Sweet Tooth: Print Pants

L-R: Jewel by Lisa, Nasty Gal, Tory Burch
Below: Re'Bahia
 
We're ushering February in with one of our most consistent style cravings over the past few months - tribal/batik/global/african print pants in an array of patterns, colours and textures fit for the new global wanderer.

We love the loose, relaxed vibe of the roomy pant and the looks above and below have caught our eyes and hearts: Jewel by Lisa's embellished printastic piece, Nasty Gal's scrumptious batik pants, Tory Burch's silk pantaloons, and Re'Bahia's intricately embroidered pants. Perfection and a half.

 What are you in the mood for?

XO

Photos:

Jewel by Lisa blog

Nasty Gal (shop here)

Tory Burch (shop here)

Re'Bahia

Sweet Tooth: Red hot

Lately, we've been seeing red and so have some of our favourite African designers. For this themed collage, we bring you our top picks from Anita Quansah, Sunny Rose by Maureen Okogwu, Bunmi Koko and Eyola. Granted, they come with hefty price tags, but since when did fashion equal affordable? Dream a little...

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a) Opulence, Anita Quansah-style. Her recent trip to the motherland inspired her use of African beads, swarowski crystals and vintage bits and pieces in a new collection that expands the concept of "tribal chic". Luxurious, stunning, Anita-mazing. [POR - info (at) anitaquansah (dot) com; see snippets of the new collection here.]

b) Feathery, fun, bold -- what's not to love? This evening clutch from Sunny Rose is delightful. [835 GBP, Couture Lab, see here.]

c) We literally gasped when we saw this one. More than enough to dazzle, wow and possibly cause a small conniption. Nicely done, Eyola. [1125 GBP, see here.]

d) You'll remember this piece from Bunmi Koko's Matriarchy collection. Strong, structured shoulders, silk, tie-dye -- the perfect statement piece. [POR - sales (at) bunmikoko (dot) com]

e) Yes to tassels, yes to Eyola. Always. [475 GBP, see here.]

XO

Sweet Tooth: Silky Smooth

[l-r: Duro Olowu, Orleans Designs, Jewel by Lisa]

Our latest Sweet Tooth craving? Silk. This season, patterns are transferred to this new medium, resulting in a slinky vibe infused with all the ingredients that make for instant, understated glamor. Also, while "tribal" motifs are typically printed on cotton, more and more designers are exploring the place where print and silk mesh with magnificent results. Here are our picks up close and personal:

COLLAGE 1

a) Duro Olowu struck gold several years ago with his kimono-style silk printed dresses and the love affair with silk continues. We love this floral maxi-dress and the mixture of vivid print with a more subdued vintage-like print.

b) This scarf from Orleans Designs features an Africa-inspired pattern on silk, quite like several of the dresses from this design house. If you're looking for an accessory that pays homage to a vibrant continent or just an accessory that's bound to make things pop, you've come to the right place. [Buy here]

C) Jewel by Lisa is famous for exploring new mediums and elevating African Print from something commonplace to something beyond. This silk top is absolute perfection and the richly embellished neckline just might make us hunt it down.

[l-r: Nasty Gal, Tiffany Amber, Maki Oh]

COLLAGE 2

d) The love affair with silk started with a major crush on basic silk tanks with breast pockets and this tank from Nasty Gal is the perfect encapsulation of our craving. Basic and ultra glam in the same breath and very high on our wish lists this summer. [Buy here]

e) The Tiffany Amber brand has found its way into yet another Sweet Tooth spread with this beauty. The design house collaborated with renowned artist Kolade Oshinowo and printed one of his masterpieces on silk. We recently saw this piece at one of Tiffany Amber's stores in Lagos and were in awe.

f) Leave it to Maki Oh to create a jumpsuit that features African print of the sort that's not quite mainstream just yet. Maki Oh dips into the ancient world of western Nigeria's tie-and-dye/batik procedures with this one, creating a piece that's a perfect fit for the cultured and stylish. [To order, e-mail info@maki-oh.com]

Hope you enjoyed :-) Anyone out there craving silk as much as we are?

XO

Sweet Tooth: Bright and Beautiful!

[l-r: tracy reese, tsemaye binitie, tiffany amber]

Lately we've been feenin' for a little color to lift our moods and wardrobes. Marigold is our color of choice, with its hints of mustard, gold, and yellow. Bright yellow generally isn't our thing, so this shade is the perfect compromise.

We remain, as always, committed to showcasing the best and brightest out-of-Africa brands:

a) This Tracy Reese dress is from the White Dress Shop, where Onada Abodunde - a young, vibrant Nigerian entrepreneur - is the visionary behind the brand. This is the perfect go-to lunch-with-the-girls dress. Grab a clutch, wear a gorgeous shade of red lipstick and some chunky sandals and you're good to go!

b) This grecian-style dress from Nigerian designer Tsemaye Binitie's Spring/Summer 2010 collection is the stuff our style dreams are made of. The perfect draping, length, and shape -- not too much of anything. We truly love.

c) Kaftans have always been our go-to for our "lazy chic" aesthetic and this Tiffany Amber piece [from her Arise Africa Fashion Week show last June] elevates something we typically throw on when we want to be low-key to something very glamorous indeed.

We look forward to the day when we'll do mini-features like this and all the pieces are available at the click of a mouse. Soon come. Now, over to you -- which colors are you loving right now?

XO

P.S. Our "Sweet Tooth" feature is all about Team Liquorice's sugary (hehe :-)) style cravings. Stay tuned for more in the days ahead!