Thursday, 31 January 2013
Michael Lohan and girlfriend welcome a baby boy | Daily Times Nigeria
A new year for Oprah Winfrey Begins... | Daily Times Nigeria
The television personality, philanthropist, producer, actress, and all-around inspiration to millions was born in poverty to a single teenage mother in Mississippi, she was taught to read by the age of 3 by her grandmother Hattie Mae. Oprah credits her grandmother for giving her a “positive sense of [herself]” and encouraging her. Her grandmother once said that as soon as she could speak, Oprah was on stage and “interviewing” her dolls and animals!
She had a rough childhood, but as a teenager moved to live with Vernon Winfrey, whom she calls her father, and became an honour student, joined the speech team, and won the superlative “most popular.” She won the Miss Black Tennessee pageant at the age of 17, and was invited to do part-time news coverage locally. This was all Oprah needed to capture the hearts and minds of many, and start to work her way up the ladder.
After nationally launching The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1986, the mega-mogul has continued to blow us away, year after year. Oprah’s show is the highest-rated program of its kind in history (no big deal), and has created its own genre of intimate confessional conversations.
The media proprietor owns her own production company (Harpo), co-founded Oxygen Media, created O, The Oprah Magazine in one of the most successful magazine launches in recent history, shares her opinions with her book club, which is the largest in the world, and has formed her own channel, OWN. She has starred in and done voice-overs for movies, co-authored five books. To say she’s kind of a big deal is the understatement of the century. This woman has almost literally taken over the world.
Thismost influential woman in the world is an inspiration to many people, and there's no other television host who can move people to action like she can. Below are some of the tips she has passed on that can turn your life around.
Believe in Yourself
"If you're not looking at the shadows, at what is subconsciously running through that tape in your mind. Telling yourself that you're not good enough, you're not worthy enough . . . if you're not conscious of that, then you end up acting out of that belief system and not out of what you know to be the truest or want to be the truest of yourself."
Be Brave
"The only courage you ever need is the courage to fulfill the dreams of your own life."
You Become What You Believe
"Your life is a reflection of the way you think . . . you are creating your own reality show every day, in every experience and every encounter . . . what you believe is what you become, and one person can make a difference and that person is you."
Respect Money
"If you disrespect money, it slips through your fingers."
Success Takes Work
"It doesn’t just happen. There is a process [for success]. . . . It’s up to each individual to figure out . . . what that process is in their life."
It Is Never Too Late
"It's never too late to achieve [what] you believe. . . . It's never too late to have a wake-up call. All life is about growing to be who you are most meant to be, the best version of yourself and that even if it takes a disaster in your life, there's always time until you take your last breath, to recognize that you have the power."
Let Go of the Past
"Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past can be any different. . . . And I know many of you, you think forgiving means accepting what has happened to you. Well, it is accepting that it has happened to you. Not accepting that it was OK for it to happen; it is accepting that it has happened and now what do I do about it. Forgiving is giving up the hope. Not holding on, hoping, wishing that it could’ve been any other way than it actually was. Giving up the hope that the past could be any different. And when I got that, I think it took me to the next level of being a better person, because I don't hold grudges for anything, any situation, and neither should you. It's letting go, so that the past does not hold you prisoner, so that it does not hold you hostage
If you allow the past to define your present, then you never actually really get to live the life that you were meant to live, because you're always holding on to what was and always holding and defining yourself by what was or what should've been or what could've been."
What Goes Around, Comes Around
"The energy you're putting out is coming back all the time. . . . For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."
When You Know Better
"When you know better, you do better . . . you know how freeing those words are? How freeing they can be for you? What it means is, you don't have to hold yourself hostage to who you used to be or anything you ever used to do. Because who has lived and hasn't made mistakes?"
Slow Down
"Slow down, because the only moment we can really live is now. Being in the present moment, if you can learn to do that, begins to change your whole life. Just staying focused on what is happening now. . . . When we're truly present, we recognize that the ordinary moments are life's greatest gifts."
SAG Awards 2013: ’30 Rock,’ Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Lawrence Among top winners | Daily Times Nigeria
Unlike ceremonies such as the Golden Globes, the SAG Awards eschewed having a host in lieu of jumping right into handing out statuettes. Nicole Kidman took the stage after an introductory segment and handed out the award for Best Supporting Actor In A Film to Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln.
Jones wasn’t in attendance – which may have been for the best given his sourpuss disposition – but the stage was soon filled with winners who offered humorous and heartfelt thanks for the honours they received.
Anne Hathaway, on the A-List Humility Tour 2012, expressed gratitude for her Best Supporting Actress win for Les Miserables: “I’m just glad I have dental.”
Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey took home Awards for Best Actor and Actress in a Television Series for their performances on 30 Rock, which comes to an end in just a few days.
Modern Family triumphed over 30 Rock in the category of Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series, and the spate of TV-related awards continued with wins for Julianne Moore in Game Change and Kevin Costner in Hatfields and McCoys.
Costner, like Jones, was a no-show, while Moore delivered an acceptance speech that referenced the “team effort” of basketball, thanking each of her co-stars by name.
After Dick Van Dyke was honored with a lifetime achievement award and an accompanying standing ovation Bryan Cranston was honoured for Best Actor for his performance on TV’s Breaking Bad.
Downton Abbey celebrated its first win, and first nomination, with the award for Best Ensemble in a Drama Series. Despite rumors that she was suffering from pneumonia, Jennifer Lawrence was full of energy – and typically irreverent – as she accepted an award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Silver Linings Playbook.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Daniel Day Lewis won Best Male Actor Award in a Leading Role for his turn in Lincoln, and whether he was being earnest or simply giving another amazing performance, his acceptance speech was a study in modesty and sincere gratitude.
However, Argo took home the prize for Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture. Its win more or less threw off dozens of awards-season pundits as they attempt to predict the winners of upcoming awards shows such as The Academy Awards.
'Obama's on Fire' sings Alicia Keys at Inaugural Ball | Daily Times Nigeria
'Obama's on Fire' sings Alicia Keys at Inaugural Ball
She delivered the tweaked lyrics while seated at a grand piano at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. Keys started the song with the line, "He's the president and he's on fire," and continued small tweaks until she hit the chorus, which went:
Obama’s on fire
Obama’s on fire
He's walking on fire
Obama’s on fire
Later on, she threw in a mention to the first lady:
Everybody stands as he goes by
Cause they can see the flame that's in his eyes
Watch him as he's lighting up the night
Everybody knows that Michelle is his girl
Together they run the world.
Taylor Swift is Inspirational, says Selena Gomez ‘speaks about her BFF at a benefit concert for UNICEF in New York. | Daily Times Nigeria
“Taylor is one of the most inspirational, positive and good-hearted people that I know,” the 20-year-old singer-actress said on the red carpet. “Itʼs incredible that someone can be so successful and so humble.”
“Sheʼs a big part of me staying in line,” she continued. “Itʼs nice to just be able to pick up the phone and be like, ʻI had this person say this, itʼs annoying,ʼ and have someone understand and get what youʼre going through. Itʼs really nice.”
Like Swift, Gomez who has been an ambassador for UNICEF since she was 17 is getting over a rough break-up after her romance with Justin Bieber reportedly ended last year.
She loosely referred to the breakup during Saturday’s concert when she sang her own rendition of Justin Timberlake’s ‘Cry Me a River.’
“Iʼve been through a lot the past few months. Itʼs been weird and sad and cool. This song definitely speaks to me,” she told the crowd. (Bieber performed his own version of the song last November.)
But despite her personal setbacks, Gomez whom was spotted arm-in-arm with Josh Hutcherson last week at the Golden Globesremained upbeat at the event, and reflected positively on her three-year stint with UNICEF.
“When you go and visit the kids they have no idea who you are or what you do,” she explained. “Theyʼre just happy that youʼre there and thatʼs the best feeling in the world. No one is expecting anything from you and youʼre just there helping and itʼs such a beautiful thing.”
Michelle Obama wore red and Jason Wu again to Inaugural ball | Daily Times Nigeria
Article | | By Enakeno Oju
Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Katy Perry Gets Patriotic | Daily Times Nigeria
Katy Perry Gets Patriotic
Usher and cast members of Glee also made appearances at the show, held at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Nick Cannon served as the evening’s host.
This is not the first time Perry has performed in her nation’s colors.
Last fall, the “Wide Awake” singer sported a ballot dress for an Obama campaign rally in Las Vegas. Less than two weeks later, Perry followed up with a skin-tight blue number, adorned with the Obama slogan, “Forward.”
The 44th president of the United States has been sworn in for his second term on today in a private ceremony. A public inauguration ceremony, held at the historic National Mall, will take place on Monday.
Naomi Campbell Wants Models back on Magazine Covers | Daily Times Nigeria
However, one of the most iconic members of the 80s and early-90s supermodels, Naomi Campbell, says it’s time to change that.
“Of course, we want the magazine covers back. Of course, we do,” the 42-year-old model said. “There are less covers for the girls out there who are the new, young, trendy girls. She’s got more to compete with and there are only a certain amount of covers they’re going to give a model a year. Before, you had models twelve months a year.”
Campbell wants upcoming models to reclaim the print modelling industry, rather than just be a face on the fashion runway.
“When I started modelling, there was a separation of girls that did shows and girls that did print. And my generation did both. That’s when it changed,” she says of how she and others like Christie Turlington, Kate Moss and Cindy Crawford changed the fashion world.
With 26 years of experience, she is now the executive producer for Oxygen’s new reality competition show, The Face. The competition features up and coming female models who are all trying to be the next face and spokesperson for a nationally recognized brand. Karolina Kurkova and Coco Rocha will join Campbell as mentors on the show with former America’s Next Top Model judge, Nigel Barker, hosting.
Campbell hopes the show will be a success into the next Supermodel Era and is preparing her girls for just that. “I’m a tough love coach,” she told us.
“I give encouragement and praise to my girls, but I also tell them when things are not right and they need to change them,” Campbell continued. “I don’t want to candy coat anything for them. They need to know the truth, because we’re not going to be there holding their hand when they go into the real world.”
The Face premieres on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 9PM on Oxygen.
A new year for Oprah Winfrey Begins...
A new year for Oprah Winfrey Begins...
The television personality, philanthropist, producer, actress, and all-around inspiration to millions was born in poverty to a single teenage mother in Mississippi, she was taught to read by the age of 3 by her grandmother Hattie Mae. Oprah credits her grandmother for giving her a “positive sense of [herself]” and encouraging her. Her grandmother once said that as soon as she could speak, Oprah was on stage and “interviewing” her dolls and animals!
She had a rough childhood, but as a teenager moved to live with Vernon Winfrey, whom she calls her father, and became an honour student, joined the speech team, and won the superlative “most popular.” She won the Miss Black Tennessee pageant at the age of 17, and was invited to do part-time news coverage locally. This was all Oprah needed to capture the hearts and minds of many, and start to work her way up the ladder.
After nationally launching The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1986, the mega-mogul has continued to blow us away, year after year. Oprah’s show is the highest-rated program of its kind in history (no big deal), and has created its own genre of intimate confessional conversations.
The media proprietor owns her own production company (Harpo), co-founded Oxygen Media, created O, The Oprah Magazine in one of the most successful magazine launches in recent history, shares her opinions with her book club, which is the largest in the world, and has formed her own channel, OWN. She has starred in and done voice-overs for movies, co-authored five books. To say she’s kind of a big deal is the understatement of the century. This woman has almost literally taken over the world.
Thismost influential woman in the world is an inspiration to many people, and there's no other television host who can move people to action like she can. Below are some of the tips she has passed on that can turn your life around.
Believe in Yourself
"If you're not looking at the shadows, at what is subconsciously running through that tape in your mind. Telling yourself that you're not good enough, you're not worthy enough . . . if you're not conscious of that, then you end up acting out of that belief system and not out of what you know to be the truest or want to be the truest of yourself."
Be Brave
"The only courage you ever need is the courage to fulfill the dreams of your own life."
You Become What You Believe
"Your life is a reflection of the way you think . . . you are creating your own reality show every day, in every experience and every encounter . . . what you believe is what you become, and one person can make a difference and that person is you."
Respect Money
"If you disrespect money, it slips through your fingers."
Success Takes Work
"It doesn’t just happen. There is a process [for success]. . . . It’s up to each individual to figure out . . . what that process is in their life."
It Is Never Too Late
"It's never too late to achieve [what] you believe. . . . It's never too late to have a wake-up call. All life is about growing to be who you are most meant to be, the best version of yourself and that even if it takes a disaster in your life, there's always time until you take your last breath, to recognize that you have the power."
Let Go of the Past
"Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past can be any different. . . . And I know many of you, you think forgiving means accepting what has happened to you. Well, it is accepting that it has happened to you. Not accepting that it was OK for it to happen; it is accepting that it has happened and now what do I do about it. Forgiving is giving up the hope. Not holding on, hoping, wishing that it could’ve been any other way than it actually was. Giving up the hope that the past could be any different. And when I got that, I think it took me to the next level of being a better person, because I don't hold grudges for anything, any situation, and neither should you. It's letting go, so that the past does not hold you prisoner, so that it does not hold you hostage
If you allow the past to define your present, then you never actually really get to live the life that you were meant to live, because you're always holding on to what was and always holding and defining yourself by what was or what should've been or what could've been."
What Goes Around, Comes Around
"The energy you're putting out is coming back all the time. . . . For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."
When You Know Better
"When you know better, you do better . . . you know how freeing those words are? How freeing they can be for you? What it means is, you don't have to hold yourself hostage to who you used to be or anything you ever used to do. Because who has lived and hasn't made mistakes?"
Slow Down
"Slow down, because the only moment we can really live is now. Being in the present moment, if you can learn to do that, begins to change your whole life. Just staying focused on what is happening now. . . . When we're truly present, we recognize that the ordinary moments are life's greatest gifts."
Thursday, 10 January 2013
People’s Choice Awards - Jennifer Aniston, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lawrence and Sandra Bullock among winners | Daily Times Nigeria
Aniston who just wrapped a rather sexy vacation in Cabo with fiancé Justin Theroux accepted the award for Favourite Comedic Movie Actress in a gorgeous leather black dress, and thanked fans for letting her do what she loves to do.
“I can’t thank you enough for allowing me to be honoured with this again, after supporting me for almost 20 years and allowing me to keep doing this,” Aniston said.
Swift, meanwhile, won for Favourite Country Artist. She thanked her fans and expressed her love to them. In her words, “I want to the fans; because this is a fan-voted award and I love you with all my heart.”
Sandra Bullock was also honoured with a special award Favourite Humanitarian for her charity work, including her work with New Orleans’s Warren Easton Charter High School. Expressing appreciation she said “I’m not at all being modest when I say I’m not doing anything compared to what they do on a daily basis.”
British actress Emma Watson certainly flew the flag for the UK at the event in a very short graphic cut-out dress which accentuated her slender figure. She picked up Favorite Dramatic Movie Actress for movie The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Other big winners of the night were Chris Colfer and Lea Michele, who won Favourite Comedic TV Actor and Actress, respectively.
Glee; and Jennifer Lawrence, won Favourite Movie Actress and Favourite Face of Heroism for The Hunger Games. Performing at the occasion were Christina Aguilera, Jason Aldean and Alicia Keys amongst others.
Britney Spears Quits ‘X Factor’ | Daily Times Nigeria
 |
| Last year's judges ... Britney Spears, Simon Cowell, Demi Lovato and L.A. Reid |
Possibly beating them to the punch, sources say the Princess of Pop and mum-of-two has quit the X factor show.
Britney Spears may be going on the offensive in response to the news that FOX’s The X Factor producers are preparing to let her go.
Despite FOX boss Kevin Reilly’s recent comment that Spears is welcome to return to the show, industry sources disclose that the producers have already been making other plans for next season over the holidays and that her participation going forward isn’t on the docket.
But, according to some sources, Spears is resigning from the singing competition to focus on her music, even though “she loves the show.”
One insider said: "Britney loves Simon, she likes Demi Lovato but her thing is music."
Britney is currently in the studio recording her 8th album and it is believed she may now go back on tour again.
Simon now has two seats to fill on the panel after L.A. Reid announced his decision to quit the show last month.
Monday, 7 January 2013
Ankara Re-defined | Daily Times Nigeria
In Africa today, things have turned around one hundred and eighty degrees as far as fashion is concerned. Wearing ethnic- oriented clothing is very in. To dress up in this rich fabric from Africa is now a sign of class. Made into the right style, Ankara commands the attention of everybody and the wearer steals the show at any event. This fashion trend is so taking over the fashion world and it’s not just trendy and glamorous, but also fabulous.
African prints have evolved from being a fashion statement in the continent to being a trend all over the world. It has taken a worldwide upswing with designers in various parts of the world tapping Ankara for use in their modern and luxurious apparel. It is now not only worn to regular Saturday ‘owambe’ parties as the Yorubas would say, but has also found a place in the closets of women across Africa and other parts of the world, and of course, the runways. It is now a popular commodity; it’s imbibed in fashion shows and seen on international celebrities.
Nigerian designers such as Lanre Da-Silva, Lisa Folawiyo of Jewel by Lisa and Zizi Cardows, amongst others have taken the indigenous fabric and transformed them into eye candy and showing them internationally. Clothing accessories are not left out; traditional fabric has been used on bracelets, shoes, clutch purses, brooches and ties and so on.
However, more outstanding is the present wave in the Fashion scene for different patterns of Ankara mixed together. Ankara of different colours and patterns are properly mixed and matched with a complimentary fabric to expand the creativity and give the ankara fabric a boost. This was referred to as the ‘calico patches’ in the late 80’s and early 90s. They have found their way back into the present fashion scene. This time, they have come with an unrivalled boldness. And it seems they have come to stay.
This mixed and matched design is now a must have for every woman and even kids. When combined with plain fabrics the output is breathtaking. Every woman I know has at least one item in their closet that consists of these mixed and matched Ankara prints. They are either in the form of a dress, a blouse, short or long gown, a jacket, a clutch bag, handbag, sandals, Caftan, evening gown, skirt, corporate dress or a casual shirt, slippers, purses, wristbands, bangles, earrings, wristwatch straps and so on.It has also become an international fashion too as celebrities like Beyonce, Solange, Kim Kardashian, and Alicia Keys, among others, have been spotted looking fabulous in outfits made from mixed ankara prints. They are also being used to make Ipad bags, laptop bags, chairs, what have you. This has beaten all rules of dressing as the patches consists of different designs and colours of Ankara which are used to make one dress, shoe, skirt or bag and so on.
If you haven’t gotten any, next time you visit your designer request for item made of Ankara. It sure will look good on you.
Getting stylish with frilled apparels | Daily Times Nigeria
If you dress shabbily, people notice the dress. If you dress impeccably, they notice you - the wearer.
People wear different kinds of apparels at certain times to fit and compliment their mood. A lot of stylish people tend to wear clothing that fit their personality and not vogue. The reason is that an outfit could be in vogue and yet look horrible on the person putting it on. This is not nice. It should be avoided.
There are some clothing that do not need too much of hard work or curves to fit perfectly on the wearer, such as the stylish frilled apparels.
They are not essentially new in the fashion world, they have been worn in the 60s, 70s, 80s and they are still in fashion at the moment.
They are a trendy piece that sits well on any one putting them on. They fit very well and hard not to fit.
The frills apparel design come in different fabrics like the chiffon, organza, cotton, silk, linen and so on. They are very easy to care for and also user friendly.
Now, a lot of fashionistas wear the frilled apparel at all time because they are certainly suitable for every occasion; it only depends on the design.
Some ladies wear them during formal outings, especially when they come as shirts. Some come in long, short, and quartered sleeves, depending on the design. A horizontal frilled shirt is a perfect top to wear when you are out on a casual day and can be transformed to something you wear at night.
You could wear your gowns in frilled designs too, as long as you have the right body to carry it.
Most of the designs come on the collar, the front of the outfit and also the trimmings on the sleeve. It could come anywhere on the apparel, depending on the designer’s design.
Definitely they are a must have in your wardrobe. Step beyond your comfort zone today and try one. Remember, “Dress shabbily people notice the dress. Dress impeccably, they notice you - the wearer”.
The Little Black Dress | Daily Times Nigeria
It can go from work to play with an effortless addition of accessories.It will make you feel beautiful and fashionable when worn with the right accessories and shoes.From dresses with subtle embellishment to those with lots of bling, you'll find black dresses to fit every need.
Fashion historians ascribe the origins of the little black dress to the 1920s designs of Coco Chanel, intended to be long-lasting, versatile, affordable, and accessible to the widest market possible and in a neutral colour.
Every girl needs the perfect little black dress in her closet. It can be worn with a jacket and pumps for daytime business wear or with more ornate jewellery and accessories for evening.
Because it is meant to be a staple of the wardrobe for a number of years, the style of the little black dress ideally should be as simple as possible: a short black dress that is too clearly part of a trend would not qualify because it would soon appear dated.
Taking the little black dress and pairing it with a fabulous set of pearls makes it perfect for any fancy occasion including formals or fancy dinners.You can also sparkle it up with a vest by accessorizing it with a sparkly vest to transition your black dress from plain to fabulous with a pair of funky heels.
Also make this classic dress casual by adding a denim jacket, flat sandals, or a scarf. Make it Professional by wearing a blazer with your little black dress so you can wear it to work or to an important interview. Go with bright colours like yellow, light blue, or purple, or go with a neutral colour that won’t attract a lot of attention.
Want to add a little touch of colour to your look? Add a belt to the outfit. It can be skinny or thick, neutral or colourful. A belt can add a little fun colour or pattern to the outfit and break up the black.
Perfect for the summer months is Pairing it with a bolero. Whether it’s floral, patterned, or a solid colour, almost any bolero will match perfectly with your little black dress.You can also pin a flower to the side of your dress and you’re ready to go. Match your flower with your heels.
Tips To Update Your Work Wardrobe | Daily Times Nigeria
Wear a jacket even if you take it off afterward. Blazers don't have to be boring.Swap your black blazer for a different colour (blues and neutrals work just as well), or with interesting details.
Nice handbags and accessories for work that can serve for evening outing after work. You also need neck scarves and a nice time piece. Scarves are a smart way to bring attention to your face and neck, and they look great with everything. Your time piece is something you look at all day, so pick one that's as gorgeous as a piece of jewellery.
Navys, black or darker colored suits, white shirts or blouses make a classic statement.
No doubt the classic white shirt is a staple- but bringing some texture and print to the classic is a smart fashion move.
Invest in a pencil skirts.Pencil skirts are a must-have for any working wardrobe.
Add a feminineblouse. Soft, flowing blouses are girly and grown-up. Complementing a formal skirt or pair of pants with a slinky feminine blouse is also a smart fashion move.
Add some ruffles.Ruffles will add some instant style to your work wardrobe. Make the look work by balancing ruffles with plainer separates and don't add ruffles to parts of your body you want to keep streamline. Try teaming a Victorian-style ruffle shirt with a pencil skirt and pumps for a dressed-up work look.
Bring on a belt. The skinny belt helps create a thinner, sexier waist over.
Use a brooch to add interest.Apart from the fact that a brooch adds instant interest to regular blazers, they're also great conversation starters.
Invest in statement jewellery. As long as it's not noisy, a fun ring or necklace can make all the difference.
Your clothes have to be a good fit – not just to your body, but also to your personality. Check if the outfit makes you feel great. Carefully weigh your options and choose what will make you stride into a room like you own it. And,remember to smile. It puts people at ease, and lets them know you’re comfortable in your own skin.
The Timeless Clutch Bag | Daily Times Nigeria
You have the dress, the shoes, the earrings, the necklace, and you know exactly how each hair will be placed and matted with hairspray. The one last piece needed to complete your beautiful ensemble is a gorgeous clutch that makes the perfect fit.
These purses simply shout elegance, charm, grace, attractiveness, and no lady is whole without it. Some have detachable straps to hang on the shoulder while others are elegantly designed and embellished with jewellery and flowers just perfect for your all-time beautiful dinner date, formal evening or wedding accessory.
A clutch bag should add elegance and complement your dress code. It says a lot about a woman. You don't see elegant women on the red carpet holding those larger-than-life handbags because they don't fit the occasion. The clutch is surely the way to go for your evenings out. Many girls dress in evening gowns, micro mini-dresses but carry big handbags pulling their shoulder down. It's supposed to be a simple relaxing evening. The big hand bag will dress down your look.
However, different clutch bags serve different purposes; you will therefore need more than one. The beaded and bejewelled clutches should be left for dinner and formal evenings and so should the satin cloth clutches. The fabric flowery is good for a woman dashing out for a quick buy at the supermarket or a brunch with friends.
Designers have also indulged in making bigger clutches that are held under the armpit and are a perfect accessory to your jeans or leggings.
Avoid placing a lot of stuff into them as they are not intended for that, just a few items to ensure that they do not stretch out and shed their gorgeous look. They actually only have sufficient space for the bare necessities, like lipstick, some cash, some bank cards, and maybe a mobile phone.When you are going out for the evening, throw in your ID, driver’s licence, ATM card, cash, lipstick and car keys. If your clutch bag seems too heavy then it’s likely you loaded it up, and after a while this can stress the clutch and induce more wear. Moreover, when you place too much stuff inside of it, it will appear lumpy, and this will make it much less attractive. Clutch bags are a dressy fashion item, and so they ought to be treated as such.
You won’t go wrong by buying some of these timeless and classic pieces.
Tips On Dressing For a Dinner Party | Daily Times Nigeria
However, it is nice to wear a proper dress that suits the occasion. Wearing a proper party dress for a dinner party will not only leave a good impression on others, but also show your respect to the host.
Wear something both sassy and classy. You can't go far wrong with dresses. Wear something mid-length or just above the knee, in classic back or a fun print depending on the occasion.
You can also wear a long flowing evening dress. Evening gowns are timeless and are usually worn to formal occasions. Fashionable ladies prefer well sewn and chic gowns that will flatter their figures. For an evening gown that is already breathtaking, you might not need to wear accessories that would compete with the gown. Wear simple accessories in order not to draw attention from the dress.
Know that except for the most informal of dinner parties, such as BBQs or picnics, jeans and shorts are generally not acceptable attire for dinner parties.
You can always fall back on the wardrobe staple - " The little black dress." A black dress that fits correctly will look appropriate at most events, no matter how formal or informal.
Carry a clutch purse that is large enough to hold business cards, keys, cash and lip gloss is all you need. Do not carry a big handbag. Carrying a huge tote or a bag that you would use during the day will dress down your look.
A nice hairdo will definitely enhance the beauty of your outfit and make you look serene.
Friday, 21 December 2012
Gender Roles and Determinants
In many prehistoric cultures, women assumed a particular cultural role. In hunter-gatherer societies, women were generally the gatherers of plant foods, while men hunted meat. Because of their intimate knowledge of plant life, most anthropologists argue that it was women who led the Neolithic Revolution and became history’s first pioneers of agriculture.
Culture definitely aids the determination of gender roles. Socialization in all cultures is directly linked to the final product of a human being. Culture dictates, at a very young age, how boys and girls are supposed to act, feel and respond to certain situations. Boys and girls are separated by gender at birth. Boys are wrapped in blue blankets and girls in pink. Before a child is born, everyone close to the family wants to know what the child will be, so they will know what to purchase. This is very common practice throughout our society. Boys are taught to play with trucks, trains, male action figures, swords and guns. These items aid in defining masculinity. Girls, on the other hand, are taught to play with dolls, toy stoves or easy bake ovens, and other toys to aide them in identifying with nurturing. These factors lead to identifying gender roles by our society. Anything that deviates from this is considered somewhat abnormal. For instance, if a small male child wants to play with dolls, most fathers will immediately intervene and provide them with a more masculine toy. At the very least, he will show disapproval. Girls, on the other hand, may be labeled as a tom boy if they show interest in his truck.
These actions move through adolescence and well into adulthood. Certain items labeled as household chores are also fitted into this formula. Boys mow grass, take out the trash and do most of what is determined to be "men's work." Girls are expected to wash dishes, mop floors, wash laundry and other feminine chores. Our society has seen numerous changes in these roles, yet our culture has dictated these changes and made them acceptable.
People are likely to appreciate girls' cuteness and boys' achievements. For example, a girl may receive the comment, "You look so pretty!" for the outfit she is wearing. While this compliment isn't harmful in itself, repeated over and over the message the girl gets is that she is most appreciated for her looks, not for what she can do. Boys, on the other hand, are praised for what they can do. "Aren't you a big boy, standing up by yourself!" Many parents encourage and expect boys to be more active, to be more rough-and-tumble in their play than girls. A boy who does not like rough play (and so goes against the gender role he has been assigned) may be labeled a "sissy." A girl who prefers active play to more passive pursuits may be called a "tomboy."
Another influence and reinforcement of gender roles comes from the toys children play with. During their infancy and toddlerhood, children get most of their toys from parents and other family members; their choice of toys supports their own view of gender roles. For example, parents may give their little girl a doll to sleep with, while the boy gets a teddy bear. A grandparent may give a grandson a toy truck but never consider giving the same to a granddaughter. Such gifts set children up early on for the roles they are expected to play. As they get older, children are influenced in their choice of toys by television. Remote-controlled vehicles, although they can be equally enjoyed by males or females, are generally targeted at boys by advertisers. Girls are the advertising targets of the manufacturers of dolls, craft kits, and so on; advertisers are careful not to call boys' toys "dolls"--they're "action figures"!Again and again, we see toys and toy advertisement reinforcing the traditional gender roles: boys are active and adventurous, while girls are passive and mothering. Parents need to be aware of the messages TV advertisements and toys present to their children. They need to help them understand and reconcile the person they are with the sexual stereotypes they may see on TV and in other media.
Gender roles are also reinforced by school. Teachers and school administrators have great influence as they pass along cultural information and expectations. In school, children are expected to sit still, read, and be quiet. Such expectations may have been part of the gender role that a child has been learning from the parents, especially if the child is a girl. But for a boy who has been encouraged to be loud and boisterous prior to starting school, these expectations can lead to trouble. In fact, some researchers maintain that all boys face difficulty with expectations such as these because the structure of their brains makes them less able to meet these expectations than girls are. In single sex schools, boys who had been shy to speak in class do well in them, and girls develop leadership skills. Students at other single-sex schools have been found to be less susceptible to social pressure...
Gender and the Nigerian Woman
“Power is very difficult to relinquish. Men have enjoyed untold powers for too long they do not wish to relinquish power to women”. Mabel Ewhieroma. In every country, women suffer unfair treatment of one kind or another and all cultures, women have always been relegated to the background, their role in the family and society unrecognised and undervalued. They are often seen as part of the property of men (Adebimpe, 1998:5). The woman is nevertheless central and an integral part of the survival process of a family; she works every minute, hour, all day long to keep the family going or together. In a poor family she hawks goods around, spends almost ten hours in the farm, cooks for the family. After that “she has to battle with the weight of a whole man in bed in a sexual gymnastics” (Angya, 2002). In all situations, the woman bears the end result. Men create problems but women suffer for them. As Maryam Abacha (1997) once noted “Men make wars and women are refugees”. This shows that the Nigerian woman suffers dehumanization and mental torture during and after wars by the harsh and gender biases of cultural referents. She has to bear the burden of looking after the wounded, abandoned husband and the children. Okpeh (1990:2) however express that the contemporary Nigerian society discriminates against women, and it is this tendency in its many ramifications, which breeds their marginalisation, oppression and consequently exploitation by men, that is responsible for their ignorance poverty and disease.
The Nigeria woman like any other woman in the world is shrouded in a plethora of problems despite her efforts towards the upliftment of the Nigerian Nation. As Angya (2002) has observed: "Women in Nigeria are discriminated against, they are marginalized, oppressed and exploited and above all abused, these tendencies also define their place in society, what they should or should not do, who they are and in fact what or who they are can aspire to be in society".
Women do face various forms of dehumanizing treatment. When husband shows a bit of love, care and understanding in-laws accuse her then of using charms on him, but if he eventually dies she is the one that killed him. This goes to show that the society is not fair to the woman. Mohammed (1992:13) decries that beyond physical violence expressed in female circumcision, wife battering, rape and sexual torture, there are also psychological; and economic ones like confinement, (purdah) forced marriage, denying women either as daughters or wives the means to take care of themselves and/or improve their nutrition, health, education etc.
Preference for the male child confers an inferior status on the girl-child right from birth. As she grows up she is subjected to female genital mutilation, she is denied education, recreation, nutrition and so on. At a very tender age, she may be forced to marry a man as old as her father or even older. Due to her physiological immaturity, the first pregnancy sentences her to a life of misery and abandonment as a result of visco-vagina fistula (Adebimpe, 1998:6). Her recognised and acceptable societal role is to bear children and take care of her husband and the children. She is not even allowed to be involved in the decision-making process in her area of competence. Any involvement in democracy and governance is frowned at by society. She has to decide either to participate in partisan politics or lose her husband and children. ...
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