…AND STILL LOOK LIKE A MILLION BUCKS
By Temitope Senbanjo
Lagos is the land of the hustle.
One major thing I love about Lagosians and Nigerians in general is the mentality of “dressing to kill” as we all pay close attention to the way we turn out. This lifestyle is exemplified in how Lagosians dress to social functions, especially weddings. Thanks to this extravagant lifestyle, makeup artists are cashing out millions and one would think these wedding guests were millionaires.
Here are tips on how to shop for less in Lagos and still look like a million bucks:
Rule 1: Have a budget
The most important step in shopping for less is having a REALISTIC budget. Identify how much you earn and set a strict rule when shopping. Make a list of the things you need to buy, do a research and give a cost estimate on each of the items. This helps to give you an idea of how much you would spend. Many times, people plan and go over budget when shopping and this eats into your funds for other things. You have to be prudent with your funds… make a budget and stick to it.
Rule 2: Identify your personal style
This is a very important rule in shopping for less. Your taste and preferences determines your personal style and fit. As such, there is a need to identify styles that embrace and enhance your body. The fact that an outfit fits person A doesn’t mean it would fit person B.
Find out what suits you, what you are COMFORTABLE wearing and stick to it.
Rule 3: Quality & Attention to Details
It is important to have a keen eye for details and look out for quality of outfits you want to buy. It is possible to get cheap items of good quality and look just as good. I always say it is not about the cost of the item but about who is wearing it.
You can buy a Gucci dress for $100,000 and buy a dress from Yaba market for N2,000 and look just as good. So look out for the quality of the items you are purchasing and look for ways to combine them. When shopping in these locations also, it is important to note that a lot of these items are mass production so one needs to be patient and look through carefully to get unique items from the pool available.
Rule 4: Wardrobe Essentials
| WORK | PARTY |
| Vibrant Scarfs
|
A pair of blue skinny jeans
|
| Black Jacket
|
A pair of black skinny jeans
|
| Black Pencil Skirt
|
White and black round/v neck tees
|
| Black leather watch | Little Black Dress |
| Black court shoes | Sequined dress |
| Black Dress
|
1 Modern Traditional attire |
| White and black button down shirt | Gold/silver sandals |
| Black/Navy blue wide leg trousers | Sunglasses |
| Black/Navy blue slim fit trousers | Blue denim jacket |
| Navy blues dress |
Rule 5: Choose a Shopping Location
There are loads of places to shop for less and get the best offers in Lagos! I would, however, focus on two local markets (Balogun and Yaba Market) and two boutiques I recently came across called the5kshop (www.the5kshop.com) which is strictly an online boutique; and 24diamondss located at shop 14A&B University Road Yaba Lagos. Their Instagram account is 24diamondss.
Yaba and Balogun market products are mass productions with a few unique pieces and enables you shop effectively on a slim budget. All items in the 5k Shop as the name implies are 5k and below and the items are quite unique and beautiful. 24diamondss offers unique work and party pieces at affordable prices for those who want to look beautiful at a cheaper price.
Yaba Market
Balogun Market
Rule 6: Sew rather than buy
Sometimes, it could be cost effective to sew some outfits rather than buy to save cost. This is a very good strategy when attending special functions such as weddings, black tie events etc. However, special care needs to be taken to ensure you get a good tailor who would not mess your outfits up.
With these tips, I believe you can step out confidently and look just as good on a very slim budget. Enjoy…
