What to Wear: November 29th

What to Wear: November 29th by charm08 featuring a bandeau swimwear

Ok My People, November 29 is just a few days away, so we all know what that means. DRY SEASON IS HERE! The 29^th is the official beach day here in Liberia, and I look forward to this every year. Hopefully most of us have been working on our beach bodies this rainy season and are ready to show them off. For this post I chose this exquisite body hugging fishtail maxi skirt. Just because it is long does not mean that it is not sexy especially when paired with a bikini top like what I have here. Chunky jewelry always makes a statement, and adds to that beachy look. Unfortunately, we know that in Liberia holidays are not only a time of enjoyment, but also a time when the rouges are rampant. With this said I suggest we wear bags that can be worn close to the body like this yummy pink shoulder bag that is totally on trend. Top your look off with a pair of desperate sunglasses and you are ready for Tubman’s b-day. Have fun, I know I will!  

Walk About: The Liberia '77 Exhibit

This past Friday I had the pleasure of attending the Liberia ’77 Exhibit at the National Museum. The event showcased photos of pre-war Liberia taken by a Canadian family that lived here in the 1970’s. The father of the family was a photographer in his day, and his sons are carrying on the tradition. The two brothers visited post-war Liberia 2 ½ years ago and was sadly surprised about what the war had done to our beautiful home. This is when they decided to launch Liberia77.com which displays their family pictures from the 70’s and also allows others to add their own pics of Liberia before the war. Being the photography and history lover that I am I had a wonderful time.

Appearances were made by Monrovia City’s Mayor Mary Broh and the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Hon. Louis Brown. Below are some of my fav photographs from the night. Check out more at the link above.

 

The brothers then

 

The brothers now 

 

Relda Movie Theater

 

The rooftop pool at Ducor Hotel

 

The Ducor Hotel

 

 

My own photo of Broad St. If only the city could look this peaceful and calm in the daylight...

Fashion Trends Created by Africa, Adopted by the West

This post features fashions that I believe, and that most will agree originated in Liberia (or Africa as a whole) and through the years have found their way to the Western fashion industry. For the longest time "they" tried to make us feel that we were inferior in so many ways, but now-a-days the world has changed and we are the ones inspiring the way "they" dress. The picture above reveals an African print dress. There is no explanation needed here, it's too obvious for words.

The wrap skirt is something I believe was inspired by what we know as lappas. Just like how women of Liberia wrap cloth around themselves the same idea is applied here.

The head-tie (or turban) has been worn by the queens of West Africa for generations.

Print on print is a huge trend in the West right now. Just a short time ago wearing an outfit with the same print from top to bottom came off as being too busy, noisy, or dare I say tacky. The most beautiful lappa suits have always been print on print.

The straw bag our ancestors would make in the villages for both work and play have been a favorite of many handbags designers for the past couple of decades.

Liberian fashion, we create it, they duplicate it.

Walk About: Lila Brown

Hello My People! I hope everyone had a great weekend. This past Saturday me and a couple of friends went to the new spot in Mamba Point (directly across from Mamba Point Hotel) known as Lila Brown. This bar-lounge is truly something special, and is rumored to be open until 5am on a good night. The roof top sitting area allows for the most amazing breeze and view of the Atlantic Ocean. The DJ spins for an international crowd and keeps the tunes coming. The thing I enjoyed the most were the drinks (wink, wink). Though, they are pretty expensive for the Liberian market they are very unique in taste a variety. The last pic is of some "ice shots" that were brought over to our table by the owner. Good times!