Something old, Something new, Something borrowed, Something blue...The Wedding Season

Why is it that things always seem to happen at once? Each day goes by and everything in the world is quiet and uneventful. It starts with one out of the ordinary wedding invitation which puts a plop of neon colour into my already colourful social calendar. Seemingly ages away, no immediate panic for planning or outfit hunting sets in. I've got time and it's only one wedding so why worry...right? Wrong!

As if someone triggered the wedding season starter pistol, the invites start flooding in. The season of the wedding is upon me. Damn! And I thought I had some time left. Now I have to look forward to the looks and questions from family. 'When are you getting married Ms Chi?' 'Is there a man who will be dropping on one knee soon?' My answer always remains the same, 'when you find him, let me know'.

So back to the issue at hand. Finding suitable wedding outfits for all these weddings. Everyone knows there are unwritten rules for wedding attire such as:

1. Do not outshine the bride.
2. Do not wear white - that includes ivory, cream or pale egg shell or anything in that family.
3. Do not wear black - are you going to a funeral or something? Though if truth be told wearing black is not such an issue as long as the outfit doesn't look boring. A pop of colour with the accessories and shoes always does the trick.
4.  Keep boob and leg exposure under control.
5. Remember you're going to a wedding not a club. Don't show up in what you wore to the club last week!! I have seen it happen!
6. DO NOT outshine the bride - So important it has been mentioned twice!!!

I'm sure I've missed out on one or two other important ones. Be sure to comment below mentioning any I have missed but these are the top ones that I could think of.

Now, I am not a big fan of events which have limitations on what you can show up in. Wear what makes you feel good I say. Just as long as you make it work. Let us rise up and rebel against the oppressive system of wedding guest attire. Actually, scratch that! I will be getting married one day and I will not be having any hoochie looking outfits or people looking like they haven't had any family training attending my wedding. Certain rules will be enforced by security on the day and don't get it twisted or confused, those who don't comply by attending in appropriate outfits will suffer severe consequences. So I guess I have to lead by example and try and find suitable outfits which will make the brides to be happy.

With only four weddings to attend this year, my search should be pretty simple. So to get a feel for what's out there, my first stop is to check out ASOS (www.asos.com). Going through what feels like 1000's of dresses  on their site, a useful tip would be to start with a colour palette and look for dresses based on that.  I'm not one to blend into the crowd with my colour choices but keeping the rules in mind I decide to go with a muted palette, namely the dark pastels, beige and grey. It really helped me to narrow the search.

Pages and pages of bodycon, peplum and maxi dresses pass me by. Some very nice pieces by nothing with that 'X-factor' or 'Zazz' I want. I now know how much the fashion angels love me because the next dress that appeared on my screen would not have done so without their intervention. This gorgeous CHARMING dress by fashion brand Three Floor is everything I'm looking for.

The colours are within my chosen palette, shows enough skin without being too much (though I have to say it's a bit on the edge which is why I love it) and finally and most importantly IT IS GORGEOUS!!!!!!

Only being launched last year (November 2011), they are definitely on my list of brands to watch out for. The clothes are fun, unique and seem easy to wear with their choice of playful textures. You can find more of their amazing pieces on their website www.threefloorfashion.com or follow them on twitter @3_Floor

So that is one wedding outfit crossed of the list. The next question to answer is "what shoes to wear with this dress...?"

Until next time...

Stay MsChivious

Definition of Vogue featuring yours truly

Diva's and Gentlemen,

Check me out in the exciting new blog for all you style lovers called 'The Definition of Vogue'. It's run by the fantabulous Ms Mariama Wurie who has such a keen eye for spotting new talent and key trends in the world of fashion. She almost loves shoes as much as I do, which is such a rare find. That puts 'The definition of Vogue' firmly on the MsChi-Vious list of fab blogs.

(Strike a pose... And Vogue!)

And wouldn't you know it, little ol...I mean the young and fabulous me has been featured in her blog.

It is available via the following link so make sure to check it out!

http://thedefinitionofvogue.wordpress.com/2012/11/15/feature-friday-chi-kalu-aka-mschivious/

Yay!! Love it! It has the MsChi-Vious sealed of approval. I especially love her Friday Features which showcases new talent which you need to know about.

(Shock face. I'm so happy at this honour)

I know this post is a bit late but its my blog and I can do what I wanna... But for real, I have been caught up in the mad world of MsChi-Vious! Now that we are in a new year, things will be on track shortly.

Until next time...

Stay MsChi-Vious

Help!!!! I must face the Abyss...(my closet)

April! The month of 'out with the old and in with the new'. This is the time for my annual 'Winter to Spring/Summer Transitional Closet Clear-out' to welcome in the summer vibes which should surely be upon us (yeah right! but we can hope for a decent summer this year). We had a  few unexpected weeks of sun in March which was amazing but completely threw me off. My closet was not prepared for this that I got stuck in a cycle wearing winter stuff but changing one thing to make it seem less dark. Safe outfits in other words. I know, I know its not like me but can't you blame me. After years of living in the UK I don't trust its weather. The time has now come to face the Abyss...

Like a lot girls, I have too many clothes and shoes for my own health. My room, or should I say closet with a bed hidden in it, needs to be de-congested in order to allow for any potential new additions (or better still to allow me to find my bed without having to leave a trail of breadcrumbs every morning). The task of clearing out my un-wearable clothes has always been a daunting one. In fact the reason I have left it so long is that I've been scared of finding a family of beavers comfortably taking residence in my jumper section. I don’t want to be one to up-route them from the home they have made for themselves within the Valley of the Jumpers. Imagine how warm it is there. And with the weather being as crap as it is, I fear it would be all out war with the beavers. Not something I'm willing to risk. Imagine the fatalities...

In background Aloe Blacc's 'I need a dollar' jumps on the radio. It reminds me that facing my closet is no easy task, mentally and financially. Now is the time to watch the pennies. Same old song about the recession but with a trip to Mexico and four weddings this year, two of which are abroad, that song is going to continue playing until I win the lottery (...that reminds me I need to play this week). Mum has also insisted that she is having her birthday break for which yours truly has to fork out the cost. What is the point in my having siblings when I have to pay for everything?!?! The idea of being an only child is looking so good right now. Rant aside, I need other options for my closet clear-out which won't break the bank.

Thank God for the services of Back of the Wardrobe. It's a great service run by the stylishly fabulous Emma that helps you organise your closet by making you face what your real style is. She helps you discover new ways to revamp and wear the stuff you already have, suggest key items which may assist with your look and with ruthless efficiency get rid of the stuff that has got to go, battling angry beavers along the way...my hero. Essentially she creates a new closet from your old closet without it costing the world. That would be such a huge help for me right now.

Check out the following link for more information  http://backofthewardrobe.com/.

My full review is to follow but check out the shoes Emma found which I forgot I had. I feel like a girl in a candy shoe shop :-D

Until Next Time....

Stay MsChiVious

I'm a V-virgin no more...

That's right ladies and gentlemen it has finally happened. At the prime age of 20 something I have lost my virginity and it was my friend Emma from Back of the Wardrobe along with photographer Laura's assistance who took it. She invited me to Spitafield Market bright and early, and like a lamb to the slaughter I went. I thought it was something that was going to happen privately and not in full view of 100's of people but Emma said it's better to jump right in for the world to see and I did and can proudly shout "I AM NOT A VINTAGE VIRGIN ANY MORE!!!"

What did you think I was taking about...? Lets step out of the gutter for a sec and get back to the story.

Shopping at a Vintage Markets is not for the faint hearted. It requires stamina, patience and concentration. All the qualities I was missing that day. Mainly to do with the fact that I was nursing the after effects of a crazy night out (Shout-out to TeamRockstar!). If I'm totally honest these qualities are almost lost on me in any shopping experience these days. I have become a 'see it, buy it' shopper. Long gone are the days I used to spend hours scouring the high streets, boutiques and department store for deals and fabulous clothes. That time has passed. I'm getting older...no I'm getting more mature and it all just seems like unnecessary stress. As a result my outfits have lost their edge. Emma's convinced I could get back my edge but I will have to search away from my comfort zone and into a vintage one.

The current fascination with vintage stuff in today's world of fashion never made sense to me. Why would you buy something that is old, has been worn and pre-owned by someone else! Yuk! I mean I know all the stuff is cleaned before it goes on show (actually I take that back. There was one stand where the stuff look like it was taken out of someone's dirty laundry basket...cringe), but you don't where it's been. That was always unnerving to me. What if I find an amazing dress and a curse has been placed on it where the wearer is forced to throw food on themselves when they come in contact with good-looking people?! I need to know things like this before I buy!
Saying that, the story behind the piece is what makes vintage stuff so charming. Not the items potentially having a hidden curse (make sure you always pray before you wear), but the fact that they is a story behind each piece and you become part of its history when you take it away.

Both Emma and Laura have been in the vintage game a lot longer than I have so took to the stalls like WAGs to footballers. The hawk-like way Emma scanned through the stuff at any stall and home in on the hidden prizes amazed me. To me it all looked like a hopeless mess. Rails upon rails of clothes, mountains of bags and shoes, its like trying to find a black person in an Abercrombie and Fitch ad. Then we hit the Nordic Poetry stall and the whole vintage thing started to make sense. I had finally found Wally! I immediately found pieces which I really liked and could easily work into my closet. I especially loved their collection of re-worked denim. My fav was the reworked demin shirt with leopard print collar. Fabulous!

But be warned: if you don't snap up what you see, someone else will. I found this out the hard way. I found this fantabulously amazing magnifying glass necklace at Trunk Junkie stall. My normal shopping ethos of snap it when you see it went right out the window. I guess being new to this vintage thing I thought I can always come back to it later and I wanted to make sure it was amazing by seeing what else was available at the market. By the time I realised my mistake and returned, it was gone. With the comfort of Emma (and a Mai Tai) I managed to get over my loss.

I did come away with something though. A modern take on a classic toy. These cute Lego earrings from MyselfForward

They do really fun pieces so definitely check them out

Check out Undercover Vintage Lover on Emma's site http://backofthewardrobe.com/ to see more about the day and more amazing pics by Laura Burgess of the great stuff we found.

Featured Traders

Trunk Junkie - you can find their stuff on ASOS MarketPlace 

https://marketplace.asos.com/women?WT.ac=ASOS_grpnav_UK

Nordic Poetry

http://nordicpoetry.com/ or follow on Twitter @NordicPoetry

Myself Forward

http://myselfforward.com/ 

Until next time...

Stay MsChiVious

The Shoe Chronicles: March Madness

March is the month of change. With the improving weather of the Spring months, the flowers begin to bloom showering the scenery with wonderful bright colours and the birds come out to play by singing their little hearts out first thing in the morning. Personally I am not impressed by the unnecessary daily 6am wake-up calls or the near blindness I suffer when I look out of my window but I have to confess there is a wonderful buzz in the air making everyone seem a lot happier and cheerful.

So now to the shoe which I feel reflects the madness of March. Presenting the yellow snakeskin courts courtesy of TopShop (www.topshop.com). They come in other bright and cheerful colours such as red and green. Kinda reminds me of a traffic light parties which took place at Uni where you wore the colour which reflects your relationship status. Red meaning no-go or taken, green meaning ready and available , and finally yellow/amber meaning 'are you brave enough to try your luck with my complicated situation?'...well that was my translation for it anyway.

In hind sight the yellow option reflects me perfectly. And i just loved them because they were bright. I wonder who will be brave enough to try their luck when I rock them...?

Until next time...

Stay MsChi-Vious

Mum says: Say Amen - What's that smell?

As I have said before, I love my mum. With March having Mother's day and her birthday in it, it makes sense to appreciate the fabulous craziness of her. And in true fashion this is the month she expects the most presents. Spa days, retreats, meals out she wants them all and rightly so. She is the woman who gave birth to me and my inspiration. A strong black woman who does all she can to support her family and give us all the love and care we need, as well as the best laughs ever.

This year mum has decided she wants to go away to catch some international vibes for her birthday. I'm like "mum I'm not made of money (yet) and its a bit last minute for you to be deciding to go away".
"Maybe I should take a trip to Italy again" she says.
"At least this time it will be to celebrate me and nothing sad"

That's true, I thought. The last trip to Italy was an emotionally charged one....delays, missed flights, long road trips and the funeral. I never really got to enjoy the beauty of Italy and promised myself that we would go back and do it properly. Even so because of my amazing mum, the flight back home was the ultimate highlight of trip and made this trip so worthwhile.

After spending ages playing around in duty-free with the perfume samples, it was finally time for us to board the plane. Two hours later I might add. Easy Jet have a special place of rage reserved for them within my soul but that is for another time.

So we begin the slow process of boarding. Arriving at our seats we get comfortable still playing with our samples, then all of a sudden it happens. Mum's moment begins...

Mum: What is that smell?
Me: *sniff sniff*

I am surround by perfume samples so it doesn't hit me at first then...

Me: OMG...Chai!!!!!
Mum: Chineke mei...its that girl in front of us!! Why is she smelling of death? Let her smell not kill me oooohhhh. Not on this plane!!!
Me: *rotfl in tears*
Mum: Chai!! Can someone open the window? I can't breathe
Me: mum sssshhhh ur talking really loud *lmao*
Mum: So?! I should be silent at an attempt on my life?!? I need to look that foul smelling girl in her eye and ask why. Who is her mother? Was she not raised to wash?

*eyes closed mum starts praying*

Mum: Holy ghost fire, I rebuke that devil from the girl's armpit that has been sent to attack me in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. Say amen then!!
Me: Amen

Maybe I should take her on holiday. I wonder what would happen this time...

Happy Birthday Month mumzy and Happy Mother's day to all the crazy mums out there.

Until next time....

Stay MsChi-Vious

The Shoe Chronicles: February's Fabulous Find

February is typical a quiet month for me. It's the month I use to pay off all the crazy spending I do over December and January... It's not my fault everyone I know have their birthdays in December and January. Jesus, all my 3 siblings and my besties, that's a lot of celebrating to do. Shopping is therefore out of the question if I want to remain in the black

This February was going to follow the same pattern as all the others on the shoe front but as they say "expect the unexpected..."

It was the last day in Feb and I'm having a catchup session with my girl Lady S who takes me to this amazing Thai place in Covent Garden called Tamarai www.tamarai.com - you have so got to check it out. But before we get there I have to wait for her diva-ness to arrive as she is running on ethnic time...tut tut. Funny thing is I thought I was bad running on MsChiVious time...

What is there to do in Covent Garden while I'm waiting for Lady S? Hmmmmm....hello?!? Can you say shopping?!! So I wonder into a few shops with the bright and wonderful things all around me catching me my eye. Temptation is all around and I think I do very well not to fall into the trap.

So when I happen to waltz into Zara and come across these simple and chic wedge booties, I can't say no. I should reward myself for not being tempted by the spell of Covent Garden....ooopps
(Available at Zara stores or online at www.zara.com)

Stay MsChi-Vious

The Passing of a Legend: My Great Uncle James 'Giringory' Iroha

Yesterday (28th Feb, 2012) I received the news that the great legend James Akwari Iroha had passed away. Most people remember him as 'Giringory' the character he played on the legendary comedy show 'New Masquerades' which captivated audiences in Nigeria during the 80's. To me he was just Uncle Giringory.

I don't really remember watching the show myself. I was too young at the time to even understand the story let alone watch. What I remember most is the laughter. Watching or listening to his work always left you in stitches. There was always a feeling of joy which resonated at the very mention of him. He seemed to spread joy everywhere he was. 


My most distinctive memory about Uncle Giringory is not about him specifically but the way my mother face used to always light up whenever he was mentioned or we listened to his work on the stereo (mum still has the recordings of his show on vinyl. One of her favourites being 'Monkey Pepper Soup). She almost seems to have been transported to a joyful time in her youth when Uncle Giringory and the rest of the family were gathered together telling jokes and stories.


Over Christmas I was lucky enough to see Uncle Giringory with my family. Having lost his eyesight, he wasn't the bouncy, energetic man that I remember. But that didn't stop him from cracking jokes and making us laugh. To me that is the true legacy of Uncle Giringory. Regardless of what was going on around him he always seemed to find a way to make you laugh and that is what he should be remembered for. Not many of us are lucky to have this gift. The life of this national treasure should be celebrated.


My heart goes out to the Iroha family during this difficult time and I pray that God will give them the strength to stay positive and remember the good times and laughter his life has given to so many.


Ka Chineke nara mkpuru obi gi 
R.I.P De James (Uncle Giringory)

Snow Regrets...

So it finally happened! We had snow. personally I didn't believe it was going to come. I mean who really believes what the weather man says...right?! It's like the story of 'The Boy who cried Wolf' no one ever believes until it is too late.




I'm going to tell you a little story about a when the wolf actually comes to town. 




It's a cold Saturday evening in February and its time to get ready my friend Ms Di birthday dinner in Covent Garden. The outfit is planned according to the chilled out dinner celebration and then I select my heels to complete the look. The heels in question are my 5in black KG courts with python heel. Simple but effective.

(don't you just love them) 

At the time of my exit there are a few, and I mean few specs of London's kryptonite on the floor so I figured the heels are a suitable option. I was already running late by GMT standards, so to alter the shoes choice would mean I'd have to alter the whole outfit! The shoe choice was the start of my outfit and everything else was based around it. The time for such major outfit alternation decisions did not exist.


Ms Di was not too impressed with my time-keeping at this point, something she should have learned by now. I'm never on time, I MsChi-Viously arrive (apart from when it comes to my employment duties for all you future employers/partners out there...) Changing shoes would have been a whole other drama in itself. Not an option so time to think of a plan...


Take cab to tube station
Tube to Covent garden
Get to the restaurant 
Enjoy my meal 
And then reverse the journey home...simples!


As you can see from the picture above those shoes ain't made for walking. Taking a cab all the way is would have been costly (we are in a credit crunch people!) so I tried to meet somewhere in the middle to minimise walking time and financial costs. It was a great plan


Or so I thought...


I forgot to factor in London Transport


The meal was lovely. I got caught up in the enjoyment of good conversation and food to notice the flakes death calmly dropping from the sky. Imagine the shock I received when the road was blanketed in snow. Thank God Mr L was there to help walk me back to the station or else I would have been crawling back. 


As you can tell the plan didn't work in reverse. London Transport saw to that. The Victoria line was closed that weekend for works (typical) which meant my route was via the Central line. I jumped on the overly packed Monday morning-like train to get back to Holborn and 'lo and behold the central line refused to work when I arrived...Great! So i'm thinking the plan can still be salvaged if i get on the Jubilee line to Stratford, which means making my way back to Green Park. Again London Transport thwarted my advance. The Jubilee was suspended by the time I arrived. It was such a comedy of errors. What did they want me to do...walk!?!?!? This meant my only option was to now is to get the bus. 


Two and a half hours of slow moving traffic, swerving buses and near misses later I get home. Why didn't you just take a taxi you say. I tried! I got to the taxi office in Dalston and they said no more taxis. I had to jump back on the bus again all the way home. I managed to get near my house as the bus refused to go any further, to one of my local taxi offices. The walk there was one of the scariest I have ever experienced in my life. Crouched over taking baby steps like the elderly passers by watched as I tackled the journey. The fear of falling and seriously hurting myself plagued every step. No one felt sympathy enough to assist me in my plight. What has happened to society today? The sense of wanting to help your fellow man (woman) in need?
Well I guess when they realised I wasn't old their thoughts changed to 'this chick is crazy! Heels in snow?' Some even had the cheek to secretly laugh at my predicament. To be honest, I would have done the same but if the shoes were fabulous I would have understood. 


As I made it into the taxi office, drivers were walking out saying they were done for the night. One guy commented "I've been hit twice already and Mo's car has broken down near Woodford! I'm going home". I froze. I was so close to my house it was ridiculous. I felt like a hungry person getting to Nando's and being told they have run out of chicken!! 
One of the drivers must have noticed the panic on my face. 
"Where are you going to?" he said 
"Just down the road" I said
"Seeing as it's on my way home, I'll take you"
I couldn't believe it. I could have kissed him I was so happy. Then the cheeky so and so said it would be double fare and my smile left. To be honest I didn't really care. I was going to make it home in one piece in my fab shoes and no injuries. Would I go through that again? I can't say never. Its the crazy things you do to look good but I definitely have SNOW REGRETS....


Until next time


Stay MsChi-Vious...

The Shoe Chronicles: My January Love with Jeffrey...

For all those of you who know and love me, my obsession with shoes is legendary. I can't really tell you when it started as shoes for me were just something you had to wear and not an essential outfit component. 


Going to an all girls convent school forced me into a dreary existence due limited uniform which did not allow much room for personal expression. (You don't realise how much we looked forward to non-uniform day *sigh*). Then onto college where the theme changed to being fashionably comfortable so began the era of trainers...air force ones, Stan Smith's and the infamous boxer boots all fell into the collection. 

(I really loved them. They made me feel like Rocky every time *theme tune in the background*) 


This trend pretty much continued into Uni. Until one day...


...BAM!!! 


I discovered heels and since then life in flats is not for me. There's too much oxygen down there for me to function well. The altitude work better for me but I digress. I think I'll save my shoe story for another time and get onto the reason for this post. I think I'm in love guys. Yes I said it. I AM IN LOVE...I have found my shoe of the month

My new Love by the genius that is Jeffrey Campbell.

The crazy idea that the shoes don't have a bridge is what blew my mind and somehow they still seem to work. I want these in my life! That is all! I wonder who will assist in my new future investment? Any takers?? Not to say I cant get them myself but I'm having trouble deciding which colour to get. So getting all options may be the best way forward....what do you think?


until next time...


Stay MsChi-Vious

Mum says: Say Amen - the talking phone

Mums.You've got to love them. No matter how authoritarian they can be like... 

Mum: You think you can leave the house wearing that? you better get upstairs before you regret the day I conceived you

Me: Yuck mum. Don't need the visuals *cover eyes*

Mum: Then move!!! 

(please note this happened only last week kmt)

or emotional...

Mum: after all I've done for you guys. I cook, I clean, I put food on the table. 

When you broke your ankle on my birthday no less, who took you to A&E? huh? Who did that?

Me: alright mum. You can watch the Nollywood channel

or annoying...

Mum: Pass me the remote

Me: Mum! its right in front of you...

Mum: *evil mum stare*

Me: Here you go

Mum: Since you're up, can you take down the laundry, wash the dishes and then chop the okra *innocent smile*

...they do have moment of brilliance. Especially my mum. I love my mum to bits but sometimes I wonder at her grasp of the world around us. Take technology for example. Or more specifically the mobile telephone. Mumzy is always raving that she needs to have the latest phone so she can stay "on trend". Personally i don't see the point as she will never really use the phone's capabilities apart from the very basics - call and text. Then she will give up using it completely and give the phone to my little sister, then revert to complaining she needs a new phone. A vicious cycle...

Anywho, I recently got my iPhone 4S and after days of it not working (lets not get into the rages of a new phone refusing to work), it was up and running. Time for me to show mum what "on trend" phones can do

Me: mum, guess what? I can ask my phone questions
Mum: what do you mean?
Me: let me show you. Siri how are you?
Siri: I am well
Mum: God of Israel!!! I rebuke the devil in your phone. I plead the blood of Jesus *starts speaking in tongues*
Me: Wow mum!!!! It's only a phone!
Mum: Say Amen!!!!!
Me: Amen

You've got to love her (well I do)

Until next time... 

Stay MsChi-Vious

My first blog

I know, I know...I'm very late to this blogging thing but hey better late than never right 

So what better way to break my blog-inity that to look at what events have taken place on this momentus day of my first blog.


For one, Beyonce and Jay-Z are the proud new parents of a baby girl which they named Blue Ivy Carter...(pause to take it in) not the first name I would thought of at all, who would. It is to be expected though. Long gone are the days of children having normal names. A lot of the names these days sound like something out of Star Trek. 
Weird baby names now seems to be part of the rulebook "things you have to do when you are famous". I mean actor Rob Morrow (from the show Numb3rs) name his child Tu Morrow...really? Bee's good friend Gwyneth Paltrow called her child Apple. The Jackson's seem to have the weird name thing down to a 't'. Michael called his son blanket... and Jermaine named his son Jermajesty...*smh*


So for all you would be superstars of the future, you need to starting thinking about your future children's names. Just remember to make sure its something a normal working-class child would get bullied for then you are onto a winner...


How about Starfish Petal for my first daughter?


Until next time


Stay Ms Chi-Vious