Style Diary: Bottoms Up

All my being begs to write on are the terrible mishaps and sky-high joys that made up the roller coaster week I had. But that, in comparison to the gratification of this past weekend would be a huge dishonour to all the pleasures I got to experience at the Whiskey Business Event hosted by The Play Woman, the new arm of Play Network Nigeria (which everyone ought to consider joining).

For a few hours, I ensconced in a room where the atmosphere carried with it a sense of purpose and success, the air scented of perfume mixed with whiskey, the oak decor made for a sophisticated ambiance, and everyone present was dressed to the nines. Essentially, Thomas and Ray lay the perfect scene for the most amazing networking event. Just in case you were wondering, Thomas and Ray- the whiskey bar is the first of its kind in Abuja, that boasts of some of the finest whiskey from around the world.

Talks about entrepreneurship in Nigeria from those who have trailed the path and done so successfully filled my concealed and skeptical business-self with so much hope and ambition. We all know what dire times Nigeria is in (except you have been sleeping peacefully under a bedrock of hard cash) which makes it difficult to feel optimistic about success as an entrepreneur or as someone aspiring.

But the tide turned within me, and is still turning. Among the panelists, I listened to Professor Al-Mustapha Ussiju Medane, speak with gusto as he advised about investing in entrepreneurial research before embarking on business endeavours, and what difference a little knowledge can make; and Arese Ugwu, who spoke with an air of confidence and bossiness about her journey-highs and lows-through writing a bestselling book. Her journey highlighted the benefits that knowledge and passion play in achieving success as an entrepreneur, largely from the standpoint of a Nigerian woman; and the infectious coolness of Charles Okpaleke, the CEO of Play Network, refuting the idea of research altogether, as he is more a student of passion. It was absolutely fortifying to watch and listen to these different individuals tell different stories that all tuned to the same beat of success (as an entrepreneur).

Being in that room challenged me to acknowledge and overcome welcomed and unbidden situations that I may find myself; to be innovative, consistent and proactive in what I put my mind to.

I was suddenly frantic on the inside, sitting down seemingly composed on the outside, in my black tutu, scrambling my mind for a money-making idea for the future.  Prof. Al-Mustapha’s presentation sparked a light bulb when he said, that we must not allow our immediate circumstances influence our mindset, because we ought to think like entrepreneurs, be innovative about what we can contribute to society to create solutions for its apparent failure. The question we must ask ourselves is, what can I do, in my capacity, to create a difference?

Speaking of difference, for the life of me, I can’t simply explain why it was so tasking to figure out what to wear. My outfit saw me on a different styling path and simply put, the rule for this look can be referred to as: bottoms, up. The black tulle top is a black tulle skirt that was, quite literally, switched up… and belted. My first line of action in creating a difference, in my capacity, is to inculcate the idea of skirts as tops into my styling arsenal (as I have evolved past wearing skirts merely as bottoms).  Obviously.

Outfit Details

Black Tulle Skirt (top) – Chicwish

Tapered pants – H&M

Shoes – Dorothy Perkins

Photo Credits

Momodu Media | @momodumedia