work without a belt. And lucky you, I wish I had a close relative who could sew. Thank you for stopping by hun.
DeleteSarah I remember vividly well when a tailor disappointed me. she changed my butterfly sleeves top to a somewhat bat sleeves top. I was infuriated.
ReplyDeleteLol sorry hun, this imagery is cracking me up for some reason but I can relate. Oh the disappointment!
DeleteThis look has been giving me. Soooo much life, like you won't believe!!!! I'm definitely doing something Ankara related soon. Love this post
ReplyDeletequirksandoutfits.wordpress.com
Thanks so much Vincent, I look forward to reading your post.
ReplyDeleteI have had so many issues with tailors that if I start you'd be reading an essay but let's just say I've learned how to deal with my current tailor and she has been good. I am a big fan of two-pieces myself and all because of the endless styling as separates. Love this print and that belt too.
ReplyDeletewumituase.com
Lol perhaps you would condsider writing that essay someday lol. Thanks God for faithful tailors. And yes to Seperate peices, thank you.
DeleteThis is hot!
ReplyDeletewww.tlmurban.com