How-To Style a Multi-Coloured Top

I woke up a lot earlier than I usually do this morning but it's all good!

I am using that extra time to do some blog posts and then publish for days when I am rushing out of the house.

Speaking of rushing out of the house, the other day, I had to make some quick last-minute decisions because I changed my mind last minute as to what to wear.

I eventually reached out for this multi-coloured top and the next challenge was how to style it.

Naturally busy, one must be careful not to end up looking over the top.

After trying a couple of things, I went with this look- Multicoloured top with shorts, red hat and white shoes.

What I learnt while styling include:

Pick a Colour

Pick a colour or two from the item and work with that. In this case, I picked green and played around with that.

Be careful though not to throw on every single colour on the outfit.

Accessorise

Naturally with accessories you want to go quiet because the top itself is the statement.

If you do have a statement piece you absolutely must wear, stick to just that one piece.

When in doubt, go Neutral

(And remember, Pink is a neutral).

On the real though, reach out for our favourite neutrals to help complement your look perfectly.

I am super partial to white shoes these days but black and nude would work as well.

What's your own tip for styling a multi coloured tip?

#ShopTheLook Blue playsuit and Blue heels

I remember when i got this playsuit. It was on a Saturday and was one of those, 'I don't know what i am looking for but when i find it i will know" type buys. I had a budget and in the end, it came down to a white play suit and this one. Unfortunately, the smallest size they had the white in was medium.

Odd fact? The two times i wore the playsuit, my hair choices were all wrong.. Ever had that kind of bad hair-outfit day?

Blue Playsuit from Mango store, Ikeja City Mall, Ikeja Lagos.

Blue shoes by Red Kiss from Sekinah Shoe Gallery in Yaba, Lagos.

#FashionFriday 4 ways to Style it like a Soul Chic

Okay let’s be honest, it’s not easy being a soul chic here because we do more classic styles and everyone is afraid of breaking out of the norm.

But, if you find yourself drawn to a certain style, here’s a guide on how.

Earthy Colours
Soul sisters know that browns, leaf green, leaf yellow and other shades of earthy colours transform you immediately.
If you want to try the soul chic look, start with some earthy colours.

Skirts must flare
What is it with soul and skirts? Skirts are great for loads of looks including gypsy, corporate and even edgy but on a soul sister, a flared skirt makes you look instantly stylish.

Accessorise
When it comes to accessorising like a soul chic, more is more.
One bangle is never enough. Pile it on. One neck piece? Who are you? A minimalist?
Soul is about the layers, especially when it comes to accessories so go crazy.

Don’t neglect your hair
From headwraps to bows and buns, the soul chic’s style mantra is “I must, I must, I must not forget my hair”.

I hope these four tips help you.

Where all else fails, ask yourself, would Aramide, asa or India Arie wear this? Lol

ShopTosyn ReRock (ing) those blue shorts i bought randomly

When i first saw this pair of blue shorts at the store, i thought they looked odd. And yet i tried them on. And once i did, i couldn't take them off; practically left the store in them!
I had gone into the store to look for a dress by the way, so impulse buying anyone?

I am glad i bought them though because it has become a staple of my wardrobe and one of my most versatile buys.

The reason i love the shorts are because 1, they are blue which somehow helps it to pop other colours off, 2, they are very comfortable, and 3, they are shorts. I love shorts. They are the best fashion item after a good pair of jeans and shoes. Lol.

I have worn them a couple of times since i first got them- to work, for a casual dinner with friends, to the #YoutubeNG training and more but i will only show you 4 ways to style them here.

I wore this to host my weekly show on Pulse Nigeria, 'Tosyns Buzz Live'. 

This was about being comfy, and fun.

Here i kept a monochrome theme of blue and maroon.

You can see i love pairing this with white! For the #YoutubeNG training, i did a white shirt, and also a pair of white Tash shoes and my earrings.

Blue and Brown? Why not?!

#OOTD Monochrome Magic for Day 1 of #YoutubeNG

When i got the first set of emails about the Youtube Creator sessions, i saw Day 1 was scheduled to be a long day- 9am to 7pm.
I didn't focus on what they would be teaching for that long, just on the most comfortable thing to wear for it.

Truth is, when it comes to clothing and styling, different things dictate what we wear. For me, i like to be comfortable, and if it is going to be a long day, i like to wear things that won't look great at 9am but be rumpled and dirty by 7pm.

Obviously white would be a no no, no? Not if it is a comfy white shirt that looks good crisp or slightly weathered. Watch on youtube

Top: Sisley
Shorts: Random Buy
Shoes: Tash

#ManCrushMonday We chat with Banky W on his birthday

Today, Monday March 27th, is singer, writer and ladies man, Banky W's birthday so of course we had to make him our first Man Crush for this new segment on the blog.

We kept it short and simple, finding out how he stays in shape, what influences his fashion choices, and hey, if, him being all passionate and all, he would ever run for office!

Grab a snack and enjoy!

Tosyn's Blog: What is your philosophy when it comes to health and fitness in terms of keeping fit;

Are there particular routines you follow to help you keep fit?

BANKY W: My philosophy is that I believe in total wellness, if that's what it's called. I believe in working to improve yourself in all areas... career wise, spiritually, mentally, personally and of course physically. That's where the fitness comes in. It's all about making decisions diet-and-exercise-wise that will help to ensure you live a long, healthy life. I work out with my fitness coach, Uzi of #UziBurnOut, 3 times a week. I also play football twice a week with my friends in Empire Football Club, and once in a blue moon, I try to swim. 

TB. What is your process when narrowing down your fashion choices for casual and events fashion choices; Would you rather have an outfit designed or shop already made designs?

BW: I tend to just wear what I feel comfortable in AND what best expresses my mood at that particular time. In terms of ready-made or tailored, I do a bit of both. All my suits are made by Mai Atafo. All my traditional wear is made by either Deco or Magnum Stitches. Everything else, I buy in any random mall. 

TB. Would you ever consider going into politics;

Is there any particular public office you would like to occupy in the future?

BW: I used to say I'd never go into politics because I saw myself more as one of the people who are meant to influence the policy makers and the generations of people, as opposed to BEING a policy maker myself. However, I've since come to understand and believe the saying "the punishment for not being involved in politics is to be governed by fools". So these days, I'll say that I can never say never. I don't have plans to be in politics at the moment, but who knows what the future will hold? 

#Style One Outfit Three Ways

For today's 'one three ways' feature, i am talking about my #unitedcoloursofbenetton top.

Getting a top that can be styled in different ways and with multiple colours is always a great idea. You can wear it for years and make it look different each time.

My first instinct with this top as shown in Picture 1 and 4, is to accessorise with contrasts to make it even brighter. The secret is to tone down in other areas.

AND, you may not be able to see it properly here, in picture 1, i actually wore the top the wrong way (on purpose o) with the front to the back.

As for the middle pictures, i went with navy blue / a shade of purple because while not as bright, they still give a good contrast.

As always, i love my hats or scarves.

I'm still going to try this with black. I think that will be pretty cool too.

#FashionFriday Style it like a Soul Chic

Okay let’s be honest, it’s not easy being a soul chick here because we do more classic styles and everyone is afraid of breaking out of the norm.

But, if you find yourself drawn to a certain style, here’s a guide on how.

Earthy Colours
Soul sisters know that browns, leaf green, leaf yellow and other shades of earthy colours transform you immediately.
If you want to try the soul chic look, start with some earthy colours.

Skirts must flare
What is it with soul and skirts? Skirts are great for loads of looks including gypsy, corporate and even edgy but on a soul sister, a flared skirt makes you look instantly stylish.

Accessorise
When it comes to accessorising like a soul chic, more is more.
One bangle is never enough. Pile it on. One neck piece? Who are you? A minimalist?
Soul is about the layers, especially when it comes to accessories so go crazy.

Don’t neglect your hair
From headwraps to bows and buns, the soul chic’s style mantra is “I must, I must, I must not forget my hair”.

I hope these four tips help you.

Where all else fails, ask yourself, would Aramide, asa or India Arie wear this? Lol

#ShopTosyn x #OOTD Casual Chic Conference Style!

What do you do when you have work in the morning and a press conference right after?


You rock clothes that work!

My simple fit for it was this free shirt and a skirt. I cheated though and put a change of shoes in the car.

Shirt: Store bought
Skirt: Store bought
Shoes: Sekinah Gallery (Complimentary)
Make Up: IDazzle (Complimentary)

#ShopTosyn My First Week of Clothes from Vintage Closet

When I began 'A Week of', I wasn't sure anyone was paying attention. But some of you really got into it, even making suggestions.

While I still want to try sporty week and maybe a week of heels (*hides*), I was most challenged by a week of skirts (gosh). Guess what though? I looked into my wardrobe and found my jeans and let's just say, I had weaned myself off them.
Good thing or bad?

'A Week Of' had me challenging myself and dressing to a theme and the exercise was actually therapeutic and exciting. I would think of a theme, check my wardrobe then mix and match. I loved the skirts and the dresses and the clothes. I mean, who doesn't love clothes?

Thankfully, the cool kids at 'Vintage Closet' also noticed and they sent me some stuff from their collection. I follow them on twitter and know they have amazing stuff but to get some to test drive? Ma ma mia!
It was disney of vintage wear.

I started with this floral top that spoke to me first.

What does a tomboy do with a floral top? Mix it up! I threw flats and leggings for a modern day 'joker' feel.

Then I went on to this skirt next.

When I kept looking at the skirt, I just knew I had to try something I haven't tried since my first year in uni- clashing patterns.
I think it turned out quite well with the whole styling making me look like a prim and proper tutor.

The school theme continued with this burgundy pants but this time, I became the cool school girl. 

And then I wrapped it up with a very simple casual look on Day 4.

Check out @vintagecloset9ja on instagram

Tosyns Tips
1. If i could i would raid Temi Dollface's wardrobe because she does vintage right.
How is this a tip? Well get inspired! That's the tip

2. Belts, Hats, Gloves, Scarves, Fun
This is the week that lets you dare. Old is in, it never left

3. Mix and Clash
I'm surprised i immediately went for clashing patterns but it worked. The secret to clashing is pairing the patterns right or having a colour theme.

#ShopTosyn My First Week of Black and Blue

My themed week challenge continues. By the way, I set this challenge up for myself and have no clue when it will end.

I still have to try 'traditional outfits', skirts, sporty chic and more as a lot of you have suggested but this week felt random.

Till I noticed a pattern in my randomness- I was wearing a lot of blue and black.

Now blue and black are usually both dark colours, although there are different shades of blue like sky blue that are very bright. One usually doesn't reach for blue after black and vice versa, but as my week shows, it's actually a fun combination.

Check these out.

My Tips

Denim 

We tend to think of blue in terms of anything else but jeans but hey, guess the simplest way to style your black top? With a pair of jeans!!!

Shade

The shade of blue is important. A very dark shade turns the look into a black outfit while a light shade gives a little pop. Either works, but remember my favourite tip- accessorise right.

Colours

Since black is neutral, you really can go crazy with what else you rock this look with. I went comfortable and stuck mostly with brown but try pink and even white.

I hope these tips help.
Let me know what you think

#ShopTosyn My First Week of Cartoon Tops

That should read 'cartoon tees' actually. I mean, what do you do when some of your favourite tees have cartoon and other characters on them?

I'll tell you what! These are my tips

* Toughen up!
Rock your cartoon t shirt with leather, with boots, with anything that makes it feel modern and tough. You'll love it!

* Be cute
Look, cartoon tees are cute so why are trying to be anything else but? Cute hair-styles, a 'Hello Kitty' button or hair pin here and there or even a skirt will make you cute. Don't over-do it though!

* Throw a Jacket on
I just keep extolling the virtue of jackets because they really are the "superman" of outfits. A jacket will transform your cartoon tee into a nice everydayy look, paired with jeans and heels (for work) or flats (for casual stuff).

Cartoon tees tend to be casual though so remember that.

Here's what else I rocked

Rocked my Minnie Mouse tee when Geoffrey and Shola from Project Fame swung by!

#TBDaily x #SkincareSaturday: Egg Yolk Mask

Hi,

I'm at it again, trying things and staring in the mirror.

Remember when I washed my hair with cocacola?

What happens when you wash your hair with Coke?

 And don't forget that time I had lemon water every day for a week?

Is Lemon Water good for your body?

Even slept with onions on my feet. Yup. The things I do.

Yesterday I saw something about egg yolks and the face so a light bulb went off in my head and this morning I did a quick face scrub.

But first, what does the internet say about egg yolk? Well for one, they say it locks moisture into your skin cells and is great for people with dry skin. It helps to moisturise and protects.
Okay o.

You can make egg yolk masks with avocado, honey, bananas, olive oil etc but please ensure you read up on each ingredient and combination before going ahead.

I used one egg (used the yolk and the white though), some sea salt and my favourite face soap and mixed together. I thought I would hate the smell or having it on my face but it honestly smelt nice and didn't feel bad. There was some left over so my feet got a treat too!

I left it on for about fifteen minutes, washed off and honestly, my face looked better than when I wash with just soap.

Do I recommend it?
Yes.

A plain egg yolk mask for days you are rushing out the door, and a few more ingredients at the weekend when you have more time. But as a friend warned once, don't put all the products on your face and neglect to put IN your body.

#ShopTosyn A Week of Hats for #OnlyTheBest

I love hats. They protect you from the sun, hide a multitude of dodgy eyebrows and give your outfits a lot of pop!

So last week, inspired by my favourite travel style look (jeans, top, jacket and hat), I decided to have a week of hats.

I was going to be in Mauritius all week long for the Multichoice Africa #OnlyTheBest Content Showcase and since I knew it would be sunny and I'd have to leave the room early most days, head gear was a really good idea.

Now you should know that there are different kinds of hats. From Fedora to Baseball (Face) Caps, Straw hats and Boater.

The hat you choose should depend on the look you are going for. For example, if the dress code (like ours said on Friday) is 'sporty', then face caps are your friend.

MY TIPS

* Know which hat suits what look. On sporty day, i first wore my blue bowler-style hat but it made it dressy and clashed!

* Do not neglect your hair. Sometimes we slap the hat on and don't style our hair then you have to take the hat off for some reason and you look weird. Pack, pin, do something!

* Simplify. Hats can be dramatic so if you go heavy on your accessories and make up, it will have an adverse effect. Pair with simple accessories and lipstick and one dramatic item!

See how I paired each look up.

Feel free to switch it up and rock head wraps too

#ShopTosyn My First Week of Jackets

Hey guys.

So i don't know you plan your week but me i like to plan ahead. I don't want to risk waiting till the morning to decide what to wear as that has caused me to be late in the past.

For some reason, last week i opened my wardrobe and just saw jackets. I decided on a week of jackets.

Do you know there are different kinds of jackets? There are Blazers,  Denim, Leather, Bomber, Bolero, Capes, etc.
I learnt that recently.

Jackets help you with layering, to give your simple outfit a little extra and to cover up.

My Tips:
* Rock your shorts! Yes! You can get away with shorts and jackets but mind the length to get it right!

* Invest in classic colours like black and dark blue, then go crazy with other colours as you go along.

* I also recommend at least one blazer to start with.

#ShopTosyn My first week of Monochrome

Hello,

So last week I dug up some jackets and rocked a fabulous jacket week.
This week I played with black, and white.

Honestly, I thought it would be fun but it was a bit of a struggle. For one, the way I had the looks in my head didn't play out, and I guess I'm so casual that colour is a saving grace for me.

Nevertheless I stuck with it and had fun.

Monday was a simple black dress in ode to the #LBD. Tuesday I went 'gangster' as a colleague put it while Wednesday saw me with some baggy pants. I wore a skirt on Thursday (shock!horror!) then flipped things with an #LWD (Little White Dress) today (Friday).

My Favourite Day: Friday surprisingly because the one I thought wouldn't work, popped!

Least Favourite Day: Wednesday. The proportions weren't great

What I Learnt: Monochrome looks great but get contrasts right and o, cheat lightly with a dash of colour. Eg, black, white and red.

My Tips

1. Start with one of the colours then layer/offset with the other

2. Break it up in fun way, eg, your hair and neck accessories

3. Use patterns like polka dots, stripes etc for a cute or fun take on the look and keep it plain if it's more for the office or something formal.

Got any votes for what I should try next?