3 Ways to Make Red Carpet Looks work for your Every Day Style

Ever seen a cool look on the Red Carpet and absolutely wanted to recreate it?
You can!
You can look red carpet ready whether for work, school, or a date by following these 3 steps.

. Shop for Less
Usually after a Red Carpet event, stores and designers will recreate some of the trending or best looks for less. 
You can also create these looks yourself with items you already own.

. Colours or Black!
One thing that helps is reaching out for colour!
Be careful not to overdo it.  Pick one colour and work with it and remember to do like the stars do- keep the drama simple!

. Tone it Down
A big thing to look out for when styling down, is to tone things down!
Red Carpet events are typically hosted at night and are of course spaced out so of course people will go all out with what they decide to wear.
Instead of a floor length gown, why not go for something that stops at the knees?
Instead of a dress, revamp the look by throwing jeans on instead, finally, easy with the accessorising and fabrics or shine.

I hope these tips help!

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?!

#OAP101 Want to get on radio? Start a podcast now!

Hi all.

I do hope your week is off to a great start.

Mine sure is. I feel very productive today and i have been able to do a few of my to-dos before 12pm which means i can count this as a productive day for sure.

Today i wanted to touch on a question i get asked a lot in varying ways. The summary is- how do i get on radio? You can listen to the OAP 101 podcast here where i go in depth with different tips.

While the podcast gives different tips, i am tackling one tip- starting a podcast.

When people ask me about how to get on radio, i advise them to get a podcast first. Why?
- Podcasts are relatively free and easy to begin. With your phone and a host platform like Soundcloud for example, you can start broadcasting to the world.
- Starting a podcast and working on it regularly will train you for when you do get on radio. And thirdly
- You can start gaining a following which means you become more attractive to potential employers.

If you do want to start your podcast, here are three quick things to do
- Think of WHAT you want your podcast to be about. I personally have the OAP 101 podcast which is tips for aspiring media personalities, the Tosyn Bucknor Show podcast which is like a summary of my show on radio with extras, the daily news podcast, and i am about to kick off two new ones.

Decide what you want your podcast to be about and you are off to a great start.

- Decide on the style, and time. Also, think of a schedule in terms of when you record, if you edit, when you edit, and lastly when you publish and where.

- START! s.h.a.r.e and tell a friend about it!

If you have follow up questions please do ask in the comments. Otherwise you can shoot me a quick dm on Twitter or Instagram

#shopTosyn How to style blue

Blue goes well with... Well. Blue.
The key is to vary shades.

When I planned this look,  I started with the top. I knew I wanted to wear this shirt and as you can see, it has blues and white on it.

I immediately thought of my ripped jeans which are a lighter shade so I thought I'd 'monochrome it' by accessorising it with pale blue (so pale it looks white) flats and white jewellery plus this big blue 'ish' bag.

#Beauty How to go make-up free like Alicia Keys

I have been watching Alicia Keys for the last couple of months and her bravery in choosing to be bare faced in a world of 'face beats' is admirable.

While we may not all go make up free for life like her, truth is, there are times our faces need a break from make up. The skin needs it!!!

So if you do want to go a day without make up but might run into people or take pictures, what can you do?

1. Let your skin glow.
Sometimes when I look at Alicia, I am like, "it's not your fault o, with this your skin that is glowing".
Great skin is always an asset whether or not you wear make up so cleanse, exfoliate and mosturise to give your skin that extra shine.

2. Buns
There is something putting your hair in a bun does for your face. In some ways, it is an automatic facelift so when you go make up free, put your hair in a bun (with or without a few tendrils out at the sides) and watch the compliments come!

3. Scarves and bows
Another thing to do if you are going make up free is to use scarves and other hair accessories. Scarves especially, have a way of flattering the face. I love how Alicia usually has something wrapped on her hair, even for awards.

And this one isn't official but fake it!
Get your eyebrows in shape, put on some lightly coloured lip gloss or add a dash of foundation to your face cream and going make up free becomes a bit bearable.

Got any tips or tricks of yours?

#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 One Jacket styled Three ways

You know how there are must-have items? Jackets are a must have.

Jackets, be they denim, leather, blazers or any of the million types out there, come in handy sometimes for purely aesthetic (fashion) reasons, and other times for practical reasons.

Jackets help to hide a multitude of sins (like love handles, flabby arms, et al), turn your look from simple to chic or official and help you layer like a pro.

It's cool to have the different kinds of jackets but even the most basic one can be versatile.
Check out how I rocked one jacket in three totally different ways.

Semi-Formal
This look is good for those who work in less formal environments, or for dress down at work days. It's also great for school, and higher institutions.

Brown Pants: Mango
Shoes: Bata
Hair and Make Up: Nikes Canvas

Casual

I'm a tshirt and shorts type of girl and if you are too, have fun with it. But turn your saturday-at-the-beach look to an everyday look by throwing a jacket on!

Shorts: Mango
Shoes: Tash

Formal
A dress is just a dress. But a dress with a jacket? Now that's a look.
Perfect for church and events. I wore this particular style for the 'Palmwine and Other Local Drinks' exhibition

Shoes: Tash
Make Up: Mogizzie

#SkincareSaturday Don't forget your sunscreen!

I remember some years ago, I had an accident that left me unwilling and unable to drive. Those became my taxi months and boy do I have stories to tell about the experience (series anyone?).

But back to hopping cabs everywhere.

By the time I got my mojo back and started driving again, I realised something frightening - the sun isn't your friend.

I began the slow process of trying to heal my skin and we got to a good place eventually.

Black people revel in the fact that we have melanin and boy is melanin sexy. But we take that as an excuse to ignore protecting ourselves from the sun. We may not see it immediately but it will damage our skin. Not only that, but there is also the risk of skin cancer.

So what can you do to prevent skin damage?

* Always use sunscreen!
SPF 30 is great. Some sunscreens leave some stupid streaks on your skin so be sure to use sunscreen made for black skin. Also, while the face shows damage quicker, remember to protect your arms and legs and places usually exposed to the sun.

* Hats are your friend!
Heading to the beach? Rock a hat. Get baseball ('face') caps for your commute even if it does not match your outfit. You can keep it in your bag then wear when you are trying to get a cab or bus.

* Limit your exposure
Plan your day and movement so you are not getting the sun at the worst.

* Shade and Shades
Don't throw shade, get under the shade. And rock some stylish fashionable shades.
Of course I can't take my advice re: the latter since I wear recommended glasses, but you can always get your prescription put in some shades, or go for photocromic lens which will go dark and protect you when the sun is out.

* Repair
If your skin HAS been damaged, it's time to fix this.

Check my next skincare post for how to repair!

#TBDaily x Harmattan Survival Pack- Tosyn Style!

Harmattan is here like the first day of the year!
lol.
It is though. The fog, the smell, the dry skin and more.

So how do i cope with harmattan?

- A lot of oil.
Dry skin and hair are a girl's worst enemy so i stay oiled up!

What Helps
- Orisade Body Butter with Shea Butter
- Baby Oil

- Staying hydrated
I drink it all. Water, Coffee, Tea. I have to admit i might take one or two things not recommended by the doctor as well but i find that staying well hydrated, especially with water, keeps you healthier and more active.

- Get out of the cold!
Some people claim you need to shower with cold water first thing in the morning Err... no thank you. I recommend warm water though not hot water because it makes it harder for your body to adjust to the cold. Also please wear natural warm clothing and have 'robb' handy!

-

#Hairsyn Getting your Hair into a Bun

When my hair was short, all i wanted was for it to be long. Then when my hair got long, i felt like there were no styles to work with.

My default style is the quick pack and go but whenever i sit with a professional, they would work magic on the hair and i just wanted to do the same!

Now you might have seen my previous hair tutorial on a style you can do in under ten minutes and if you haven't, here is the link.

10 min braid for natural hair

Back to my buns!

Hair packed in a bun is just so chic that it transforms every look. I had been trying but i never succeeded... until now.

First, thank you to Love Layefa and Sisi Yemmie for their up do challenge; it inspired me.

Sisi Yemmie and Love Layefa's Hair Up Do challenge

I'm going to make a youtube video soon (fingers crossed) but till then, what have i learnt.

* Brush your hair real well before your up-do or packing so that it stays in place and looks neat for longer. 

* Apply pressure. Sorry o, but up-dos will hurt. For the first few seconds. Then you'll be fine. Grab that hair tight and pack

* For my back bun, I used a trick I saw Love Layefa do. Basically you first pack with a rubber band, then you take in smaller strands each and plait, then tuck each plait into the rubber band.

* For the front bun, I used a cheat. There are some big buns you can pack your hair with then just tuck the strands into.

Let me know what you think and if you try it!