Hit the re-set button: Happy New Year!! Its 2016!

Happy New Year everyone!!!

And yes, I know we are in February. Long time, no speak. How is it going for you? Are you well? I hope the cold isn't slowing you down? Are you keeping up with the resolutions you made at the beginning of the year?

If like me, the answers are 'blah', 'eh', 'of course it is' and 'hell-to-the- no!!!', it's time to hit the re-set button and start over. So like I said...HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I wasn't ready!!

Every time the new year comes around, my mind is consumed with resolutions and changes that I have to make.

'I will loose weight and be healthy. This year I will join the gym and actually go!' 

(I say as I sip on my home-made Bailey's and Oreo milkshake with full fat whip cream on top)

'I will do better in life by having a more positive outlook'

'I will get a new and better job'

'I will get my finances in check'

(Do I need another pair of black boots which happen to be 70% off on ASOS? Yes. Yes I do)

'I will find a man and have a meaningful relationship' 

(That's actually my mum's resolution for me. Apparently biological my clock is ticking so loud my family back home in Nigeria are calling worried for me)

I remember one year, many moons back, when I actually to joined a gym. I had the plan of going 4 times a week. I wanted to be healthier, fitter and this for me was the way to do it. A friend of mine who's a gym-addict, laughed at me when I told him I'd joined.

Mr Fitness First is a happy man.

He said to me, "don't be like those sheep who jump on the new year wave. New members flock to the gym on this new year kick and all they do is make Mr Fitness First a very happy man. Once the bug has worn off, the sheep stay home. It's great for me when because I get my space back to do a proper workout. The extra bodies really cramp my style". *Cue the biceps flex*

Look mate I didn't complain when you gym lot crowded my favourite bars during Christmas because you wanted to wanted to get into the 'festive mood'. I'm just saying.

Anyway, it's not just me. A lot of people fall into the 'New Year's resolution trap'. So after looking back over my practise month, I've come up with a guide which I'm going to use to deal with my resolutions. Hopefully this will help me have a better handle on things. So here it goes...

The MsChiVious guide to Resolutions

Step 1 - DON'T HAVE RESOLUTIONS

Set a goal instead. I know what you are thinking, they are the same thing right? By definition a resolution is,

"a firm decision to do or not to do something"

And a goal is

"the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result"

(definitions taken from Google. Don't judge me! The Oxford dictionary was not within my reach)

The way I see it, having a resolution seems so fixed and rigid. First because of it's fixed point ties to the New Year and secondly, when you have a resolution it's either do it or you don't. There's no room for flexibility. If you break it, it's almost feels like you've failed. Having a goal is all about going on a journey to get what you want. The thing about journeys is that they are not always straight forward. There will definitely be bumps on the way. The good thing about journeys is that there are many routes to get to your destination so if one way doesn't work you can try another.

Step 2 - KNOW THE REASON WHY

If there is no good reason behind the need to change, I won't do it. The more important the 'why' the more of an effort I'll make to sticking to my goal. For example, going to the gym to be fitter is not as good a reason as going to the gym to get beach-bod ready for my holiday to St Tropez.

Step 3 - MAKE IT REALISTIC

Sticking with the gym thing, trying to go 4 times a week off the bat didn't work. Too much too soon. Start small and build up allows you to get into a rhythm you can work with and it's easier to build on.

Step 4 - PLAN AND SET TARGETS

Create a plan of action to reach your goal. Research methods that will work for you and call in the experts if you need to. Give yourself milestones to work towards and evaluate your process at each point to make sure the route you are taking works for you. If it doesn't, make changes

Step 5 - REWARD YOURSELF

No harm in treating yourself for every milestone you reach but the ultimate reward comes from reaching your goal. Personally I treat myself to a new pair of heels when I reach my goals. A nice added incentive.

Step 6 - LET THE RESULTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

There's no need to announce everything you are planning to do but it's up to you how much you tell people. Sometimes it's better to go through your journey without too many prying eyes and the added pressure of being a 'goldfish in a glass bowl'. Personally I feel less guilty about any slip ups along the way because only I know about them. Just let the results speak for themselves. 

So there it is. Pretty basic stuff so shouldn't be too hard to follow. I'll drop an update a little further down the line to show you how I get on.

How do you guys stay on top of your resolutions or goals?

Until next time...

Stay MsChiVious xoxoxo

All that glitters...

I love that glitter is no longer for the arts and craft table and festival goers. It is now a feature on the make up table too. And I have to say I'm glad it has. It's such an easy way to add a bit of glam any look, especially during this festive season where sparkle is a must.

Don't get me wrong, glitter is not new in the world of eye shadows, nail varnishes and such. I have a few already in my collection. What I'm really excited by is it being used in unexpected ways.

Glitter lips

Glitters lips is not really a huge jump baring in mind loads of lipsticks have glitter in them. But one brand which popped on my radar brings you glitter in an array of colours and it has the staying power of up to 8 hours! It is Glitter Lips by Beauty Boulevard. Good news for drinkers and those getting lip action when the clock strikes 12.

www.beautyboulevard.co.uk

Glitter hair

Even your mane can get involved in the action. Grab some glitter spray and go crazy 

Ms Ora loves a bit of gold sparkle

Great way to cover up your roots 

Glitter beards 

For all you guys looking to take the beard game to the next level, throw some glitter on your beard. The more crazy the colour the better 

It's just like candy-floss

Glitter armspits???

Here is where I draw the line here! The armpits are not really areas I want to draw attention to. I'm feeling itchy thinking about it.

Let me know what you guys think. Is the glitter thing something you would try and where would you try it?

Until next time...

Stay MsChiVious xoxoxo

Get the London Fashion Week Look

London Fashion Week has come and gone, leaving us with the newest looks and trends to look forward to in the coming year. If like me you're impatient and want to rock the looks now, you can do at a fraction of the cost. You just need to get creative!

My favourite stylist Emma Slade Edmonson has taken up the challenge and shown us it can be done. She did this by recreating LFW Catwalk looks minutes after the shows streamed live using only clothing found at a charity shop, namely Oxfam.

Check out the full story and all the looks by going to the Charity Fashion Live website

Keen to get in on the action, Mashable UK has teamed up with CFL to recreate their favourite looks from LFW using clothing donated to Charity and yours truly makes a feature!! Here are some of my favourite looks...

House of Holland

Marcus Lupfer

The record bag was one of the best finds of the day!!!!

Peter Jensen 

To see all the looks that were recreated, the full article is available on Mashable UK. Just click the link

This definietly proves you can achieve looks at LFW at a fraction of the cost by popping into your local charity shop. Or better still get Emma to do it for you!!

Special thanks to the team that put this all together

Lead Stylist; Emma Slade Edmondson

Styling assistant: Laura Bowers

Make-up artists: Moneet Heyer and Xavier Somerville

Mashable UK

Fashion Reporter: David Yi

UK Editorial Intern: Charlei Mock

Photographer; Jack W. Taylor

And very special thanks to the amazing charity shops the clothes were sourced from and who supported this project.

Traid Dalston www.traid.org.uk/

Scope Hackney www.scope.org.uk 

Sense Hackney www.sense.org.uk

Until next time...

Stay MsChivious xoxox

Nail-ed it with grey

With the sun making more of an appearance, I've been feeling the summer vibes. It's time for bright colours and bold designs. Unfortunately for me my nail technician decided to be away on holiday when it was time to fix the talons...typical! 

I decided to go for something a bright but muted.

Pretty 😍

Brand: Gellish

Colour: Shade 59 - soft grey 

Until next time...

Stay MsChiVious xoxoxo

The Wedding Season: Something new...

...symbolises optimism for the future and the new life the bride will have with her husband...

I hate last minute changes. If there is a plan, stick to it and everybody walks away happy. But alas life is never so straight forward. So I myself have learnt to handle changes in a professional and dignified manner. There should always be a plan B. No Diva should EVER be caught out. 

For the next wedding in the wedding season I have to say it completely caught me by surprise. Not a surprise like the couple decided to elope at the last minute and needed me as a witness, but rather that the couple pulled a fast one and brought the wedding forward by a few months. Really guys??? Really?? You just gonna throw a curve ball in this mother... Woo Sah...

As you know, in the Wedding Season series, I'm trying to create wedding looks using African designs and prints in a non-traditional way of wearing it. In the old days finding outfits made from African prints in the high street was a complete myth. If by chance you found a shop which sold anything, the styles were very dated and choice was limited. So for those that don't know, the only way to get what you want is to go to Petite coat lane market (near Liverpool street station) on a Sunday, check the material shops to find a pattern that tickles your fancy and take it to a seamstress to put together in a style of your choice. (All African families that I know have that one go-to "seamstress aunty" that makes clothes in her kitchen). A few weeks later your outfit is ready. Done and done. 

No time to stick to normal protocol with this wedding. A new plan was needed. I decided to do something I had never done before. Buy an off-the-rack dress....*cue Hitchcock suspense music* 

Where to start though? I had no go-to store to start with or even what brands to investigate. Time was ticking away. First stop was the good ol' Google search. So not helpful especially when millions of hits come up and you cant really tell the quality of the clothes. Most of the available options seemed to only be online based and I wanted to go in and try before I bought anything. I had to give up using the internet for the sake of my eyes. Lucky for me I'm blessed with friends in the know and it was suggested SIKA boutique would hold the answers for me. Annoyingly by the time I reviewed this life-saving info, it was late Thursday night. The wedding was Saturday morning so I'd only have Friday to get hair, shoes and dress sorted. A plan was needed. There is no room for error. I mean the time allocated for my hair would be at least 6 hours and I needed time for find a back-up outfit if SIKA didn't work out...the pressure!

The plan was:

• Wake up early Friday 
• Pack overnight bag
• Get dress from SIKA
• Go to hairdressers 
• Then make my way to South where I would chill overnight ready for the wedding the next day

Easy.

What actually happened was:

• Woke up late
• Skipped packing
• Went to make my way to SIKA boutique in Greenwich. Got to Greenwich station only to realise I'd left my purse at home.
• Had to go back home to retrieve purse

Let's pause right there... *breathe* 

By this point (if you can't tell) my stress level was through the roof. Now it was a race against the clock to make sure I make it for my hair appointment. Oh God, and I still have to choose a dress..?!?! Will this stress never end??? 

After getting back to Greenwich and barrelling through the crowds of tourists on their way to see the Cutty Sark, think Uma Thurman slicing through all the assassins to get to Lucy Lu in Kill Bill, I finally made it. 

Within minutes found my dress. Four to be exact. Just like that. I astounded myself at how easy it was. But looking back at the clothes in the store it was always going to be easy. Designer Phyllis Taylor has beautifully taken specially selected prints and materials from markets in Ghana and flawlessly designed them into clothing which is not only stunning but beautifully made. I love that the designs are not overpowering but still make you stand out from the crowd. Not like some of the outfits my "seamstress aunty" would create. 

"No aunty I don't need another bow on my dress. You have given me an extra 12 already!"

I connected with a Mint and Chocolate one-shoulder maxi dress and to me this is perfect for any wedding. 

"Looking good like a bag of money"

Makeup was kept simple. I let my lips do all the talking *mwah*

Lips: Russian Red by MAC

"Smile"

Hair by Divas by Claudia

She makes it easy to bring a slice of West Africa into your everyday closet. Since that day I have become a huge fan of the brand. I left the store a VERY happy woman.Too see more amazing outfits from SIKA, visit the website www.sikadesigns.co.uk or pop into the Greenwich store. 

SIKA Boutique, 4 College approach, London,SE10 9HY

ASOS also understands how fab SIKA is and the two fashion forces have teamed up to give us a limited edition collection known as SIKA X ASOS which includes the following beauties

GET THEM WHILE YOU STILL CAN!

Until next time...

Stay MsChiVious xoxoxo

Shoe Chronicles: Oh my October *swoon*

Winter is back with avengence! Time to bring out the thermals and get cozy. Naturally the shoe of choice for this season are boots. In fact they are a must!

No reason to keep it plain though. Rocking a pair of these fabulous Guiseppe Zanotti boots, you will have people swooning around your feet and with their voices full of admiration saying "Oh my..."

It was 😍 at first sight ❤️❤️❤️

Until the next shoe find...

Stay MsChiVious xoxoxo 

Don't push me coz I'm close to the edge...

...I'm trying not to loose my head...

Sometimes taking a few days to yourself can be the difference between you keeping your sanity and ending up on MI-5's most wanted (though I wouldn't be against a rough and tumble with Daniel Craig's 007). With the temperature dropping, the best way to catch the 'feel-good' feeling is with a bit of good ol' vitamin D. I opted for a weekend trip to sud de la France. 

For less than a train ticket to Warrington, you can find yourself in the air on your way to the sun. My area of choice was the quaint area of Beziers, nicely tucked away amongst vineyards. The only snag is the airline you have to settle with. As long as you are happy to brave budget airlines such as EastJet or RyanAir, you can find yourself by the enjoying a great meal by the canal.

Enjoying a meal of Canard aux pêches (Duck with peach)

I even tried snails in a garlic and bacon sauce...tre bien

In fact when I booked, a return ticket from Beziers was about £60! (Via RyanAir and leaving from London Luton airport) 

It's not a party area on the riviera so don't expect late night bars and clubs. This is place you come to totally get away from the big smoke. 

Lovely day in the sun on the Canal du Midi

So what are you waiting for? Get some well deserved R&R :)

Jusqy'à la prochaine fois...

Stay MsChiVious xoxoxo 

I love French windows