M.A.G. blog, signed by Lydia https://wunimi.writeas.com/ A MAG is a Modern African Girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things which may interest a MAG. Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:11:32 +0000 https://i.snap.as/6vykruVH.jpg M.A.G. blog, signed by Lydia https://wunimi.writeas.com/ The MAG weekly Fashion and Lifestyle Blog for the modern African girl by Lydia, every Friday at 1700 hrs. Nr 201 17th April, 2026 https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-zbjz?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl. This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Don’t Forget Texture Play: Blue and brown get even better when you mix textures, Tattoos, Carbohydrates, and Saffron Saga Indian Restaurant --- Don’t Forget Texture Play: Blue and brown get even better when you mix textures: Satin blue blouse + matte brown trousers Navy crepe dress + suede brown heels Light blue cotton shirt + structured leather bag Texture makes the outfit feel expensive—even when you’re shopping smart at the big city boutiques like FashionGhana shop Asylum down. Why This Combo Feels So Right for the Corporate Girl Blue represents trust and intelligence. Brown represents reliability and stability. Isn’t that exactly what the modern Accra corporate woman embodies? You’re navigating traffic, meetings, side hustles, networking events—and still showing up impeccably dressed. Blue and brown understands that duality. Style Note : If black feels too predictable and red feels too loud, blue and brown is your sweet spot. It’s classy. It’s mature. It’s fresh. It’s corporate confidence wrapped in warmth. So next time you’re standing in front of your wardrobe thinking, “How do I look powerful but different?” Reach for blue. Add brown. Walk into that office like you own shares. Because honestly? You probably will soon. !--more-- Tattoos. We see them more and more, but I do suggest you use stickers which can be taken off after the party. Tattoos affect your immune system in ways we're just beginning to understand. From wrist designs to full sleeves, body art has become so common that it barely raises an eyebrow. Tattoo inks contain pigments that give colour, liquid carriers that help distribute the ink, preservatives to prevent microbial growth, and small amounts of impurities. But most of these pigments were originally developed for industrial applications such as car paint, plastics, and printer toner, rather than for injection into your skin. Some of these inks contain nickel, chromium, cobalt, and occasionally lead. These are toxic and are well known for triggering allergic reactions and immune sensitivity. Tattoo inks can also contain organic compounds, including azo dyes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which can break down into aromatic amines which are linked to cancer and genetic damage. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are produced during the incomplete burning of organic material and are found in soot, vehicle exhaust, and charred food. Tattooing involves injecting ink deep into the dermis, the layer of skin beneath the surface. The body recognizes pigment particles as foreign material. Immune cells attempt to remove them, but the particles are too large to be fully cleared. Instead, they become trapped inside skin cells, which is what makes tattoos permanent. Tattoo inks do not just remain confined to the skin, pigment particles can migrate through the lymphatic system and accumulate in lymph nodes, small structures that filter immune cells and help coordinate immune responses. Tattoo ink is taken up by immune cells in the skin. When these cells die, they release signals that keep the immune system activated, leading to inflammation in nearby lymph nodes for up to two months. Tattoo ink present at a vaccine injection site alters immune responses in a vaccine-specific way. Notably, it was associated with a reduced immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine. Thus tattoo pigments can interfere with immune signaling, the chemical communication system immune cells use to coordinate responses to infection or vaccinations. Many cancers take decades to develop, making these risks difficult to study directly, especially given how widespread tattooing recently has become. All this can be avoided by using stick-ons. But if you really insist to put his name on your buttock? Nothing is permanent, but a tattoo is. Carbohydrates. There’s a lot if them in cassava, plantain, yam, maize, millet, and rice. Typically about 70 % of our diet consists of carbohydrates, call them a form of sugars. That may have been fine when we lived in the village, got up early, walked to the farm, used hoe and machete to plant and weed and harvest, walked back home with some food and firewood when it was starting to be hot, and repeated same in the afternoon. Yes, that took a lot of energy, and carbohydrate supplied that. But now our lifestyles have changed, we hardly do any manual labour again, we even simulate it by going to the gym, and we don’t walk much again. So the carbohydrates are not burned and there’s a lot of sugar in our blood for long periods. This will result in weight gain, and an increased diabetes risk. Recognize anybody? So eat more veggies and bring that carbo thing down to 40-50 %. Veggies expensive? Yes, some are. Others, like e.g. carrots and cabbage are affordable. Saffron Saga Indian Restaurant. 11th Lane, Salvation Road, behind La Villa Boutique in Osu, Accra, of late is one of my favourites. Service is very prompt, the manager is constantly in the restaurant supervising, they have Heineken draft beer @ 52 GHC per half liter (funny price, taxes). We had the crispy canvas humus, a must try though it is too big for 2 persons, a great South Indian fish curry which I found a bit disappointing, the fish was slightly overcooked and I had expected the curry to be “hotter”. Curry in fact is a mixture of spices, mainly turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger and chilies, and Indian curry, Thai, Japanese and Caribbean are all versions on their own. South Indian curry typically is hotter than northern. We also had friend rice chicken where the chicken is cooked into the rice, with spices, a bit like beef into jollof. Nice. Lydia... Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts. I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever. !--emailsub-- ]]> Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Don’t Forget Texture Play: Blue and brown get even better when you mix textures, Tattoos, Carbohydrates, and Saffron Saga Indian Restaurant

Don’t Forget Texture Play: Blue and brown get even better when you mix textures: Satin blue blouse + matte brown trousers Navy crepe dress + suede brown heels Light blue cotton shirt + structured leather bag Texture makes the outfit feel expensive—even when you’re shopping smart at the big city boutiques like FashionGhana shop Asylum down. Why This Combo Feels So Right for the Corporate Girl Blue represents trust and intelligence. Brown represents reliability and stability. Isn’t that exactly what the modern Accra corporate woman embodies? You’re navigating traffic, meetings, side hustles, networking events—and still showing up impeccably dressed. Blue and brown understands that duality. Style Note : If black feels too predictable and red feels too loud, blue and brown is your sweet spot. It’s classy. It’s mature. It’s fresh. It’s corporate confidence wrapped in warmth. So next time you’re standing in front of your wardrobe thinking, “How do I look powerful but different?” Reach for blue. Add brown. Walk into that office like you own shares. Because honestly? You probably will soon. Tattoos. We see them more and more, but I do suggest you use stickers which can be taken off after the party. Tattoos affect your immune system in ways we're just beginning to understand. From wrist designs to full sleeves, body art has become so common that it barely raises an eyebrow. Tattoo inks contain pigments that give colour, liquid carriers that help distribute the ink, preservatives to prevent microbial growth, and small amounts of impurities. But most of these pigments were originally developed for industrial applications such as car paint, plastics, and printer toner, rather than for injection into your skin. Some of these inks contain nickel, chromium, cobalt, and occasionally lead. These are toxic and are well known for triggering allergic reactions and immune sensitivity. Tattoo inks can also contain organic compounds, including azo dyes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which can break down into aromatic amines which are linked to cancer and genetic damage. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are produced during the incomplete burning of organic material and are found in soot, vehicle exhaust, and charred food. Tattooing involves injecting ink deep into the dermis, the layer of skin beneath the surface. The body recognizes pigment particles as foreign material. Immune cells attempt to remove them, but the particles are too large to be fully cleared. Instead, they become trapped inside skin cells, which is what makes tattoos permanent. Tattoo inks do not just remain confined to the skin, pigment particles can migrate through the lymphatic system and accumulate in lymph nodes, small structures that filter immune cells and help coordinate immune responses. Tattoo ink is taken up by immune cells in the skin. When these cells die, they release signals that keep the immune system activated, leading to inflammation in nearby lymph nodes for up to two months. Tattoo ink present at a vaccine injection site alters immune responses in a vaccine-specific way. Notably, it was associated with a reduced immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine. Thus tattoo pigments can interfere with immune signaling, the chemical communication system immune cells use to coordinate responses to infection or vaccinations. Many cancers take decades to develop, making these risks difficult to study directly, especially given how widespread tattooing recently has become. All this can be avoided by using stick-ons. But if you really insist to put his name on your buttock? Nothing is permanent, but a tattoo is.

Carbohydrates. There’s a lot if them in cassava, plantain, yam, maize, millet, and rice. Typically about 70 % of our diet consists of carbohydrates, call them a form of sugars. That may have been fine when we lived in the village, got up early, walked to the farm, used hoe and machete to plant and weed and harvest, walked back home with some food and firewood when it was starting to be hot, and repeated same in the afternoon. Yes, that took a lot of energy, and carbohydrate supplied that. But now our lifestyles have changed, we hardly do any manual labour again, we even simulate it by going to the gym, and we don’t walk much again. So the carbohydrates are not burned and there’s a lot of sugar in our blood for long periods. This will result in weight gain, and an increased diabetes risk. Recognize anybody? So eat more veggies and bring that carbo thing down to 40-50 %. Veggies expensive? Yes, some are. Others, like e.g. carrots and cabbage are affordable.

Saffron Saga Indian Restaurant. 11th Lane, Salvation Road, behind La Villa Boutique in Osu, Accra, of late is one of my favourites. Service is very prompt, the manager is constantly in the restaurant supervising, they have Heineken draft beer @ 52 GHC per half liter (funny price, taxes). We had the crispy canvas humus, a must try though it is too big for 2 persons, a great South Indian fish curry which I found a bit disappointing, the fish was slightly overcooked and I had expected the curry to be “hotter”. Curry in fact is a mixture of spices, mainly turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger and chilies, and Indian curry, Thai, Japanese and Caribbean are all versions on their own. South Indian curry typically is hotter than northern. We also had friend rice chicken where the chicken is cooked into the rice, with spices, a bit like beef into jollof. Nice.

Lydia...

Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts.
I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me
I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever.

]]> https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-zbjz Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:00:00 +0000 The MAG weekly Fashion and Lifestyle Blog for the modern African girl by Lydia, every Friday at 1700 hrs. Nr 200 10th April, 2026 https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-g1h1?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl. This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Blue & Brown: The Corporate Girl’s Soft Power Combo, Haute couture, PFAS, Sunday evening football, and Airport food prices --- Blue & Brown: The Corporate Girl’s Soft Power Combo. Let’s talk about a colour duo that doesn’t scream for attention—but still owns the room: blue and brown. Denim Blue for Casual Corporate Fridays Casual Friday in Accra is not for lazy dressing. It’s for strategic chic. Pair: Dark blue structured denim, Brown blazer, Brown loafers or block heels, Statement bag. It says, “Relaxed—but still CEO in training.” Bonus tip: Add a brown belt to pull everything together. That detail? Elite behaviour. Royal Blue + Cognac = Statement Maker Got a presentation? Speaking on a panel? Hosting a corporate event? Royal blue dress. Cognac heels. Cognac structured bag. The richness of the brown tones down the boldness of royal blue, creating balance. You look powerful, but polished. And under Accra lights? Stunning. !--more-- Haute couture (is French for high sewing, high dress making ). This immediately takes us to the Paris runways during the Paris fashion week where world famous brands like Chanel, Dior, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Saint Laurent, are the absolute “must sees”, alongside modern favorites such as Jacquemus, Sézane, and Balmain. Chanel will spend an easy 1-2 million Dollar just for that show. Lucky we are in Ghana where 4-8000 GHC towards the organizers is more the norm. Add your own expenses and you end up paying 6-12000 GHC to show your collection here, less than 1000 $. But then of course that is Accra, not Paris. So what is haute couture and who invented it? Haute couture is the creation of exclusive, custom-fitted clothing made entirely by hand from high-quality fabrics by expert artisans. It represents the pinnacle of fashion artistry, with garments tailored to specific clients and often taking hundreds of hours to complete. So that will cost a bit. A Chanel haute couture dress starts around $40,000 – $80,000 for day-wear pieces, while bridal or heavily embroidered gowns can run $100,000 – $250,000. The advantage is that you won’t bump into someone wearing the same dress. (If you do? Just stand next to the person and say you are twins). And now the surprise: Haute couture was started in Paris in 1858 by Englishman Charles Frederic Worth, who started the house of Worth and showed custom labeled collections on live models, a first at that time. Not related to Woolworth. PFAS. There’s big talk about pfas (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) these days, overshadowing the alarm about microplastics. In practice there’s not much difference between the 2, they ought not be there but they are there and everywhere, and in a big way. The long and the short of it is that both microplastics and pfas enter our body through the air we breathe and the food we eat, and will give a big cancer surge, that’s the way our body reacts to foreign particles it does not recognize. But you can reduce the risks a bit by trying to stay away from these things as much as you can. Buy less things packed in plastic and use less plastic, and stay away from the pfas. Where are these pfas? For our day to day here we can say they are in non stick frying pans. Now here’s the catch: Europe is panicking so much now that they’ll soon forbid these non stick frying pans altogether, forbid anything which has pfas in them. So that non stick frying pan factory will close down. Will it? In Africa pfas are not forbidden and I guess it will take some time before we wake up to the problem and take action. So get ready for cheap non stick frying pans. Not kidding, already agrochemicals /pesticides which are forbidden in Europe continue to be produced in Europe for? Export to Africa. They forbade the use of these chemicals, but not the production. Shall we say it was just an oversight? No kidding indeed, there really is nothing to laugh about in this matter. Sunday evening football. Not being a real football fan I do enjoy the Sunday evening football resumés where you can see plenty goals in a short time without having to sometimes watch for 1 hour 45 minutes for a 0-0 score. And the camera often goes very close up on the scorer's face, and then sometimes you see the quick repeated eye blinking. Like people using drugs. Really? There too? Airport food prices. I recently had to travel to Germany to prepare for the Berlin Fashion week (2-5 July). At our airport, recently renamed from Kotoka International Airport to Accra International Airport I had a beef burger at “the Pub”, run by Servair. I paid 110 GHC, the beef burger was Ok, the price was OK and the service was OK. Because I had already gone through immigration I was “international’, so no taxes and Vat on that burger. A mini club goes for 35 GHC and 3 samosas for 45 GHC, but they were fried in not hot enough oil which made them fatty and sticky. In Europe I passed through Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. I always find that airport a bit scary, knowing that it is at 4 meters below sea level. Hungry as I was I decided to buy a chicken with mayonnaise sandwich. But I didn’t, it was to cost 8.90Euro, 225 GHC. I know that food at airports is more expensive, but this…. Lydia... Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts. I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever. !--emailsub-- ]]> Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Blue & Brown: The Corporate Girl’s Soft Power Combo, Haute couture, PFAS, Sunday evening football, and Airport food prices

Blue & Brown: The Corporate Girl’s Soft Power Combo. Let’s talk about a colour duo that doesn’t scream for attention—but still owns the room: blue and brown. Denim Blue for Casual Corporate Fridays Casual Friday in Accra is not for lazy dressing. It’s for strategic chic. Pair: Dark blue structured denim, Brown blazer, Brown loafers or block heels, Statement bag. It says, “Relaxed—but still CEO in training.” Bonus tip: Add a brown belt to pull everything together. That detail? Elite behaviour. Royal Blue + Cognac = Statement Maker Got a presentation? Speaking on a panel? Hosting a corporate event? Royal blue dress. Cognac heels. Cognac structured bag. The richness of the brown tones down the boldness of royal blue, creating balance. You look powerful, but polished. And under Accra lights? Stunning. Haute couture (is French for high sewing, high dress making ). This immediately takes us to the Paris runways during the Paris fashion week where world famous brands like Chanel, Dior, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Saint Laurent, are the absolute “must sees”, alongside modern favorites such as Jacquemus, Sézane, and Balmain. Chanel will spend an easy 1-2 million Dollar just for that show. Lucky we are in Ghana where 4-8000 GHC towards the organizers is more the norm. Add your own expenses and you end up paying 6-12000 GHC to show your collection here, less than 1000 $. But then of course that is Accra, not Paris. So what is haute couture and who invented it? Haute couture is the creation of exclusive, custom-fitted clothing made entirely by hand from high-quality fabrics by expert artisans. It represents the pinnacle of fashion artistry, with garments tailored to specific clients and often taking hundreds of hours to complete. So that will cost a bit. A Chanel haute couture dress starts around $40,000 – $80,000 for day-wear pieces, while bridal or heavily embroidered gowns can run $100,000 – $250,000. The advantage is that you won’t bump into someone wearing the same dress. (If you do? Just stand next to the person and say you are twins). And now the surprise: Haute couture was started in Paris in 1858 by Englishman Charles Frederic Worth, who started the house of Worth and showed custom labeled collections on live models, a first at that time. Not related to Woolworth.

PFAS. There’s big talk about pfas (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) these days, overshadowing the alarm about microplastics. In practice there’s not much difference between the 2, they ought not be there but they are there and everywhere, and in a big way. The long and the short of it is that both microplastics and pfas enter our body through the air we breathe and the food we eat, and will give a big cancer surge, that’s the way our body reacts to foreign particles it does not recognize. But you can reduce the risks a bit by trying to stay away from these things as much as you can. Buy less things packed in plastic and use less plastic, and stay away from the pfas. Where are these pfas? For our day to day here we can say they are in non stick frying pans. Now here’s the catch: Europe is panicking so much now that they’ll soon forbid these non stick frying pans altogether, forbid anything which has pfas in them. So that non stick frying pan factory will close down. Will it? In Africa pfas are not forbidden and I guess it will take some time before we wake up to the problem and take action. So get ready for cheap non stick frying pans. Not kidding, already agrochemicals /pesticides which are forbidden in Europe continue to be produced in Europe for? Export to Africa. They forbade the use of these chemicals, but not the production. Shall we say it was just an oversight? No kidding indeed, there really is nothing to laugh about in this matter.

Sunday evening football. Not being a real football fan I do enjoy the Sunday evening football resumés where you can see plenty goals in a short time without having to sometimes watch for 1 hour 45 minutes for a 0-0 score. And the camera often goes very close up on the scorer's face, and then sometimes you see the quick repeated eye blinking. Like people using drugs. Really? There too?

Airport food prices. I recently had to travel to Germany to prepare for the Berlin Fashion week (2-5 July). At our airport, recently renamed from Kotoka International Airport to Accra International Airport I had a beef burger at “the Pub”, run by Servair. I paid 110 GHC, the beef burger was Ok, the price was OK and the service was OK. Because I had already gone through immigration I was “international’, so no taxes and Vat on that burger. A mini club goes for 35 GHC and 3 samosas for 45 GHC, but they were fried in not hot enough oil which made them fatty and sticky. In Europe I passed through Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. I always find that airport a bit scary, knowing that it is at 4 meters below sea level. Hungry as I was I decided to buy a chicken with mayonnaise sandwich. But I didn’t, it was to cost 8.90Euro, 225 GHC. I know that food at airports is more expensive, but this….

Lydia...

Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts.
I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me
I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever.

]]> https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-g1h1 Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 The MAG weekly Fashion and Lifestyle Blog for the modern African girl by Lydia, every Friday at 1700 hrs. Nr 199 3rd April, 2026 https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-q?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl. This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Fresh Greens for Growth, Luxury fashion becomes luxury food? Early make up? and Dubai --- Fresh Greens for Growth: Green, the colour of growth and renewal, is making its mark in corporate Accra this year. From lush emerald to mint and olive, green represents balance, harmony, and freshness. Whether you’re walking into a client meeting or prepping for a conference call, green will not only boost your confidence but also symbolize your growth as a professional. Why it works: Green is a colour that radiates calm yet commands attention. It’s subtle but impactful — perfect for the modern corporate woman. Style tip: Go for an olive green jacket with tailored trousers or a soft mint blouse with a fitted skirt. Pair with gold jewelry for a classy, polished finish. Powerful Purples & Reds: Purple is synonymous with royalty, while red represents strength and confidence. Together, they create a palette that demands attention. A powerful combo in any corporate setting, purple tones (think amethyst and lavender) can add sophistication, while fiery red can bring an energizing, bold statement to your look. These colours are perfect when you want to make a lasting impression, whether you're presenting a proposal or leading a team. Why it works: Red and purple are assertive, magnetic colours that draw people in. They’re not afraid to make a statement, and neither are you. Style tip: Try a deep purple blouse tucked into a high-waisted pencil skirt or trousers. Add a red handbag for an extra pop, or rock a full red dress with purple accessories for a truly regal effect. So, whether you're building your empire or climbing the corporate ladder, remember: your wardrobe is one of your most powerful tools. Make sure it reflects the dynamic, fearless, and creative woman you are! Let me know — which of these colours are you most excited to try out in your own corporate wardrobe this year? !--more-- Luxury fashion becomes luxury food? In their quest to collect more money from the rich the big names like Belmond, which is owned by LVMH have already diversified into luxury hotels and luxury nostalgic trains. Dior, better known for fashion and perfumes has now opened a Michelin star restaurant, (the opening comes first, and if you are good Michelin may award you 1, 2 or 3 stars) following trailblazers Gucci and Chanel. The restaurant is called Monsieur Dior and is situated in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, next to Gallerie Dior. It is managed by Yanninck Alléno, who already manages another 18 star restaurants, so he seems to be good at it. Prices of course are a bit up, the potato puree with caviar goes for 1290 GHC, the salad Catherine for 350 GHC, a sole fish in butter costs 860 GHC, and calf fillet ticks 750 GHC. Taxes and service included, no games here. Do reserve a table, monkeys play by sizes. The aim of course is to get 3 Michelin stars, then the same sole fish will go for anywhere between 1600 and 2600 GHC. Hurry up, the sole season in Ghana ends at end of April… Early make up? Throughout the world the effect of social media on the youth is being scrutinized with several countries imposing a minimum age of 15 or 16 years old and schools banning smartphones. Sweden, which in 2009 changed books for computers in schools is presently also making a U turn, and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) just had a fine of 375 million USD in New Mexico (State in the USA) and 6 million in California for knowingly addicting children to social media. Tiktok was sued earlier on. Yeah, grab them early. But this article was about make up? Yes, in Italy the authorities are taking a very close look at Sephora and Benefit. Both owned by LVMH (which also owns Bulgari, Celine, Dior, Fendi and Givenchy). Sephora is a big beauty retailer, selling 340 + different brands of make up and skin care products and fragrances through its 2000+ shops. The suspicion is that their covert marketing strategies target girls as young as 10 years old, fueling an unhealthy skincare and anti aging obsession called cosmeticorexia. These make up addicted kids are now nicknamed Sephora kids. It is known that almost all make up products contain dangerous chemicals, and especially young skins are more sensitive. And imagine what happens in Ghana where anything at all is imported, some product even without a brand name. Dubai. There’s a saying that Kentucky Fried Chicken and iPhones are responsible for a load of juvenile pregnancies. We could add Dubai, the magic city. Why? Apart from the current troubles there, which have now made any trip there risky, what is then the magic of Dubai? Magic indeed is that in the middle of the desert sand they have managed to create a big financial and trading hub, complete with greens lawns, irrigated with desalinated sea water. And apart from that? Lots of hotels and shopping malls and eateries, and expensive playgrounds. So why do we all want to go there? Not so long ago a Ghanaian needed a visa for about any country apart from the Ecowas states, even South Africa and Kenya were beyond reach. Enter Emirates Air and a big advertising campaign, and finally we could leave Africa. At the cost of an iPhone, hotel included. But things have changed now, Ghanaians can travel without real visa hassle to 54 countries like Botswana, India, Jamaica, Singapore, South Africa, and others. Personally I would prefer Morocco or a Kenya safari, or India with it’s 22 official languages and 44 Unesco World Heritage sites (France has 53, Morocco 9, Kenya 8 and Dubai has none). All for the price of an iPhone. Take KFC tonight and dream. Lydia... Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts. I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever. !--emailsub--  ]]> Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Fresh Greens for Growth, Luxury fashion becomes luxury food? Early make up? and Dubai

Fresh Greens for Growth: Green, the colour of growth and renewal, is making its mark in corporate Accra this year. From lush emerald to mint and olive, green represents balance, harmony, and freshness. Whether you’re walking into a client meeting or prepping for a conference call, green will not only boost your confidence but also symbolize your growth as a professional. Why it works: Green is a colour that radiates calm yet commands attention. It’s subtle but impactful — perfect for the modern corporate woman. Style tip: Go for an olive green jacket with tailored trousers or a soft mint blouse with a fitted skirt. Pair with gold jewelry for a classy, polished finish. Powerful Purples & Reds: Purple is synonymous with royalty, while red represents strength and confidence. Together, they create a palette that demands attention. A powerful combo in any corporate setting, purple tones (think amethyst and lavender) can add sophistication, while fiery red can bring an energizing, bold statement to your look. These colours are perfect when you want to make a lasting impression, whether you're presenting a proposal or leading a team. Why it works: Red and purple are assertive, magnetic colours that draw people in. They’re not afraid to make a statement, and neither are you. Style tip: Try a deep purple blouse tucked into a high-waisted pencil skirt or trousers. Add a red handbag for an extra pop, or rock a full red dress with purple accessories for a truly regal effect. So, whether you're building your empire or climbing the corporate ladder, remember: your wardrobe is one of your most powerful tools. Make sure it reflects the dynamic, fearless, and creative woman you are! Let me know — which of these colours are you most excited to try out in your own corporate wardrobe this year? Luxury fashion becomes luxury food? In their quest to collect more money from the rich the big names like Belmond, which is owned by LVMH have already diversified into luxury hotels and luxury nostalgic trains. Dior, better known for fashion and perfumes has now opened a Michelin star restaurant, (the opening comes first, and if you are good Michelin may award you 1, 2 or 3 stars) following trailblazers Gucci and Chanel. The restaurant is called Monsieur Dior and is situated in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, next to Gallerie Dior. It is managed by Yanninck Alléno, who already manages another 18 star restaurants, so he seems to be good at it. Prices of course are a bit up, the potato puree with caviar goes for 1290 GHC, the salad Catherine for 350 GHC, a sole fish in butter costs 860 GHC, and calf fillet ticks 750 GHC. Taxes and service included, no games here. Do reserve a table, monkeys play by sizes. The aim of course is to get 3 Michelin stars, then the same sole fish will go for anywhere between 1600 and 2600 GHC. Hurry up, the sole season in Ghana ends at end of April…

Early make up? Throughout the world the effect of social media on the youth is being scrutinized with several countries imposing a minimum age of 15 or 16 years old and schools banning smartphones. Sweden, which in 2009 changed books for computers in schools is presently also making a U turn, and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) just had a fine of 375 million USD in New Mexico (State in the USA) and 6 million in California for knowingly addicting children to social media. Tiktok was sued earlier on. Yeah, grab them early. But this article was about make up? Yes, in Italy the authorities are taking a very close look at Sephora and Benefit. Both owned by LVMH (which also owns Bulgari, Celine, Dior, Fendi and Givenchy). Sephora is a big beauty retailer, selling 340 + different brands of make up and skin care products and fragrances through its 2000+ shops. The suspicion is that their covert marketing strategies target girls as young as 10 years old, fueling an unhealthy skincare and anti aging obsession called cosmeticorexia. These make up addicted kids are now nicknamed Sephora kids. It is known that almost all make up products contain dangerous chemicals, and especially young skins are more sensitive. And imagine what happens in Ghana where anything at all is imported, some product even without a brand name.

Dubai. There’s a saying that Kentucky Fried Chicken and iPhones are responsible for a load of juvenile pregnancies. We could add Dubai, the magic city. Why? Apart from the current troubles there, which have now made any trip there risky, what is then the magic of Dubai? Magic indeed is that in the middle of the desert sand they have managed to create a big financial and trading hub, complete with greens lawns, irrigated with desalinated sea water. And apart from that? Lots of hotels and shopping malls and eateries, and expensive playgrounds. So why do we all want to go there? Not so long ago a Ghanaian needed a visa for about any country apart from the Ecowas states, even South Africa and Kenya were beyond reach. Enter Emirates Air and a big advertising campaign, and finally we could leave Africa. At the cost of an iPhone, hotel included. But things have changed now, Ghanaians can travel without real visa hassle to 54 countries like Botswana, India, Jamaica, Singapore, South Africa, and others. Personally I would prefer Morocco or a Kenya safari, or India with it’s 22 official languages and 44 Unesco World Heritage sites (France has 53, Morocco 9, Kenya 8 and Dubai has none). All for the price of an iPhone. Take KFC tonight and dream.

Lydia...

Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts.
I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me
I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever.


 

]]> https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-q Sat, 04 Apr 2026 01:30:00 +0000 The MAG weekly Fashion and Lifestyle Blog for the modern African girl by Lydia, every Friday at 1700 hrs. Nr 198 27th March, 2026 https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-lcng?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl. This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Own Your Corporate Style, This year’s Met Gala will be on 4th May, What is white washing? and Patrone Lounge Alisa Hotel Accra --- Own Your Corporate Style. The 2026 corporate Accra girl is confident, vibrant, and unapologetically bold. This is not your grandma's office look! Embrace the colours that make you feel powerful and creative, and don't be afraid to experiment with textures and accessories. The modern corporate wardrobe isn’t just about looking professional — it’s about expressing your personality and telling the world who you are through your style.  Soft Neutrals with a Bright Accent: While bold colours are on the rise, soft neutrals are not going anywhere. But in 2026, the secret is in how you accessorize. Think soft creams, taupes, and cool grays, but with a bright, unexpected pop. Maybe a bold turquoise clutch or an electric pink pair of shoes? It’s the perfect way to stay grounded while keeping things fresh and fun.    Why it works: A neutral base allows your personality to shine through with the addition of one or two bold, unexpected accents. It’s the ultimate mix of timeless style and trend-forward thinking. Style tip: If you're wearing a soft taupe dress or suit, pair it with bright shoes or a patterned scarf in a striking colour, like hot pink or electric blue. A fun bag with some texture (maybe some beading or metallic touches) will add that little extra flair! !--more-- This year’s Met Gala will be on 4th May. Held annually as a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in Manhattan, southeastern New York State in the United States, the Met Gala is a haute couture fashion event like no other, it is considered by many to be the world’s most important and glamorous fashion event. Every year the event celebrates a specific theme. Attendees, who make a contribution of $75,000 per seat, will embrace high fashion and creativity with outfits in accordance with this year’s theme, costume art. Guests are to treat fashion as a living artistic expression, highlighting the body as a canvas for creativity. So expect a bit of flesh (whilst most would do better by keeping things covered). Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon and his wife Lauren are one of the sponsors, and what she wears will make waves. Mark Zuckerberg and his wife showed up at the Milan fashion week, an interesting competition coming up here. We haven’t seen Musk at fashion shows yet, but his estranged daughter actually walked for Gucci in Milan. Just pray that Trump does not stick his nose inside like he did with the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by renaming it after himself and then no one showed up and he had to close it for “renovations”. What is white washing? And I am not referring to Omo. Let me explain. Let’s assume I am a big time drug dealer and I end up with a million dollar cash under my mattress. If I take it to the bank they will ask where this money came from, they are obliged to ask. And it leaves a trace, banks keep records for centuries. Again, if I buy a building someone may ask from where all that cash, or later someone may ask how I got all that cash to buy that building, my tax records show no such income. If I want to go into politics, during the vetting it may become a problem. So I need to find a way to make this dirty money clean. I open a boutique, and every day I happily write invoices for about 20,000 GHC sales, whilst no one bought anything, and I bring that cash to the bank. They will even congratulate me on my successful business. At the end of the year the taxman will assess this profit and I have to pay 25% tax. Add the cost of running the shop and the girl in it, all in all I lose about 30 %. But now my money is perfectly legal, 1,000,000 $ dirty money has become 700,000 $ clean money. This issue is very widespread in Ghana, I have even heard young men singing their song “we are the whiiiiiite washers”, and I have seen girls posting “I wished my boyfriend was a white washer, I’d just go to the shop 30 minutes a day and for the rest watch movies". And not only boutiques can wash, eateries, hotels, what not. The Government does not seem to mind very much, they get that tax of 25%, and maybe a little gift to keep their eyes a bit closed. The down side is that Ghana is becoming a narco state thriving on drugs transits, white washing, internet fraud, what not. And if you really want to run a boutique you are competing with someone who does not sell clothes but washes money, and who does not care how much they sell their dresses. So honesty does not pay any more, rather this illegal business is destroying the honest business. It is serious, for example the traditional real estate people who built half of Accra currently cannot pay off their bank loans, their buildings are empty, rents are down, because my clean 700,000 $ went into a building, better and safer than in a bank, and I don’t care if it is profitable. Patrone Lounge Alisa Hotel Accra 21 Dr. Isert Road, North Ridge, Accra, is a good place if you want to have a quick quiet meeting and be a bit out of sight. A soda water cost 20 GHC, fresh orange juice is 35. They serve groundnuts and plantain chips with it so you can nibble whilst you talk. Service is correct. Lydia... Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts. I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever. !--emailsub--  ]]> Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Own Your Corporate Style, This year’s Met Gala will be on 4th May, What is white washing? and Patrone Lounge Alisa Hotel Accra

Own Your Corporate Style. The 2026 corporate Accra girl is confident, vibrant, and unapologetically bold. This is not your grandma's office look! Embrace the colours that make you feel powerful and creative, and don't be afraid to experiment with textures and accessories. The modern corporate wardrobe isn’t just about looking professional — it’s about expressing your personality and telling the world who you are through your style.  Soft Neutrals with a Bright Accent: While bold colours are on the rise, soft neutrals are not going anywhere. But in 2026, the secret is in how you accessorize. Think soft creams, taupes, and cool grays, but with a bright, unexpected pop. Maybe a bold turquoise clutch or an electric pink pair of shoes? It’s the perfect way to stay grounded while keeping things fresh and fun.    Why it works: A neutral base allows your personality to shine through with the addition of one or two bold, unexpected accents. It’s the ultimate mix of timeless style and trend-forward thinking. Style tip: If you're wearing a soft taupe dress or suit, pair it with bright shoes or a patterned scarf in a striking colour, like hot pink or electric blue. A fun bag with some texture (maybe some beading or metallic touches) will add that little extra flair! This year’s Met Gala will be on 4th May. Held annually as a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in Manhattan, southeastern New York State in the United States, the Met Gala is a haute couture fashion event like no other, it is considered by many to be the world’s most important and glamorous fashion event. Every year the event celebrates a specific theme. Attendees, who make a contribution of $75,000 per seat, will embrace high fashion and creativity with outfits in accordance with this year’s theme, costume art. Guests are to treat fashion as a living artistic expression, highlighting the body as a canvas for creativity. So expect a bit of flesh (whilst most would do better by keeping things covered). Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon and his wife Lauren are one of the sponsors, and what she wears will make waves. Mark Zuckerberg and his wife showed up at the Milan fashion week, an interesting competition coming up here. We haven’t seen Musk at fashion shows yet, but his estranged daughter actually walked for Gucci in Milan. Just pray that Trump does not stick his nose inside like he did with the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by renaming it after himself and then no one showed up and he had to close it for “renovations”.

What is white washing? And I am not referring to Omo. Let me explain. Let’s assume I am a big time drug dealer and I end up with a million dollar cash under my mattress. If I take it to the bank they will ask where this money came from, they are obliged to ask. And it leaves a trace, banks keep records for centuries. Again, if I buy a building someone may ask from where all that cash, or later someone may ask how I got all that cash to buy that building, my tax records show no such income. If I want to go into politics, during the vetting it may become a problem. So I need to find a way to make this dirty money clean. I open a boutique, and every day I happily write invoices for about 20,000 GHC sales, whilst no one bought anything, and I bring that cash to the bank. They will even congratulate me on my successful business. At the end of the year the taxman will assess this profit and I have to pay 25% tax. Add the cost of running the shop and the girl in it, all in all I lose about 30 %. But now my money is perfectly legal, 1,000,000 $ dirty money has become 700,000 $ clean money. This issue is very widespread in Ghana, I have even heard young men singing their song “we are the whiiiiiite washers”, and I have seen girls posting “I wished my boyfriend was a white washer, I’d just go to the shop 30 minutes a day and for the rest watch movies”. And not only boutiques can wash, eateries, hotels, what not. The Government does not seem to mind very much, they get that tax of 25%, and maybe a little gift to keep their eyes a bit closed. The down side is that Ghana is becoming a narco state thriving on drugs transits, white washing, internet fraud, what not. And if you really want to run a boutique you are competing with someone who does not sell clothes but washes money, and who does not care how much they sell their dresses. So honesty does not pay any more, rather this illegal business is destroying the honest business. It is serious, for example the traditional real estate people who built half of Accra currently cannot pay off their bank loans, their buildings are empty, rents are down, because my clean 700,000 $ went into a building, better and safer than in a bank, and I don’t care if it is profitable.

Patrone Lounge Alisa Hotel Accra 21 Dr. Isert Road, North Ridge, Accra, is a good place if you want to have a quick quiet meeting and be a bit out of sight. A soda water cost 20 GHC, fresh orange juice is 35. They serve groundnuts and plantain chips with it so you can nibble whilst you talk. Service is correct.

Lydia...

Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts.
I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me
I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever.


 

]]> https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-lcng Fri, 27 Mar 2026 17:00:00 +0000 The MAG weekly Fashion and Lifestyle Blog for the modern African girl by Lydia, every Friday at 1700 hrs. Nr 197 20th March, 2026 https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-m4b6?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl. This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Tech-Infused Fabrics, Cannes Film Festival, Toothpaste, and Champagne, Prosecco, Sekt and Cava --- Tech-Infused Fabrics: Tech isn’t just for gadgets—it’s now playing a major role in corporate fashion. The fusion of fashion and technology is already happening in the West African fashion scene, with designers experimenting with fabrics that adapt to your environment. Imagine a blazer that adjusts to your body temperature or fabric that repels water and resists wrinkles—perfect for the busy corporate lifestyle. Wearable tech is also gaining popularity, from smart watches to bracelets that help with productivity. So, if you thought the future of fashion was still years away, think again—it's here, and it's happening now. Power Suits with a Twist: While the classic power suit isn’t going anywhere, it’s getting an upgrade. The 2026 power suit in West Africa will be all about standing out. Think bold hues like deep emerald greens and fiery oranges, paired with soft, fluid fabrics that make you look as powerful as you feel. Corporate fashion will continue to honor the structured look of the classic suit, but designers are adding modern, playful touches: asymmetrical cuts, unconventional lapels, and creative tailoring. This gives the traditional business suit a fresh, modern energy while maintaining its authority. It’s all about merging strength and style! !--more-- Cannes Film Festival is from 12th to 23rd May 2026. We've finished with the fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris, telling us what we should wear this autumn and winter, but there's more coming up. The Cannes Film Festival, held on the Côte d'Azur in the South of France (careful, there’s another Cannes in France somewhere inland) is a glamorous celebration of cinema. But as all these Global film stars show up to see their own films they also dress up and showcase haute couture from the luxury fashion houses as they strut the festival’s red carpet. So both film and fashion lovers get their share. It's pretty crowded, so if you want to see anything you need to arrive early. And of course the real events are strictly by invitation and with a lot of security. While it is a film festival first and foremost, the Cannes Film Festival has become known for its elegant and opulent looks. As a result, it is now considered one of the most stylish fashion events on the international calendar. Toothpaste. We all want to smell fresh and have smiling teeth. But like so many things this one too comes at a price, and not only the price of the toothpaste. Digestion is a very important issue. If we do not digest properly part of what we eat will never get into our bloodstream, our body, to give energy, to build cells, to protect cells, what not. Irritated bowels can even lead to depression. So we know that the food is first digested in the stomach. Wrong, it starts in the mouth. If you chew long enough on bread or rice it becomes sweat, the enzymes in our saliva break down the carbohydrates in the bread or the rice into smaller sugars which can more easily pass through the intestine walls into our bloodstream. You can look up what enzymes are, if you like. And in the intestines it is bacteria which chop through the food and make it more digestible. Billions of bacteria. But in the mouth too there are bacteria, about 700 different ones. They help break down the food before it even enters into the stomach. Indeed, some of the bacteria in your mouth are bad ones and try to damage your teeth and especially your gums. So the toothpaste kills them all, the good ones with the bad ones. According to my dentist brushing your teeth and gums with water is sufficient, remove leftovers from between your teeth, that's all. And a new toothpaste is on the way, it stops the growth of the bad bacteria, allowing the good ones to thrive. The active ingredient is called guanidinoethylbenzylaminoimidazopyridine acetate (a mouth full, indeed) and the toothpaste is a called Periotrap, a German product. A 75 grams tube should cost about 225 GHC when it gets to Ghana. I estimate the product will come off patent in a few years and should then be more affordable. Champagne, Prosecco, Sekt and Cava. Champagne is a famous sparkling wine, maybe the most famous of all wines. The French did a good marketing job here. It is made like wine, allowing grapes and their juice to ferment and produce alcohol, but with champagne they later add more yeast and some sugar and manage to create bubbles. So the alcohol you drink is in fact packed in bubbles which make it act faster, so you'll easily get tipsy. Happy celebration. Because of it's popularity Champagne sells at a premium, and for a low end bottle you pay an easy 350 GHC, in a restaurant that would sell at 700-1000 GHC. The more expensive bottles go from 550 GHC upwards to an easy 6000 GHC a bottle. But the Champagne process is not unique to France, though the name is, the Germans have their sekt, the Italians their Prosecco, and the Spaniards have their Cava. It's more or less all the same stuff, but I can get a decent bottle of Prosecco here for 150 GHC, half the price of a low end French Champagne. And a German wine maker Henkell just bought the nr 1 Spanish cava wine estate Freixenet for several hundreds of millions of Euros, so at least they reckon there's a future in these champagne copycats. Freixenet recently suffered drought and got into financial problems. Henkell already owns several brands of Prosecco, Sekt, Cava and Champagne. Cheers Lydia... Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts. I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever. !--emailsub-- ]]> Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Tech-Infused Fabrics, Cannes Film Festival, Toothpaste, and Champagne, Prosecco, Sekt and Cava

Tech-Infused Fabrics: Tech isn’t just for gadgets—it’s now playing a major role in corporate fashion. The fusion of fashion and technology is already happening in the West African fashion scene, with designers experimenting with fabrics that adapt to your environment. Imagine a blazer that adjusts to your body temperature or fabric that repels water and resists wrinkles—perfect for the busy corporate lifestyle. Wearable tech is also gaining popularity, from smart watches to bracelets that help with productivity. So, if you thought the future of fashion was still years away, think again—it's here, and it's happening now. Power Suits with a Twist: While the classic power suit isn’t going anywhere, it’s getting an upgrade. The 2026 power suit in West Africa will be all about standing out. Think bold hues like deep emerald greens and fiery oranges, paired with soft, fluid fabrics that make you look as powerful as you feel. Corporate fashion will continue to honor the structured look of the classic suit, but designers are adding modern, playful touches: asymmetrical cuts, unconventional lapels, and creative tailoring. This gives the traditional business suit a fresh, modern energy while maintaining its authority. It’s all about merging strength and style! Cannes Film Festival is from 12th to 23rd May 2026. We've finished with the fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris, telling us what we should wear this autumn and winter, but there's more coming up. The Cannes Film Festival, held on the Côte d'Azur in the South of France (careful, there’s another Cannes in France somewhere inland) is a glamorous celebration of cinema. But as all these Global film stars show up to see their own films they also dress up and showcase haute couture from the luxury fashion houses as they strut the festival’s red carpet. So both film and fashion lovers get their share. It's pretty crowded, so if you want to see anything you need to arrive early. And of course the real events are strictly by invitation and with a lot of security. While it is a film festival first and foremost, the Cannes Film Festival has become known for its elegant and opulent looks. As a result, it is now considered one of the most stylish fashion events on the international calendar.

Toothpaste. We all want to smell fresh and have smiling teeth. But like so many things this one too comes at a price, and not only the price of the toothpaste. Digestion is a very important issue. If we do not digest properly part of what we eat will never get into our bloodstream, our body, to give energy, to build cells, to protect cells, what not. Irritated bowels can even lead to depression. So we know that the food is first digested in the stomach. Wrong, it starts in the mouth. If you chew long enough on bread or rice it becomes sweat, the enzymes in our saliva break down the carbohydrates in the bread or the rice into smaller sugars which can more easily pass through the intestine walls into our bloodstream. You can look up what enzymes are, if you like. And in the intestines it is bacteria which chop through the food and make it more digestible. Billions of bacteria. But in the mouth too there are bacteria, about 700 different ones. They help break down the food before it even enters into the stomach. Indeed, some of the bacteria in your mouth are bad ones and try to damage your teeth and especially your gums. So the toothpaste kills them all, the good ones with the bad ones. According to my dentist brushing your teeth and gums with water is sufficient, remove leftovers from between your teeth, that's all. And a new toothpaste is on the way, it stops the growth of the bad bacteria, allowing the good ones to thrive. The active ingredient is called guanidinoethylbenzylaminoimidazopyridine acetate (a mouth full, indeed) and the toothpaste is a called Periotrap, a German product. A 75 grams tube should cost about 225 GHC when it gets to Ghana. I estimate the product will come off patent in a few years and should then be more affordable.

Champagne, Prosecco, Sekt and Cava. Champagne is a famous sparkling wine, maybe the most famous of all wines. The French did a good marketing job here. It is made like wine, allowing grapes and their juice to ferment and produce alcohol, but with champagne they later add more yeast and some sugar and manage to create bubbles. So the alcohol you drink is in fact packed in bubbles which make it act faster, so you'll easily get tipsy. Happy celebration. Because of it's popularity Champagne sells at a premium, and for a low end bottle you pay an easy 350 GHC, in a restaurant that would sell at 700-1000 GHC. The more expensive bottles go from 550 GHC upwards to an easy 6000 GHC a bottle. But the Champagne process is not unique to France, though the name is, the Germans have their sekt, the Italians their Prosecco, and the Spaniards have their Cava. It's more or less all the same stuff, but I can get a decent bottle of Prosecco here for 150 GHC, half the price of a low end French Champagne. And a German wine maker Henkell just bought the nr 1 Spanish cava wine estate Freixenet for several hundreds of millions of Euros, so at least they reckon there's a future in these champagne copycats. Freixenet recently suffered drought and got into financial problems. Henkell already owns several brands of Prosecco, Sekt, Cava and Champagne. Cheers

Lydia...

Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts.
I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me
I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever.

]]> https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-m4b6 Fri, 20 Mar 2026 17:00:00 +0000 The MAG weekly Fashion and Lifestyle Blog for the modern African girl by Lydia, every Friday at 1700 hrs. Nr 196 13th March, 2026 https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-8m9q?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl. This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: The Bottom Line: Be Ready to Mix Tradition with Innovation!, Fake high end thrift fashion, Black paints black, and Jazz in Accra --- The Bottom Line: Be Ready to Mix Tradition with Innovation! The upcoming corporate fashion trends in West Africa are nothing short of exciting. From Afro-futurism to gender-fluid designs, the corporate world is embracing a more inclusive, sustainable, and creative approach to workwear. It’s about breaking the mould, celebrating culture, and looking to the future with designs that feel both relevant and fresh. As we have stepped into 2026, expect to see these trends popping up everywhere, from boardrooms to coffee shops. Whether you’re looking to revamp your work wardrobe or just keep up with what’s hot, West African fashion is sure to inspire. The Return of Bold Prints & Bright Colours: One of the things we love about West African fashion is its unapologetic use of colour. Bright, bold prints are set to dominate the corporate world in 2026, making your 9-to-5 wardrobe a whole lot more exciting. Think vibrant, eye-catching patterns like tie-dye, floral prints, and of course—Ankara. Whether it's a printed shirt under a structured suit or a bold, patterned dress for those important business meetings, expect to see a lot more vibrancy in your workwear. And let’s not forget those matching accessories—brightly coloured bags, shoes, and scarves will be the perfect finishing touch to any corporate outfit. !--more-- Fake high end thrift fashion. Fake fashion brands are common here and you can buy a nicely branded handbag for 100 GHC, the real thing would probably cost you 500 USD or more. LVMH, holder of 18000 intellectual property rights (including trademarks, designs, and copyrights) through brands like Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Tiffany & Co, Moët & Chandon and Hennessy, fights tooth and nail to make sure no one copies, and has many many court cases simultaneously, sometimes initiated by them, but also initiated by artistes against them, who claim their designs were copied into one of the LVMH items. For some reason they are not doing anything here, maybe the average length of a Ghana court case of 980 days is a deterrent. But careful, don’t carry these things to Europe, it may be taken from you plus a hefty penalty. There is also the thrift market for real luxury branded items, like Birkin bags or Rolex watches. These items are offered on specialized web sites who earn brokerage money. Turnover was 50 billion dollars in 2024, 50 billion US dollar of high end thrift items. Up 7% on the precious year. But is it real? Or fake? So they have experts checking every individual item before it is put up for sale. The leather, the threads, the zip, the lock, every little item is checked. Basic training to become an authentication expert takes about 5 months, after that you specialize in bags, shoes, watches, clothing, jewelry. Fake items offered for sale to these specialized brokers used to be 30%, but now that it's up, half the items offered to the brokers are fake. The broker and the original manufacturer now cooperate, the manufacturer points out the little secret details which few know, and the brokers inform the manufacturers on the latest in fakes. And some don't care to walk around with a fake, like us here. Black paints black. Paintings of black people have become fashionable of late, and as a serious art collector you better have at least one painting of a black person in your collection. It may be worth while, some paintings go for several hundreds of thousands of dollars, sometimes millions. Will it last? I doubt it, because everybody is now producing the same fashionable things. Examples are Emy Sherald, a black American who became fashionable after painting Michelle Obama and Ghanaian Amoako Boafo who was a forerunner here in Ghana. Emy Sherald's painting of Michelle Obama Amoako Boafo Jazz in Accra. About 12 years ago Dr Adrian Odoi of Akai House Clinic and Co (some family, some friends) started the +233 Jazz Club and Grill at Dr. Isert Street in North Ridge, Accra, at the former Bass Line Jazz Club with the motto "keeping music alive". The name +233 was a genius, Ghana's international dialing code, and also the addition of "grill" was clever, they took a very good kebab griller from Zorzor bar, a popular bar in Osu, (now closed) and that alone brought customers. From a small inside stage which soon could not hold enough public the band slowly moved outside, then that stage was enlarged, then the platform for the customers was enlarged twice and now there are even 3 upstairs, 2 facing the stage. The sound system is absolutely tops, and indeed Odoi and Co have kept music alive, ayeeko. Though it is called a jazz Club there is also evergreens, highlife, local Ga and others. Except Mondays there is something going on every night, Tuesday being for the Ghana Jazz Ensemble. Some foreign artistes like Joss Stone – Grammy-winning English singer-songwriter known globally for soul, R&B and pop, Milena Casado – American jazz trumpeter and composer, Jackie Ribas – Brazilian-American jazz vocalist, Native Vibe with Jeff Kashiwa & Kevin Flournoy – U.S.-based jazz fusion band and their special guests (including saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa), and Alune Wade – and Senegalese bassist and bandleader have performed at the +233 Jazz and Grill bar. Food is not too bad, though pricy, the kebabs are still mostly very good, a beef kebab goes for 65 GHC but looking at what you get it is worthwhile. Though sometimes they are out of beef. Yam chips are often nicely crispy. They sell local and foreign draft beers but often run out of the foreign ones and then it is back to the bottle And no hot dogs. Sunday is mainly football but without the sound, rather a DJ with nice music. They have a large vodka list but in reality only have a few. Grilled chicken and jollof go for 140 GHC, meat samosa 65, soda water 25. Lydia... Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts. I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever. !--emailsub-- ]]> Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: The Bottom Line: Be Ready to Mix Tradition with Innovation!, Fake high end thrift fashion, Black paints black, and Jazz in Accra

The Bottom Line: Be Ready to Mix Tradition with Innovation! The upcoming corporate fashion trends in West Africa are nothing short of exciting. From Afro-futurism to gender-fluid designs, the corporate world is embracing a more inclusive, sustainable, and creative approach to workwear. It’s about breaking the mould, celebrating culture, and looking to the future with designs that feel both relevant and fresh. As we have stepped into 2026, expect to see these trends popping up everywhere, from boardrooms to coffee shops. Whether you’re looking to revamp your work wardrobe or just keep up with what’s hot, West African fashion is sure to inspire. The Return of Bold Prints & Bright Colours: One of the things we love about West African fashion is its unapologetic use of colour. Bright, bold prints are set to dominate the corporate world in 2026, making your 9-to-5 wardrobe a whole lot more exciting. Think vibrant, eye-catching patterns like tie-dye, floral prints, and of course—Ankara. Whether it's a printed shirt under a structured suit or a bold, patterned dress for those important business meetings, expect to see a lot more vibrancy in your workwear. And let’s not forget those matching accessories—brightly coloured bags, shoes, and scarves will be the perfect finishing touch to any corporate outfit. Fake high end thrift fashion. Fake fashion brands are common here and you can buy a nicely branded handbag for 100 GHC, the real thing would probably cost you 500 USD or more. LVMH, holder of 18000 intellectual property rights (including trademarks, designs, and copyrights) through brands like Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Tiffany & Co, Moët & Chandon and Hennessy, fights tooth and nail to make sure no one copies, and has many many court cases simultaneously, sometimes initiated by them, but also initiated by artistes against them, who claim their designs were copied into one of the LVMH items. For some reason they are not doing anything here, maybe the average length of a Ghana court case of 980 days is a deterrent. But careful, don’t carry these things to Europe, it may be taken from you plus a hefty penalty. There is also the thrift market for real luxury branded items, like Birkin bags or Rolex watches. These items are offered on specialized web sites who earn brokerage money. Turnover was 50 billion dollars in 2024, 50 billion US dollar of high end thrift items. Up 7% on the precious year. But is it real? Or fake? So they have experts checking every individual item before it is put up for sale. The leather, the threads, the zip, the lock, every little item is checked. Basic training to become an authentication expert takes about 5 months, after that you specialize in bags, shoes, watches, clothing, jewelry. Fake items offered for sale to these specialized brokers used to be 30%, but now that it's up, half the items offered to the brokers are fake. The broker and the original manufacturer now cooperate, the manufacturer points out the little secret details which few know, and the brokers inform the manufacturers on the latest in fakes. And some don't care to walk around with a fake, like us here.

Black paints black. Paintings of black people have become fashionable of late, and as a serious art collector you better have at least one painting of a black person in your collection. It may be worth while, some paintings go for several hundreds of thousands of dollars, sometimes millions. Will it last? I doubt it, because everybody is now producing the same fashionable things. Examples are Emy Sherald, a black American who became fashionable after painting Michelle Obama and Ghanaian Amoako Boafo who was a forerunner here in Ghana. Emy Sherald's painting of Michelle Obama Amoako Boafo

Jazz in Accra. About 12 years ago Dr Adrian Odoi of Akai House Clinic and Co (some family, some friends) started the +233 Jazz Club and Grill at Dr. Isert Street in North Ridge, Accra, at the former Bass Line Jazz Club with the motto “keeping music alive”. The name +233 was a genius, Ghana's international dialing code, and also the addition of “grill” was clever, they took a very good kebab griller from Zorzor bar, a popular bar in Osu, (now closed) and that alone brought customers. From a small inside stage which soon could not hold enough public the band slowly moved outside, then that stage was enlarged, then the platform for the customers was enlarged twice and now there are even 3 upstairs, 2 facing the stage. The sound system is absolutely tops, and indeed Odoi and Co have kept music alive, ayeeko. Though it is called a jazz Club there is also evergreens, highlife, local Ga and others. Except Mondays there is something going on every night, Tuesday being for the Ghana Jazz Ensemble. Some foreign artistes like Joss Stone – Grammy-winning English singer-songwriter known globally for soul, R&B and pop, Milena Casado – American jazz trumpeter and composer, Jackie Ribas – Brazilian-American jazz vocalist, Native Vibe with Jeff Kashiwa & Kevin Flournoy – U.S.-based jazz fusion band and their special guests (including saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa), and Alune Wade – and Senegalese bassist and bandleader have performed at the +233 Jazz and Grill bar. Food is not too bad, though pricy, the kebabs are still mostly very good, a beef kebab goes for 65 GHC but looking at what you get it is worthwhile. Though sometimes they are out of beef. Yam chips are often nicely crispy. They sell local and foreign draft beers but often run out of the foreign ones and then it is back to the bottle And no hot dogs. Sunday is mainly football but without the sound, rather a DJ with nice music. They have a large vodka list but in reality only have a few. Grilled chicken and jollof go for 140 GHC, meat samosa 65, soda water 25.

Lydia...

Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts.
I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me
I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever.

]]> https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-8m9q Fri, 13 Mar 2026 17:00:00 +0000 The MAG weekly Fashion and Lifestyle Blog for the modern African girl by Lydia, every Friday at 1700 hrs. Nr 195 6th March, 2026 https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-7k62?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl. This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Vibrant Citrus and Bold Yellows, Fall and winter fashion weeks, Accra is becoming expensive, A stroke at 25 years old? La Foundation for the Arts, and Gold Coast Restaurant & Lounge --- Vibrant Citrus and Bold Yellows. Nothing says "I’m here to take over" like a splash of citrus. Bright oranges, tangerine, and bold yellows have infiltrated the corporate scene, transforming the typical “business casual” into something far more lively and energizing. These colours represent creativity, optimism, and confidence — everything you need to get through a busy day at the office. Why it works: These colours stand out in the best way possible, bringing life and light to your wardrobe. Perfect for those moments when you want to shine in meetings or make a lasting impression. Style tip: Opt for a tailored yellow dress with a neutral blazer for balance, or throw on a fun orange silk scarf with a white blouse for a little extra pop. If you’re feeling daring, try a full citrus-coloured power suit! Bold Blues with African Influence: Blue has always been a corporate staple, but in 2026, the rich, regal blues of African culture are making a big splash. Think deep indigo, electric blue, and cobalt. These hues carry a sense of power, trust, and professionalism. They also pair perfectly with traditional African prints and fabrics, like Kente or Ankara, to create a sleek, modern twist on heritage. Why it works: Blue is a classic colour that’s synonymous with professionalism, but when done in shades inspired by African textiles, it brings that heritage connection to the forefront. Style tip: Pair a cobalt blue blazer with a pencil skirt or sleek trousers. Or, opt for a patterned Kente blouse with a crisp blue tailored jacket. It's all about balancing boldness with sophistication! !--more-- Fall and winter fashion weeks. The season is here again, with New York, London, Milan and Paris leading the pack. Yes, in February we show what is to be worn next autumn/winter, and in September we show what to wear next summer. New York is more direction pop culture and streetwear, London is the most creative, Milan is about luxury and Paris does the haute couture. Of course there is much more to it, but this is what is in a nut shell. And then there is Tokyo, Avant Garde, Copenhagen for sustainability and minimalism, Berlin for thoroughness and Sao Paulo for South America. And for pure men's fashion we go back to Italy, to Pitti Uomo in Florence, for high-end tailoring, craftsmanship, and emerging trends in menswear. You can check on Youtube and see most of the defilés. Unusual this year was King Charles attending and opening the London Fashion week, with the statement that sustainability, craft skills, and young designers should get more attention, and maybe we should ask the Asantehene to be present at the next Accra Fashion Week. London also introduced fashion for the Ramadan break. Also news is Mark Zuckerberg (owner of Facebook) and his wife visiting the Prada show in Milan, he can afford anything for a dress and she could become a trendsetter. Accra is becoming expensive. Why? The dollar is down, or the cedi is up, so things should cost less? A beef burger for 140 GHC is USD 11.65, for that money you can buy several burgers in the USA. Analysts talk of a dollar economy, too many expats, increasing population, shortage of housing, food shortages, fuel prices, electricity prices. Quite possible, but let's not forget all the illegal money floating around, from drugs, from scams, money stolen by politicians, and from countries like Nigeria. All nice and well, but the common and honest women suffer. A stroke at 25 years old? Yes, it can happen. When blood flow to (part of) the brain is blocked or a blood vessel bursts it is called "stroke" and it causes rapid brain cell death resulting in sudden numbness/weakness, confusion, trouble speaking, vision issues, dizziness, balance issues, facial drooping, and arm weakness. Immediate treatment is critical. Risk factors are high blood pressure (the leading cause), smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol, and unhealthy diet/lifestyle. Rapid CT or MRI scans, angiograms, and echocardiograms are used to determine the type and location of the stroke. "Clot-busting" drugs (tPA) or mechanical thrombectomy are used to remove the blockage, or controlling bleeding and reducing brain pressure. Recovery: Rehabilitation involves physical, occupational, and speech therapy to regain lost functions and rewire brain connections. Do you know your average blood pressure? Your cholesterol level? Your diabetes status? For between 100 and 150 GHC you can do a yearly lab test and know your status. Early warning allows for change of lifestyle or treatment, no warning and "boom" is mostly far more expensive. La Foundation for the Arts. 144 La Road, Sun City Apartments, Accra. La Foundation for the Arts is running a show till 3rd April titled "the language and image of us". 13 Artistes show some of their works in various media. It's all around children, though sometimes it is difficult to discern what the link is. But Unesco sponsored, so maybe they better understood than I did. Interesting to spend a few minutes there anyway. And a bit further down the road is the Artiste Alliance (Omanya House, La Road, Accra), founded by very successful Ghanaian painter Professor Glover (his paintings go for 25000 USD and above) who created space for many Ghanaian artistes rather than keeping it all to himself. Ayeeko to both galleries. Artiste Alliance Gallery is definitely worth visiting, entrance is free. Gold Coast Restaurant & Lounge. 32 Fifth Ave Ext, Cantonments, Accra, recently renovated and the place looks a bit chic. We went in the evening during the week and it was quiet. These days they have live bands on Fridays and Saturdays (sometimes with an entrance fee). A Guinness goes for 40 GHC, a Smirnoff Vodka for 35. And we had a chicken salad at GHC 120 and chicken chef's special at 160. Nothing special about the food, really, not bad either. Service is good. Lydia... Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts. I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever. !--emailsub--]]> Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Vibrant Citrus and Bold Yellows, Fall and winter fashion weeks, Accra is becoming expensive, A stroke at 25 years old? La Foundation for the Arts, and Gold Coast Restaurant & Lounge

Vibrant Citrus and Bold Yellows. Nothing says “I’m here to take over” like a splash of citrus. Bright oranges, tangerine, and bold yellows have infiltrated the corporate scene, transforming the typical “business casual” into something far more lively and energizing. These colours represent creativity, optimism, and confidence — everything you need to get through a busy day at the office. Why it works: These colours stand out in the best way possible, bringing life and light to your wardrobe. Perfect for those moments when you want to shine in meetings or make a lasting impression. Style tip: Opt for a tailored yellow dress with a neutral blazer for balance, or throw on a fun orange silk scarf with a white blouse for a little extra pop. If you’re feeling daring, try a full citrus-coloured power suit! Bold Blues with African Influence: Blue has always been a corporate staple, but in 2026, the rich, regal blues of African culture are making a big splash. Think deep indigo, electric blue, and cobalt. These hues carry a sense of power, trust, and professionalism. They also pair perfectly with traditional African prints and fabrics, like Kente or Ankara, to create a sleek, modern twist on heritage. Why it works: Blue is a classic colour that’s synonymous with professionalism, but when done in shades inspired by African textiles, it brings that heritage connection to the forefront. Style tip: Pair a cobalt blue blazer with a pencil skirt or sleek trousers. Or, opt for a patterned Kente blouse with a crisp blue tailored jacket. It's all about balancing boldness with sophistication! Fall and winter fashion weeks. The season is here again, with New York, London, Milan and Paris leading the pack. Yes, in February we show what is to be worn next autumn/winter, and in September we show what to wear next summer. New York is more direction pop culture and streetwear, London is the most creative, Milan is about luxury and Paris does the haute couture. Of course there is much more to it, but this is what is in a nut shell. And then there is Tokyo, Avant Garde, Copenhagen for sustainability and minimalism, Berlin for thoroughness and Sao Paulo for South America. And for pure men's fashion we go back to Italy, to Pitti Uomo in Florence, for high-end tailoring, craftsmanship, and emerging trends in menswear. You can check on Youtube and see most of the defilés. Unusual this year was King Charles attending and opening the London Fashion week, with the statement that sustainability, craft skills, and young designers should get more attention, and maybe we should ask the Asantehene to be present at the next Accra Fashion Week. London also introduced fashion for the Ramadan break. Also news is Mark Zuckerberg (owner of Facebook) and his wife visiting the Prada show in Milan, he can afford anything for a dress and she could become a trendsetter.

Accra is becoming expensive. Why? The dollar is down, or the cedi is up, so things should cost less? A beef burger for 140 GHC is USD 11.65, for that money you can buy several burgers in the USA. Analysts talk of a dollar economy, too many expats, increasing population, shortage of housing, food shortages, fuel prices, electricity prices. Quite possible, but let's not forget all the illegal money floating around, from drugs, from scams, money stolen by politicians, and from countries like Nigeria. All nice and well, but the common and honest women suffer.

A stroke at 25 years old? Yes, it can happen. When blood flow to (part of) the brain is blocked or a blood vessel bursts it is called “stroke” and it causes rapid brain cell death resulting in sudden numbness/weakness, confusion, trouble speaking, vision issues, dizziness, balance issues, facial drooping, and arm weakness. Immediate treatment is critical. Risk factors are high blood pressure (the leading cause), smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol, and unhealthy diet/lifestyle. Rapid CT or MRI scans, angiograms, and echocardiograms are used to determine the type and location of the stroke. “Clot-busting” drugs (tPA) or mechanical thrombectomy are used to remove the blockage, or controlling bleeding and reducing brain pressure. Recovery: Rehabilitation involves physical, occupational, and speech therapy to regain lost functions and rewire brain connections. Do you know your average blood pressure? Your cholesterol level? Your diabetes status? For between 100 and 150 GHC you can do a yearly lab test and know your status. Early warning allows for change of lifestyle or treatment, no warning and “boom” is mostly far more expensive.

La Foundation for the Arts. 144 La Road, Sun City Apartments, Accra. La Foundation for the Arts is running a show till 3rd April titled “the language and image of us”. 13 Artistes show some of their works in various media. It's all around children, though sometimes it is difficult to discern what the link is. But Unesco sponsored, so maybe they better understood than I did. Interesting to spend a few minutes there anyway. And a bit further down the road is the Artiste Alliance (Omanya House, La Road, Accra), founded by very successful Ghanaian painter Professor Glover (his paintings go for 25000 USD and above) who created space for many Ghanaian artistes rather than keeping it all to himself. Ayeeko to both galleries. Artiste Alliance Gallery is definitely worth visiting, entrance is free.

Gold Coast Restaurant & Lounge. 32 Fifth Ave Ext, Cantonments, Accra, recently renovated and the place looks a bit chic. We went in the evening during the week and it was quiet. These days they have live bands on Fridays and Saturdays (sometimes with an entrance fee). A Guinness goes for 40 GHC, a Smirnoff Vodka for 35. And we had a chicken salad at GHC 120 and chicken chef's special at 160. Nothing special about the food, really, not bad either. Service is good.

Lydia...

Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts.
I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me
I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever.

]]> https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-7k62 Fri, 06 Mar 2026 17:00:00 +0000 The MAG weekly Fashion and Lifestyle Blog for the modern African girl by Lydia, every Friday at 1700 hrs. Nr 194 27th February, 2026 https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-f43g?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl. This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: The 2026 Corporate Accra Girl Wardrobe: A Bold, Colourful Palette to Power Your Style, Luxury brands super inflated prices reviewed, Fashion in space, Beach walk and star watching, and Saffron Saga Indian restaurant --- The 2026 Corporate Accra Girl Wardrobe: A Bold, Colourful Palette to Power Your Style. Hey, City girls! It’s 2026, and we’re not here to play when it comes to fashion in the corporate world. Gone are the days when a neutral palette ruled the office; the modern corporate Accra girl is taking charge and making waves with a wardrobe that's as bold, vibrant, and dynamic as the city itself. Let’s take a deep dive into the hottest colours dominating the office in Accra this year. Whether you're a startup superstar or a boss at a multinational corporation, your wardrobe needs to reflect confidence, creativity, and of course, that African flair. Ready to turn heads and own the boardroom? Here’s the must-have colour palette you’ll be seeing everywhere this year! Rich Earth Tones with a Twist. Think terracotta, deep cocoa, and burnt sienna — but make them modern and fresh. These earthy hues, reminiscent of Accra’s rich soil and vibrant markets, are perfect for the corporate environment. Paired with sleek, structured suits, dresses, or blazers, these shades exude authority while remaining grounded in the culture. In 2026, we’re adding a twist with pops of gold or coral accessories to lighten the look. Why it works: Earth tones are universally flattering and versatile, while still being a fresh take on the classic neutral tones. They evoke professionalism without sacrificing personality. Style tip: Go for a terracotta blazer with a black pencil skirt or pants. Add a gold necklace and statement earrings to elevate your look. Bonus points if you’re rocking a bold lip in a deep berry or brick red! !--more-- Luxury brands super inflated prices reviewed. Recent hikes in prices of brands like Dior and Chanel (30-60%) have brought some extra profit to the bottom line of these companies, but now sales are dropping, some customers (about 50 million of them) have come to their senses and feel that a 50 ml bottle of eau de parfum is not worth 150 USD, especially if most of us are hardly able to detect every little smell that goes into that. So these big brands are now offering little items again at lower prices, call it at the entry level, for the aspirational customers, those who want to buy the Brand but cannot really afford it, and who pleasure themselves with a little affordable Brand item, dreaming that later they'll be richer and can then buy some of the other Brand things too. The Brand seems more important than the product itself, and in Ghana too we are influenced by this sort of thing, if it is not an Apple don’t give it to me. I even hear that from people who are asking for money to buy airtime. Fashion in space. The first man in a space, Yuri Gagarin (a Russian, in 1961) was not even recognizable to his own wife... But since then astronauts and astronautes have become film stars in their own way, and want to look good for the many pictures taken of them. So space suits now look more attractive, as can be seen on a recent picture of the crew who is to replace the current International Space Station crew. The transporter was the Space Shuttle. Looks a bit like star wars dresses, and expect earth fashion to soon copy space fashion, and to have a fashion brand called "Musk". Beach walk and star watching. If the sky is clear (not really of late) you can see the stars, and even point out your own Zodiac. But then you need to know what time your zodiac will be visible, which changes throughout the year. But Elon Musk, and many before him, have put so many satellites around the world that you can hardly see the stars again. And especially above areas with a lot of artificial light, like cities, that light disturbs the light emitted by the stars, so you don’t see much again. A bit like trying to listen to music next to a generator. So those who really want to observe stars, as a hobby or professionally, go to areas where there is least light disturbance, like Chile's Atacama Desert, 4000 meters high and no clouds and zero rainfall. And scientists are currently celebrating that a 10 billion $ hydrogen and ammonia production facility project planned for that area has finally been cancelled, it would have spoiled the view. Saffron Saga Indian restaurant (11th Lane, Salvation Road, behind La Villa Boutique in Osu, Accra) is one of my favourites of late, and often the place is full of Indian looking Indians and we are the only "foreigners", so it can't be bad or these would go elsewhere. And some of this Indian food is quite interesting. But mind you, it is difficult to talk about Indian food, they have about 7 main distinctive cuisines, and hundreds if not thousands of local cuisines so maybe we are just seeing one particular cuisine here. Something I'll ask the next time I go there. We had crispy canvas humus at GHC 133, this is a sort of very thin crispy pancake fried in what you could call a headpan, and then they add a sort of humus with freshly chopped vegetables like onions, peppers, tomatoes, spring onions etc. Nice. We also had chicken chilly rice at 133GHC, a bit like the royal rice in a Chinese restaurant, but this one is richer, not just a few small pieces of meat or shrimps mixed through the rice. And it is also spicier. Their rice is "wetter" than what you get at the Chinese. Also nice. A Guinness goes for 46 GHC. Lydia... Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts. I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever. !--emailsub--]]> Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: The 2026 Corporate Accra Girl Wardrobe: A Bold, Colourful Palette to Power Your Style, Luxury brands super inflated prices reviewed, Fashion in space, Beach walk and star watching, and Saffron Saga Indian restaurant

The 2026 Corporate Accra Girl Wardrobe: A Bold, Colourful Palette to Power Your Style. Hey, City girls! It’s 2026, and we’re not here to play when it comes to fashion in the corporate world. Gone are the days when a neutral palette ruled the office; the modern corporate Accra girl is taking charge and making waves with a wardrobe that's as bold, vibrant, and dynamic as the city itself. Let’s take a deep dive into the hottest colours dominating the office in Accra this year. Whether you're a startup superstar or a boss at a multinational corporation, your wardrobe needs to reflect confidence, creativity, and of course, that African flair. Ready to turn heads and own the boardroom? Here’s the must-have colour palette you’ll be seeing everywhere this year! Rich Earth Tones with a Twist. Think terracotta, deep cocoa, and burnt sienna — but make them modern and fresh. These earthy hues, reminiscent of Accra’s rich soil and vibrant markets, are perfect for the corporate environment. Paired with sleek, structured suits, dresses, or blazers, these shades exude authority while remaining grounded in the culture. In 2026, we’re adding a twist with pops of gold or coral accessories to lighten the look. Why it works: Earth tones are universally flattering and versatile, while still being a fresh take on the classic neutral tones. They evoke professionalism without sacrificing personality. Style tip: Go for a terracotta blazer with a black pencil skirt or pants. Add a gold necklace and statement earrings to elevate your look. Bonus points if you’re rocking a bold lip in a deep berry or brick red! Luxury brands super inflated prices reviewed. Recent hikes in prices of brands like Dior and Chanel (30-60%) have brought some extra profit to the bottom line of these companies, but now sales are dropping, some customers (about 50 million of them) have come to their senses and feel that a 50 ml bottle of eau de parfum is not worth 150 USD, especially if most of us are hardly able to detect every little smell that goes into that. So these big brands are now offering little items again at lower prices, call it at the entry level, for the aspirational customers, those who want to buy the Brand but cannot really afford it, and who pleasure themselves with a little affordable Brand item, dreaming that later they'll be richer and can then buy some of the other Brand things too. The Brand seems more important than the product itself, and in Ghana too we are influenced by this sort of thing, if it is not an Apple don’t give it to me. I even hear that from people who are asking for money to buy airtime.

Fashion in space. The first man in a space, Yuri Gagarin (a Russian, in 1961) was not even recognizable to his own wife... But since then astronauts and astronautes have become film stars in their own way, and want to look good for the many pictures taken of them. So space suits now look more attractive, as can be seen on a recent picture of the crew who is to replace the current International Space Station crew. The transporter was the Space Shuttle. Looks a bit like star wars dresses, and expect earth fashion to soon copy space fashion, and to have a fashion brand called “Musk”.

Beach walk and star watching. If the sky is clear (not really of late) you can see the stars, and even point out your own Zodiac. But then you need to know what time your zodiac will be visible, which changes throughout the year. But Elon Musk, and many before him, have put so many satellites around the world that you can hardly see the stars again. And especially above areas with a lot of artificial light, like cities, that light disturbs the light emitted by the stars, so you don’t see much again. A bit like trying to listen to music next to a generator. So those who really want to observe stars, as a hobby or professionally, go to areas where there is least light disturbance, like Chile's Atacama Desert, 4000 meters high and no clouds and zero rainfall. And scientists are currently celebrating that a 10 billion $ hydrogen and ammonia production facility project planned for that area has finally been cancelled, it would have spoiled the view.

Saffron Saga Indian restaurant (11th Lane, Salvation Road, behind La Villa Boutique in Osu, Accra) is one of my favourites of late, and often the place is full of Indian looking Indians and we are the only “foreigners”, so it can't be bad or these would go elsewhere. And some of this Indian food is quite interesting. But mind you, it is difficult to talk about Indian food, they have about 7 main distinctive cuisines, and hundreds if not thousands of local cuisines so maybe we are just seeing one particular cuisine here. Something I'll ask the next time I go there. We had crispy canvas humus at GHC 133, this is a sort of very thin crispy pancake fried in what you could call a headpan, and then they add a sort of humus with freshly chopped vegetables like onions, peppers, tomatoes, spring onions etc. Nice. We also had chicken chilly rice at 133GHC, a bit like the royal rice in a Chinese restaurant, but this one is richer, not just a few small pieces of meat or shrimps mixed through the rice. And it is also spicier. Their rice is “wetter” than what you get at the Chinese. Also nice. A Guinness goes for 46 GHC.

Lydia...

Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts.
I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me
I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever.

]]> https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-f43g Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:00:00 +0000 The MAG weekly Fashion and Lifestyle Blog for the modern African girl by Lydia, every Friday at 1700 hrs. Nr 193 20th February, 2026 https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-ktdj?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl. This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Touch-Up Tricks: Glow in 5 Minutes, Fashion in space, Valentine roses with thorns, and some extras, and less babies, Menopause problems and solutions, Changing eyesight with age? and Frankies --- Touch-Up Tricks: Glow in 5 Minutes: You don’t need a full glam session — just the essentials. Keep a small pouch in your work bag with lip gloss, pressed powder, and a mini perfume. A swipe of red lipstick can transform your look faster than a ride from Cantonments to Osu in evening traffic. And for the finishing touch? Loosen that sleek bun into a low ponytail or soft waves. Effortless never looked this good. Style Meets Ambition: This isn’t just about looking good — it’s about feeling ready for every part of your day. The Accra corporate girl is dynamic: she negotiates, networks, and glows while doing it. Her wardrobe simply follows her rhythm. So next time you’re heading from a presentation to a party, skip the panic. You don’t need a new outfit — you just need a few clever swaps and the confidence to shine in both worlds. Elegance isn’t in the clothes alone — it’s in the ease. It’s the way you carry yourself through traffic, deadlines, and dinner lights with that quiet “I’ve got this” energy. Because the Accra corporate girl doesn’t just change outfits — she transforms atmospheres. !--more-- Valentine roses with thorns, and some extras, and less babies. Most Valentine roses are produced in Kenya, Columbia and Ethiopia, where the climate allows for year-round production, and lax regulatory regimes allow for powerful often elsewhere banned pesticides. Laboratory testing on bouquets in the Netherlands, Europe’s flower import hub, found red roses had the highest residues of neurological and reproductive toxins, with one bunch containing traces of 26 different pesticides, half of which are banned for use in the EU. Valentine’s Day is the flower industry’s busiest time of the year. According to analysts, about 200 million roses are produced to meet the demand for lovers’ gifts on that day, for Europe alone. Menopause problems and solutions. In blog nr 156, 13th June 2025, I mentioned that some are lucky and just float through this perimenopause (the time that things become irregular and eventually menstruation disappears altogether) but some suffer seriously. So ample solutions are proposed in the form of hormones, supplements, herbal solutions, and mechanical devices (18 billion dollars sales in 2024), take your pick and spend your money. That's nothing new, new is that we now also have suppliers caring for the pre perimenopause period, (PPMP?) so they suggest that from about age 27 you start taking their herbal concoctions and supplements to make sure that the peri period itself goes smoothly. Who would have thought about this, but then commerce comes up with anything to make money, like fashion for dogs. Hmm, come to think about it, what about PPMP products for dogs? Changing eyesight with age? One of my friends is a white French man, and when we went out the other day he was not wearing his usual spectacles. Asked him if he had done laser therapy, or maybe was now wearing contact lenses, but no, none of these, he just felt that especially females somehow showed they were a bit scared of him when he wore his glasses. Wondering. Frankies (Oxford Street, Osu, Accra) is not my favourite but if one is lucky, and this Sunday lunch time we were, you can sit near the window and observe those hustling below. I ordered an American hot dog @ 140 GHC, (they also have Mexican dogs) which for some reason became a chili hot dog and in any case the sausage was large, and crunchy, but far too salty. I also had beef samosa Lebanese style which turned into a beef shawarma @70 GHC,.... someone has a problem there, either the waiter or the cook. Told you I don't like the place too much. But my partner claimed the classic pizza, which is tomato sauce, Mozzarella cheese, chicken, beef, sausage, tomato sauce, green pepper, onions and mushroom @183 GHC was nice, and also the jollof and chicken @ 85 GHC was good. So if he wants we'll go again. Lydia... Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts. I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever. !--emailsub--]]> Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Touch-Up Tricks: Glow in 5 Minutes, Fashion in space, Valentine roses with thorns, and some extras, and less babies, Menopause problems and solutions, Changing eyesight with age? and Frankies

Touch-Up Tricks: Glow in 5 Minutes: You don’t need a full glam session — just the essentials. Keep a small pouch in your work bag with lip gloss, pressed powder, and a mini perfume. A swipe of red lipstick can transform your look faster than a ride from Cantonments to Osu in evening traffic. And for the finishing touch? Loosen that sleek bun into a low ponytail or soft waves. Effortless never looked this good. Style Meets Ambition: This isn’t just about looking good — it’s about feeling ready for every part of your day. The Accra corporate girl is dynamic: she negotiates, networks, and glows while doing it. Her wardrobe simply follows her rhythm. So next time you’re heading from a presentation to a party, skip the panic. You don’t need a new outfit — you just need a few clever swaps and the confidence to shine in both worlds. Elegance isn’t in the clothes alone — it’s in the ease. It’s the way you carry yourself through traffic, deadlines, and dinner lights with that quiet “I’ve got this” energy. Because the Accra corporate girl doesn’t just change outfits — she transforms atmospheres. Valentine roses with thorns, and some extras, and less babies. Most Valentine roses are produced in Kenya, Columbia and Ethiopia, where the climate allows for year-round production, and lax regulatory regimes allow for powerful often elsewhere banned pesticides. Laboratory testing on bouquets in the Netherlands, Europe’s flower import hub, found red roses had the highest residues of neurological and reproductive toxins, with one bunch containing traces of 26 different pesticides, half of which are banned for use in the EU. Valentine’s Day is the flower industry’s busiest time of the year. According to analysts, about 200 million roses are produced to meet the demand for lovers’ gifts on that day, for Europe alone.

Menopause problems and solutions. In blog nr 156, 13th June 2025, I mentioned that some are lucky and just float through this perimenopause (the time that things become irregular and eventually menstruation disappears altogether) but some suffer seriously. So ample solutions are proposed in the form of hormones, supplements, herbal solutions, and mechanical devices (18 billion dollars sales in 2024), take your pick and spend your money. That's nothing new, new is that we now also have suppliers caring for the pre perimenopause period, (PPMP?) so they suggest that from about age 27 you start taking their herbal concoctions and supplements to make sure that the peri period itself goes smoothly. Who would have thought about this, but then commerce comes up with anything to make money, like fashion for dogs. Hmm, come to think about it, what about PPMP products for dogs?

Changing eyesight with age? One of my friends is a white French man, and when we went out the other day he was not wearing his usual spectacles. Asked him if he had done laser therapy, or maybe was now wearing contact lenses, but no, none of these, he just felt that especially females somehow showed they were a bit scared of him when he wore his glasses. Wondering.

Frankies (Oxford Street, Osu, Accra) is not my favourite but if one is lucky, and this Sunday lunch time we were, you can sit near the window and observe those hustling below. I ordered an American hot dog @ 140 GHC, (they also have Mexican dogs) which for some reason became a chili hot dog and in any case the sausage was large, and crunchy, but far too salty. I also had beef samosa Lebanese style which turned into a beef shawarma @70 GHC,.... someone has a problem there, either the waiter or the cook. Told you I don't like the place too much. But my partner claimed the classic pizza, which is tomato sauce, Mozzarella cheese, chicken, beef, sausage, tomato sauce, green pepper, onions and mushroom @183 GHC was nice, and also the jollof and chicken @ 85 GHC was good. So if he wants we'll go again.

Lydia...

Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts.
I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me
I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever.

]]> https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-ktdj Fri, 20 Feb 2026 17:00:00 +0000 The MAG weekly Fashion and Lifestyle Blog for the modern African girl by Lydia, every Friday at 1700 hrs. Nr 192 13th February, 2026 https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-jmw7?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl. This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Effortless Transitions: From Boardroom Meetings to Evening Soirées, PFAS and Fashion, Valentines and the Chinese, Shop right or shop wrong? and Ga Kenkey and dare to be different --- Effortless Transitions: From Boardroom Meetings to Evening Soirées. The Corporate Girl’s Guide to Day-to-Night Slay. There’s a certain rhythm to life in Accra — the soft hum of morning traffic, the steady buzz of boardroom discussions, and the glittering pulse of evening rooftops. The modern corporate girl in this city isn’t just working; she’s thriving. Her days stretch from high-stakes meetings in East Legon to late-evening networking mixers at Skybar. And through it all, she manages to look impeccably put-together — polished by day, radiant by night. So how does she pull it off? Simple: she’s mastered the art of effortless transitions. Start Strong: The Power Base: Your base outfit is everything. Think sleek, versatile, and comfortable. A well-fitted sheath dress in a neutral tone (charcoal, ivory, or deep olive) can glide seamlessly from the boardroom to a cocktail lounge. Or, go for a chic wide-leg trouser and silk blouse combo — breathable for Accra’s heat and classy enough for the CEO’s gaze. Pro tip: Choose lightweight fabrics that won’t crease while you’re conquering your day. Nobody wants “meeting wrinkles” at a soirée. Swap & Slay: The Accessories Game: Accessories are your transformation tools. During the day, go minimal — a structured tote, simple studs, and a nude heel. But as dusk approaches, it’s your cue to switch gears. Swap your tote for a small statement clutch, change your studs for gold hoops or bold earrings, and if you dare — slip into strappy heels. Just that, and you’re red-carpet ready without breaking a sweat (or your schedule). !--more-- PFAS and Fashion. PFAS stands for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, a group of synthetic chemicals used in products like non-stick cookware, firefighting foam, tires and stain-resistant coatings. They're known as "forever chemicals" due to their persistence in the environment and in the human body. The main concerns are ⁠environmental persistence, PFAS don't break down easily, contaminating soil, water and air, and also health risks, they are linked to issues like cancer and thyroid problems. But the tide starts to turn. In California major tire manufacturers are being sued because their PFAS have poisoned river and lake waters and killed fish. Now the European Union, with Denmark and France in the lead, and several states in the USA want to ban PFAS altogether this year. Tests have been done on Chinese Shein and Temu products and many contain PFAS. So the European textile industry hopes to curtail these cheap Chinese suppliers by banning products with PFAS. Forgetting that most textiles they import, whether from China, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Bangladesh, contain Pfas to some degree. So if the consumer needs to be protected then the textile industry, and many other industries, will have to change. What is important here is the court cases against the tire manufacturers. If the government does not do its consumer protection job properly because of the lobby from industry, then the public should indeed take these industries, and their own governments to court. Valentines and the Chinese. I already see the kiosk thrift sellers turning their showrooms into red, Valentines is on the way. I pray that nobody is dumb enough to commit suicide because no one invited her. Invite to where? I guess everyone has his own budget, though hampers are going from 250 upwards to several thousands. Business is business. And these days we see more and more Chinese in town, not only for the galamsey, including their youngsters, and these youngsters thus naturally chase young girls. Girl look for boy, boy look for girl. To take them out for Valentines, and maybe more. Take them out to where? To a Chinese restaurant of course. Shop right or shop wrong? If you go to Shopright Osu to buy tea you may get the following: Lipton tea, 20 pouches 50 grams for 19.99 GHC. That's 399.80 GHC per kg, say 400. So better buy a big box, 200 grams at 139 GHC. Cheaper. Cheaper? 695, say 700 GHC per kg. What? Yes, you read this correctly. And as much as supermarkets have their marketing tricks, like putting the cheapest article very low or so high that you don’t easily see it, or putting candies near the cashier so that you'll give in to your moaning kid they've now gone into actually cheating. 5 cost 5, and 10 cost 12. On purpose. It was recently reported in a European consumer protection magazine. It's on purpose. You assume that a bigger packaging is more economic, but sometimes it is not, you need to check. And as most have difficulty with calculating the supermarkets get away with it, with your money. Beware. I guess the others are just doing the same thing, and in Shoprite it is not the first time I noticed this trick. Maxmart can even out do that, the article is priced on the shelf say at 47 GHC, but the cashier prints 67. Who checks? Ga Kenkey and dare to be different. We decided to have a bit of a soirée, dress up and serve nice food, soft sax music in the background. So we had Ga kenkey with beef and goat kebabs with Dagomba barbecue spices from Ash to get away from the rather same tasting chinchinga everyone uses, white vermouth with ice and lemon from Noilly Prat (Martini is just a vermouth brand name) Vodka (cheap brand) with ice and to finish it off Val d’Oca brut millesimato Prosecco denomazione di origine controllato and vanilla ice cream from Tipsy Gelato. Lovely evening, deep talk, and in fact more fun than an upscale restaurant. And very little cleaning up to do afterwards. Lydia... Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts. I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever. !--emailsub--]]> Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Effortless Transitions: From Boardroom Meetings to Evening Soirées, PFAS and Fashion, Valentines and the Chinese, Shop right or shop wrong? and Ga Kenkey and dare to be different

Effortless Transitions: From Boardroom Meetings to Evening Soirées. The Corporate Girl’s Guide to Day-to-Night Slay. There’s a certain rhythm to life in Accra — the soft hum of morning traffic, the steady buzz of boardroom discussions, and the glittering pulse of evening rooftops. The modern corporate girl in this city isn’t just working; she’s thriving. Her days stretch from high-stakes meetings in East Legon to late-evening networking mixers at Skybar. And through it all, she manages to look impeccably put-together — polished by day, radiant by night. So how does she pull it off? Simple: she’s mastered the art of effortless transitions. Start Strong: The Power Base: Your base outfit is everything. Think sleek, versatile, and comfortable. A well-fitted sheath dress in a neutral tone (charcoal, ivory, or deep olive) can glide seamlessly from the boardroom to a cocktail lounge. Or, go for a chic wide-leg trouser and silk blouse combo — breathable for Accra’s heat and classy enough for the CEO’s gaze. Pro tip: Choose lightweight fabrics that won’t crease while you’re conquering your day. Nobody wants “meeting wrinkles” at a soirée. Swap & Slay: The Accessories Game: Accessories are your transformation tools. During the day, go minimal — a structured tote, simple studs, and a nude heel. But as dusk approaches, it’s your cue to switch gears. Swap your tote for a small statement clutch, change your studs for gold hoops or bold earrings, and if you dare — slip into strappy heels. Just that, and you’re red-carpet ready without breaking a sweat (or your schedule). PFAS and Fashion. PFAS stands for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, a group of synthetic chemicals used in products like non-stick cookware, firefighting foam, tires and stain-resistant coatings. They're known as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment and in the human body. The main concerns are ⁠environmental persistence, PFAS don't break down easily, contaminating soil, water and air, and also health risks, they are linked to issues like cancer and thyroid problems. But the tide starts to turn. In California major tire manufacturers are being sued because their PFAS have poisoned river and lake waters and killed fish. Now the European Union, with Denmark and France in the lead, and several states in the USA want to ban PFAS altogether this year. Tests have been done on Chinese Shein and Temu products and many contain PFAS. So the European textile industry hopes to curtail these cheap Chinese suppliers by banning products with PFAS. Forgetting that most textiles they import, whether from China, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Bangladesh, contain Pfas to some degree. So if the consumer needs to be protected then the textile industry, and many other industries, will have to change. What is important here is the court cases against the tire manufacturers. If the government does not do its consumer protection job properly because of the lobby from industry, then the public should indeed take these industries, and their own governments to court.

Valentines and the Chinese. I already see the kiosk thrift sellers turning their showrooms into red, Valentines is on the way. I pray that nobody is dumb enough to commit suicide because no one invited her. Invite to where? I guess everyone has his own budget, though hampers are going from 250 upwards to several thousands. Business is business. And these days we see more and more Chinese in town, not only for the galamsey, including their youngsters, and these youngsters thus naturally chase young girls. Girl look for boy, boy look for girl. To take them out for Valentines, and maybe more. Take them out to where? To a Chinese restaurant of course.

Shop right or shop wrong? If you go to Shopright Osu to buy tea you may get the following: Lipton tea, 20 pouches 50 grams for 19.99 GHC. That's 399.80 GHC per kg, say 400. So better buy a big box, 200 grams at 139 GHC. Cheaper. Cheaper? 695, say 700 GHC per kg. What? Yes, you read this correctly. And as much as supermarkets have their marketing tricks, like putting the cheapest article very low or so high that you don’t easily see it, or putting candies near the cashier so that you'll give in to your moaning kid they've now gone into actually cheating. 5 cost 5, and 10 cost 12. On purpose. It was recently reported in a European consumer protection magazine. It's on purpose. You assume that a bigger packaging is more economic, but sometimes it is not, you need to check. And as most have difficulty with calculating the supermarkets get away with it, with your money. Beware. I guess the others are just doing the same thing, and in Shoprite it is not the first time I noticed this trick. Maxmart can even out do that, the article is priced on the shelf say at 47 GHC, but the cashier prints 67. Who checks?

Ga Kenkey and dare to be different. We decided to have a bit of a soirée, dress up and serve nice food, soft sax music in the background. So we had Ga kenkey with beef and goat kebabs with Dagomba barbecue spices from Ash to get away from the rather same tasting chinchinga everyone uses, white vermouth with ice and lemon from Noilly Prat (Martini is just a vermouth brand name) Vodka (cheap brand) with ice and to finish it off Val d’Oca brut millesimato Prosecco denomazione di origine controllato and vanilla ice cream from Tipsy Gelato. Lovely evening, deep talk, and in fact more fun than an upscale restaurant. And very little cleaning up to do afterwards.

Lydia...

Do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our posts.
I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution. for the time being, you can mail me at wunimi@proton.me
I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, and people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever.

]]> https://wunimi.writeas.com/the-mag-weekly-fashion-and-lifestyle-blog-for-the-modern-african-girl-by-lydia-jmw7 Fri, 13 Feb 2026 17:00:00 +0000