Turbans and the African head wrap finally acceptable?

The head wrap is no unfamiliar wear in Africa and the African Diasporas. It is a symbol of our culture, especially in West and Central Africa. As Africa fashion is now going worldwide, so is the African head wrap. Even American celebrities are wearing the head wrap in different and new ways. Celebrities such as Solange Knowles, Chrisette Michele are making ways with our cultural attire. Do you think that this has made African traditional wear more acceptable in the professional world in the Westies?

Definately hot: 2011 color recap

There is no denying in it. Stop blocking colors are the hottest thing now.  It seemed as it would change in the fall, but the bright colors stuck around with yet a more smooth and soft approach. Still no more worries about combining yellow and pink. Craziness is all allowed. As a matter of fact it looks fabulous. Since colors is not an unfamiliar thing to African women, this is absolutely a trend we can make use of and even combine it with tribal accessories. Since 2012 is just around the corner, let’s have a look at 2011’s trend we can take with us into the new year. 

Splendid: African inspired nail prints by the Illustrated Nail

Illustrated nails provided nail arts services for Fashion brand Ohema Ohene during one of their events. No need for much to be said. This is fabulous!
The ILLUSTRATED NAIL is founded by a freelance nailartist in London, United Kingdom, who is specialised in creating Nail art with the most graphic and colourful designs. From designs of traffic boardsigns, to smiley's, you name it. The designs which caught our eyes the most, are nail art this nailartist made for Ohema Ohene.

Definately hot: Lips on colour Dark!

Just when the fury red lip is no longer a taboo, but a fashion do, there is another trend on make-up that has changed with the season. That is the dark lip. I saw it on African-American shoe designer Vanessa Simmons, who rocked the purple dark lip with a fab look. And to bring some shock value to what you think is hot: bright lip is fantastic, but dark lip is hot for this season.

Of course Mac has a high range of colours, but buying a dark coloured pencil will also do the magic. The dark skin lip looks good on the dark and the light skinned ladies. Give it a try!

View pictures of Chanel Iman, Jessica White and Vanessa Simmons with the dark coloured lips.

Definitely Hot: Patricia Field’s Teacup dress

Absolutely fabulous, African, hip, it’s Afro chique! Have you seen J. Cole’s latest video? The lady in the video is wearing a dress, which is a combination of African wax and Kente. To find out this dress is a Patricia Field Dress. Yup, it is from the crazy read-headed, yet fabulous Sex and the City stylist. And it is available online. Peek for more colours. 

Under the mag: Julian Louie

One of my latest discoveries is Julian Louie. He has got some fabulous looking tribal shoes. These shoes are affordable available at Aldo’s ánd available online. Like what you see? Fetch yourself a shoe, before it’s too late! More on JulianLouie.

Definately Hot this fall

Bright red lipstick, bald heads, pointed heels, stop blocking colours aaaand Snake prints! Yes, it’s back. Just when you though it could not go more extreme. This fall will embrace us with animal printed bags and belts. Though it might look extreme, the right combination can make your look fabulous. So before some of us give up on today’s trend. Let us look at what we can do. View a full look under the cut and some highlights of this season.

Definitely hot this season:

The high waist jeans. Especially for the women with curves, high waist jeans give a finishing touch most of the time.

Under the Mag: Burberry Prorsum

We know that Burberry is not a new brand. But Abina is totally in love with the Burberry Prorsum spring 2012 collection. The reason why, is because, it is all African inspired and it look absolutely chique. The collection displays Ankara prints, deep brown and all that is African inspired. Africa is going global, baby! And Abina's the first to tell.

Critics say that the African print outside Africa is just a trend. This might be so, but Abina absolutely loves the now trend: colourful and African. It might be a trend outside Africa, but we Africans will keep rocking African prints.

The Burberry Prorsum 2012 spring collection is a combination of chunky necklaces, dresses, and pencil skirts finished with an edgy top and colourful coat. Fabulous all the way! Pictures displayed below.he African print outside Africa is just a trend. This might be so,

Mad about Stop blocking colours

We are through spring season. The Spring season has not gone by without giving us catchy impressions with its bright colours. The bright red, green, pink and yellow has found its way back in fashion. Wearing a combination of these loud colours is no problem at all. It seems as if spring won’t be the only season, which will go all bright. Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourself for another bright coloured season. The hottest bright colours of this moment are displayed below.

It's all in the Bright lips

Besides the bright colours which have become such a fashion in clothing this year, bright coloured make-up has also become the hottest thing around. Lips as white as fire are no more a whorish thing, but rather classy once it is applied well. A MAC make-up artist tried a fury purple colour on me and I was sold. No need to buy each fury colour. With the right pencil, you can make your colour dark or rather fury as possible.

Under the Mag: Flybird

Abina Mag is all about highlighting Africa and Fashion, this includes African designers. I was warmly welcomed by Flybird’s young, Ghanaian and talented designer, Franky Boateng at his working place in Bink 36 in The Hague, the Netherlands. The designer, Franky Boateng and his team have poured their passion for bags into his own accessories line called FlyBird.

Why bags?

“I love making bags, there is where my passion lies, and therefore I choose to make bags. Flybird did not come overnight,

90's Swag is Back

Look at the high waist and washed jeans, the crazy t-shirts, the colourful make up, the golden bungles, the sneakers, the heels, the furr. This reminds me of something: the 90’s! I did a little research here and there and my conclusion is: 90’s swag is back!

Take a look at the old pictures of hip hip-group Salt n Pepa, for example. Lots of the swag has come back. I personally love it. Here are more fashion items that have come back to 2011.

More, under the cut.

90's Swag is Back

Who would have thought that the 90’s swag would be coming back? Can you remember pleading with your parents to get the leather backpack, because you absolutely loved it? What I see is the backpack and satchel trend of the 90’s has found its way back into fashion. See the way Rihanna rocks the leather backpack. Spring has started and I’ve found some for you to buy online. More under the cut.

Under the Mag: Poema Jones

As we enter the cosy cafe with Soul Music playing in the background, there we see this beautiful woman with a Rasta hat and earrings which have the shape of Africa. Her afro centric look tells it all. Poema Jones, a designer, residing in Amsterdam, the Netherlands is specialised in clothing and handmade accessories with an African feel. Not an African feel, it’s all African, Reggae, Afro centric, soulful, you name it. Poema Jones has the goods to make me share with you her work.

Definately hot: The head turban

I will admit this: I was not a fan when I saw SATC’s fashionable Carrie Underwood with a head turban. I thought it looked strange. You know, the head turban is tied differently from our traditional African head wear. Fan or no Fan, the head turban is in Fashion! And there are ways to rock it fab!

Patricia Field is responsible for the turban in SATC. But celebrity stylist June Ambrose also owns this look. Her fantastic work can also be viewed in Chrisette Michele’s video- Imma star. This is a trend. The turban Trend! Coloured women, lets follow. We can use our African printed fabric.

Booties bold Boots

Besides the knee high boots, there are also other type of boots, which are taking over the trend. The Boyfriend boots are the hottest at the moment: Booties. For some quiet daring, because it can make your look, look boy’ish. But you can make it happen, once you make it work.

Dr Martens has always had great booties. I remember Dr Martens being the shoes of alternatives. The alternative boots is working for me. Here I some I found online.

It's all in Knitwear

The weather might be perfect and Sunny in Africa, but not in West Europe. It is so cold! There is no way a person is able to survive the cold with just a nice top and a leather jacket. Not at all. I have found you nice knitwear to purchase online. The best time for knitwear is now.

Looking fashionable might not be your top priority with this awful cold weather, but there are knitwear which can keep you looking fab. Also I

have got some new sites, where you can shop online. Enjoy!

Craziness at H&M!

Lanvin for H&M released

Okay, so we’re through with anxiously waiting for the Lanvin for H&M collection. How did it go? Thousands of insane fashionistas came to the H&M grand stores in the big cities all over Europe, to actually buy what they have been waiting for. Chicks went crazy. Here are some glimpses of how it actually went down in Amsterdam, London, Milan and Paris.

Lanvin for H&M Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the day! The Lanvin for H&M collection will be in stores. The collection of cute dresses, jackets, accessories and tops will be launched first thing in the morning.

I know some of you will be standing in the cold tomorrow morning. Let me warm u up with more glimpses of the fab collection.

Pictures of the Lanvin for H&M fashion show, below.

Good look having the fashion-fight of your life!

Definately Hot: Metallic!

Last summer, it was all about having a bright coloured coat on your nails. In a fall/winter season we are more likely to apply dark-coloured nail polish, like black, grey and dark-brown. But this season, the nail polish trend is going metallic. Metallic all the way. But how do they get their
nails that shiny?

I first noted this fantastic mirror-looking coat in the movie Sex and the City 2. Kim Catrall, as Amanda matched a gold metallic nail polish with a cute white outfit. More and more celebrities are following this and it is likely to become a trend. Sex and the City stylist, Patricia Field did a fantastic job on this one, because I am loving it.