Ode to My Fashion

 Hi y’all! I am back with another DIY.  Back when I was in Abidjan (check my articles here , here , here ,  here  and here in case you missed them), I did some window shopping at Noom hotel boutique. I saw this cute bag in velvet embellished with cowrie shells. I have previously seen the brand on Instagram. However, I was not agreeing with the prices.  That is why I decided to make myself a similar bag. And you can too following my instructions. Here is what you need: - a small bag preferably in velvet or any other soft fabric bag - cowrie shells - bronze jewelry or brooch (optional) - needles and thread  Start by positioning the cowrie shells on the bag and mark it. Then with the threaded needle, sew the cowries one by one. Make sure they are properly secure to the bag. Repeat the process until you see all the cowrie shells. And voila.  It is super easy. I tried several patterns and finally settled on this one. The less cowrie I had, the better the bag looked to me. I think the total

 Hi y’all! One of my friend got married recently. She actually got married legally last year and I attended. This year was the Church wedding. As in true Senegalese fashion, it was to be followed by a reception and a Yendu (brunch) the following day.  The Bride and Groom : The Barros  For the reception, I wanted to wear something different from what I usually wear. I am sure I have already told you this, but weddings are different in Senegal, particularly Catholic weddings. People put on their best attire, and women tend to favor gowns or cocktail dresses. I had to look the part. Moreover, I was tired of always wearing Boubous or Princess cut style gowns.   I searched the internet to score that one unique gown I could rock. However, the prices I saw were way too high. When did clothes get this expensive in this country? It is outrageous. I do support local designers but the prices have to make sense to me.  My other option was to have something tailor made. However I spent way too much