Within my reality

This week has been a busy week with school. Its like one case, paper, or assignments after another. I am really looking forward to summer break and a vacation.

Since the weather was warm a few days ago, I handed my camera to my friend Chioma to be my photographer for the day since hubby was at work.  It was fun playing photo shoot with her.

On another note, since the constant change in weather, I like incorporating boots to my outfits and there are great variety of women's boots that add a touch of color to an outfit.  You should check them out at www.very.co.uk for some great boots.

Now, I have to go back to my reality called school work, but I am so sleepy :)

But first, Happy Birthday to my dear friend/lawyer in the making Kasie...!

Have a lovely week and Thanks to my new followers

XOXO

Stella

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Outfit: H&M pants & shirt, Sam Edelman "Lorrisa"

A Traditional Side Of Me

I almost forgot that I promised to post the traditional part of my wedding until a reader reminded me.

For my readers who do not know much about Nigeria wedding. This is how I incorporated Nigerian wedding styles. After the usual church wedding with the wedding gown, suit, bridesmaids and all that, we changed to traditional attires.
making an entrance after changing into the traditional attire

For my wedding, I picked two different african fabrics that blended with my purple & green theme--all my bridal train wore the fabric with more purple details, while my other friends wore the green fabric. Of course, the parents had their own separate fabric that they chose.
These are some of my bridesmaids in their traditional fabric and styles

Here are some of my friends in their own fabric & styles

Here, my mom and dad are wearing the same material, but my mom's friends had their own chosen fabric (pink with some purple details)


Also, my husband's families are all wearing the same fabric in different styles.


Quick glance-->One fabric, different styles




After partying until almost 2am on 5in heels and barely 4hrs of sleep the night before, I was ready for my bed--I surely had a blast ;)


Happy weekend everyone!
XOXO

photos by: Paosin and Smartfoto

Orange and Green in full effect...

Saturday was a friend's wedding. Thank goodness the weather didn't interrupt all these styles. Everyone was looking great--the new couple in town was looking so cute. The colors were orange and green and all her friends sure represented for her. We all wearing her "asoebi" (which like a uniform that friends and family buy and wear it on the day of the wedding). Enjoy the pictures and culture...


bride and groom



the bridemaids looking lovely :)

Cropped Tops

I love cropped tops. I was digging through some of my abandoned clothes and I found this cropped top that I bought when I was 16 in Minnesota. Now I am looking and stocking up on more cropped tops. I remember how my friends and I were obsessed with crop tops in Nigeria. We wore them a lot to anamco club, uzomiri, and other school parties. Does anyone who live/lived in Enugu remember these "bash" lmao.
Ok, back to crop tops:

tfs

america apparel

tfs


urban outfitters

Topshop

asos

asos

topshop


What do you guys think of cropped tops?? LOVE IT OR HATE IT?

Celebrating HER

One December 07 morning--gosh!, does she love fashion!!!--she will always dress up--from her long necklaces to her chucky earrings like she has a place to go, but instead she will just sit on her bed and reread her stock folders. :)


The last presence with her--hours before my flight--Jan, 08.

Its been 10months since she left, but it still feels like yesterday. It is hard to look at her pictures sometimes; but when I look at these pictures, it just reminds me of the last fun days with her. The pictures were taken last December 2007 and early January 2008.

One of the most difficult day was getting the call on one morning in late Feburary from Nigeria that she has passed away. I still couldn't believe it because I couldn't believe this person I love and just spoke to couple days ago is no longer with us. I remember talking to her two days before she passed, she sensed I was tearing up and she pleaded that I should stop crying and that everything is in control. She continued by saying, "God is in control, keep doing the good things that you have always done". At the end of the conversation, I remember telling her, "I love you" about twice because the phone signal wasn't that clear, and she responded despite the effect of the medication she had and how sleepy she was, she whispered back, "you know I love you". This last words just forever rings in my ears when I think about her.

I am not going to lie, I still can't write or talk about her without a box of kleenex beside me. Even the thought of visiting Nigeria this Decemember knowing that the main person I go there to see, will not be there or the fact of coming across some of the items she wanted me to get for her this xmas, but I can't get it anymore, its a bit sad.

Well, there is not much I can do but celebrate her. She has been such great inspiration to me. I remember as a little kid, I will write letters to her; but when I come to visit her, she will sit beside me and help correct my punctuation or spellings. She was a woman that stood for eduation. She was so proud when I set her pictures of my graduation last year. :)

Today this beautiful lady, my lovely grandma, would have been 89 years old today, so I am celebration this phenomenal woman--Mrs. Susanna Dillibe.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA!! :)
RIP
xoxo

Pop of Color

It feels so good to just be home sleeping in today. I have finally decided to get contacts--yes, I do use prescription glasses which I dislike because it hurts the bridge of my nose and it makes it difficult for me to wear my lovely sunglasses ;-). Hope I like using contact because I don't like the idea of sticking my hands in my eyes lol. Stay tuned because I will definitely have my complains or love for the contacts.
Hope everyone is having a wonderful week. Those looking forward to the weekend, hold tight because its almost here. :)

I had a question from an anonymous reader who wanted to know places where to take kids to in Lagos or Abuja, Nigeria. To answer your question my lovely reader, I have found some few places I believe your kids will enjoy. In Lagos, there are places like the Water Park, Lekki Conservation Center in Lekki, Silver Bird Cinema, Fantasy Land, and Funtopia to name a few. In Abuja, there are Wonderland Park, Children's Garden, and Millennium Park. I hope this helps!

peace!
xoxo




Outfit: F21 tank & bag, Express tights, Colin Stuart boots, H&M beret,

Pictures they Never show: Nigeria (West Africa)

I think am a bit home sick. I miss my good old friends, cousins, and aunts. I really miss the fun I had last December when I visited. Am looking forward to my visit this year because I get to reunite with old friends who are in Nigeria and those who are coming back from other countries. I guess, it's sort of like a reunion.
The difficult part when I remember home is that I will not get to see my grandma, who past away late February of this year. I don't know how I will handle not seeing her when I get back because the BIG reason I go visit more often was to see her--until then, I don't want to get teary eye talking about her.

Meet my nana:
This picture was taken in Jan. 08, 1-2hrs before I departed back to America--this was my last with her, Love u, RIP


Ok, off from the sad part, here are pictures of areas they never show you about Nigeria. Enjoy
Lagos state beach
Fast food joint
Wonderland Park, Abuja State
Ocean Crest School, Lagos State
Shopping center called Shoprite, Lagos state

xoxo



Photo credit: facebook group: Africa they never show

My Country...Nigeria

Today I am inviting you all to a piece of me. Apart from being a twenty something year old fashion obessesed girl; living in a state where there is little fashion around. My life started in the continent of Africa; precisely, West Africa Nigeria--where I was born and raised before moving to America in my early teens . A lot of people that I have met don't really know much about Africa except what the media portrays: poverty, crime, diseases... to name a few. I have never watched any TV documentation that actually sheds light on the good things about Africa. I have decided to tell you about my country Nigeria. Nigeria brought one of the best-known writers, the first African Noble prize winner in Literature Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe know for the novel “Things Fall Apart”. Nigerian music includes different kinds of music from folk, Fuji, to hip hop. Some famous and budding artists from Nigeria are Fela Kuti, Femi Kuti, Sade Aduand (better known as Sade), Psquare, TuFace Idibia, 9ice and many more. Nigeria is also the 4th leading gas exporter to America. Here are a few pictures to enjoy

Obudu ranch, Crossriver State, Nigeria

Residential area

Silver bird mall, Lagos state, Nigeria

Lagos State

National Stadium, Abuja state (capital of Nigeria), Nigeria

Sources: edofolks.com, facebook group: "The African they never show", blackhearld.egoong.com