Day 2 of Planning A Shoot: Clothes And Shoes

How can a brand tell me a dress is 145K??? Are you laundering money?

When I put it out that I was planning a shoot, many people offered their services free of charge. Clothes, shoes, makeup and even photography. It was extremely humbling.

My friend saw an opportunity in this and suggested that I take these services because it’ll automatically slash my budget in half.

Andddd I declined. LMAOO

You’re probably wondering why because was I not just complaining about money in the last newsletter? 

Yes. Yes, I was.

But I wanted the shoot to be about me. I didn’t want to ride off the kindness of strangers. I wanted to pay my way through and do it on my own terms. A collaboration will happen in the future but I didn’t want it to be now. I wanted this project to be all mine.

And so I offered to pay.

And boy!

When I saw how much these ready-to-wear brands were, I almost died. I wanted to call all those brands back and beg them pé, I was stupid then but now, I am wise. Take me back. 

Because how can a brand tell me a dress is 145K??? Are you laundering money? 

After spending too long on these pages, I decided on one brand and paid for the outfit.

They sent the outfit to me and I burst into tears. I can’t post the picture here because they would know but let me describe the dress. I asked for a ¾ creme lace dress with frills on the bottom. I have delicate shoulders that I love to show off and the dress was supposed to accentuate that with its off-shoulder cut. The model on the website was slim, dark and tall, and that describes me perfectly, so I was sure the dress was going to look nice on me.

It came in the morning and I almost broke my teeth racing to the delivery guy. When I tore it open, I just knew it was going to be bad. Do you know the disappointment you feel when a giant pimple pops up on your already big nose a day before your wedding? That’s how I felt.

When I put it on, I looked like a slave. If you put me on the poster of 12-days-a-slave, I go too fit.

I fell down in front of my mirror and started crying. I told you these people are laundering money. The off-shoulder was a collar. The lace was like idumota lace. It remain for me to carry bowl and go to Oshodi under bridge. 

I called my PA and after she finished laughing, we decided that maybe ready-to-wear was not the way to go. I decided to have my outfit tailored. My friend, Saf, helped with the styling and I got it tailored.

For the second one, I wanted an abaya. I wanted people to see me and immediately point out that I am a muslim woman. But I also wanted it to look nice. I also wanted to look rich (I don’t know if I achieved that last one because GOD ABEG).

We got my abaya from Kaduna and it was perfect.

Finally, I had my two outfits but after spending too much on my outfits, I decided shoe was not necessary. Who dey look my leg?

Now, I had to get my henna done and the henna babe was saying 20K.

Ma? For what? Am I going to husband house?