A Beginners Guide to Styling African Print Dresses
In recent times, African textiles have made a solid impression on the fashion industry across the world. High-end fashion designers and brands are now using African fabrics and patterns in their clothing articles. Also, a lot of the new designers are picking up on this trend and making aesthetically pleasing styling African dresses for modern women.
These African attires display elegance, vibrancy, and passion and help in adding more personality to your wardrobe. African-print clothing comes in a wide assortment of styles, patterns, and colors. From formal evening gowns to the latest African attire designs for ladies to bodycon dresses, you can find pretty much anything at Kenny Apparels.
Choose A Style That Flatters Your Body Shape
When it comes to choosing the perfect dress, you have to make sure that it fits your body perfectly. For instance, if your body shape is the hourglass, a clinched-in waistline and a v-neckline will look the most flattering on you. Also, wrap dresses with belts are a great option for an hourglass body shape. For women with curvier figures, evening dresses work the best.
In addition, go for something that has long bell sleeves and a V neck. If you have an athletic figure, go for dresses with details that add volume to the outfit. It might include things like embellishments and ruffles. These will help in filling your hips while balancing your upper body.
Pay Attention to The Pattern and Fabric of The Dress
African fabrics have different textures and patterns depending on their source. For instance, Ivory Coast has fabrics with a characteristic contemporary look. Also, they often come in soft colors. On the other hand, Mauritius and Mali are popular for the tie-die fabrics that have beautiful inked patterns on them. When picking out a dress, choose a fabric that is comfortable and in colors that compliment your natural skin tone.
- Occasion
When it comes to African fashion, there are different styles of clothing available for different occasions. If you want a professional look for work, you can go for an African midi skirt that has a pussy-bow collar. You can find a great variety of these dresses at Kenny Apparels. Also, silk is a great fabric choice as you can easily wear it in all weathers.
In addition, you can opt for a shirt dress to create a formal office look. Go for a design that has long sleeves, front buttons, and a smart collar neckline. When it comes to semi-formal and casual events, you can go for a flared African dress or an African mini dress. The great thing about these designs is that they offer a great deal of versatility. Thus, you can easily dress them up or down by changing the accessories and shoes.
- Season
No wardrobe is ever complete without a summer maxi dress. You might have the habit of picking out the same old boring summer dresses. Thus, it is a good idea to spice up your wardrobe with an African maxi dress. These dresses come in a wide variety of designs, colors, and sizes.
Also, you can find a dress suitable for all occasions, including formal events and weddings. In addition, silk satin gowns make for the ideal option to wear at parties and fancy dinners. The fabric is incredibly alluring as it accentuates your curves.
How To Styling African Dresses?
African print dresses look great with smart flats or heels. As African attires often come in vibrant patterns and bright colors, try to keep it minimal in the accessory department. A plain neutral color handbag and some simple ear studs should do the trick. To create a casual look, you can pair your African maxi dress with some sandals, a pair of hoops, and sunglasses.
Also, you can wear some crisp tennis sneakers with your midi-styling African dresses. Throw in a pair of sunglasses and a crossbody bag for a more urban touch.
How To Select African Wedding Dresses?
When you get an invitation to a traditional African wedding, it is important that you do some research about the culture and what is appropriate to wear for the occasion.
- Skirts or Long Dresses
Skirts and long dresses are a safe option to wear to an African wedding. However, you don’t want to go for shorter skirts and dresses as they are not very appropriate for the wedding occasion. Men can style African-style shirts and trousers to show up for the occasion appropriately.
- Geles, Doeks, or Head Ties
These are popular accessories to African apparel. It is similar to throwing on a hat for a wedding occasion. Also, headgears add an element of grace and elegance to your outfit.
- Do You Have to Wear Traditional Outfits to A Wedding?
You don’t necessarily have to wear African traditional clothing if you don’t own any or don’t know how to style it. However, if you love exploring fashion elements or would like to show up more appropriately, it is an excellent idea to buy yourself an African dress. African clothing and printed dresses are the normative clothing articles you will come across at an African wedding.
- Can You Wear Black?
People usually avoid the color back when it comes to traditional African weddings. Thus, you will commonly find lighter colors such as pink, blue, cream, and green at these events. When it comes to Nigerian weddings, the bride and groom inform the guests about their dress code. Oftentimes, they will buy a certain type of fabric to get it customized and tailor-made for everyone.
- Jewelry
When it comes to African events and occasions, jewelry plays an important role. However, you don’t want to go overboard with accessories. If there is a statement piece such as a beaded necklace or a cape that you want to wear, make sure your dress is plain or doesn’t have a pattern. Similarly, if you are wearing a pattern, go easy on the jewelry and opt for something minimal.
