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: Style Spotlight: Chic & Confident Looks for Young African Women This Week, The slump in the big fashion industry and East Legon, Dehydration and headache, and Salad dressing

Style Spotlight: Chic & Confident Looks for Young African Women This Week. Hello, beautiful souls! This week, let's celebrate our vibrant cultures, bold expressions, and unique styles. Whether you're heading to work, hanging out with friends, or attending special events, here’s a curated guide on what young African women can wear to stay stylish, comfortable, and true to themselves. Embrace Bold Prints & Colours. African fashion is renowned for its lively prints and rich hues. This week, consider rocking a kente-inspired dress or an Ankara top paired with neutral bottoms to let the patterns pop. Bright reds, yellows, and blues are perfect to keep your energy high and spirits lifted! Mix Traditional & Modern. Combine traditional fabrics with contemporary cuts. For example, a wrap skirt made from Ankara fabric paired with a sleek crop top creates a perfect blend of heritage and modernity. This fusion not only celebrates your roots but also keeps your look fresh and trendy. Layer Up with Accessories. Accessorize with statement jewelry—think chunky bead necklaces, gold hoops, or colorful bangles. Headwraps or gele styles can add an extra flair for special outings, or keep it simple with a stylish hat for daytime adventures. Comfort Meets Style. For casual days, go for linen or cotton maxi dresses in vibrant prints or solid colours. Pair with comfortable sandals or sneakers, and add a crossbody bag to keep it practical yet fashionable. Night Out Glam. For evening occasions, opt for a fitted midi dress with intricate embroidery or metallic accents. Pair with heels and bold makeup—think fiery reds or shimmering golds—to make a statement. Weekly Style Tip: Layer with confidence! Whether it's a denim jacket over a traditional dress or a vibrant scarf, layering adds dimension and personality to your outfit. Inspiration for the Week A bright Ankara jumpsuit for brunch with friends. A flowy maxi skirt paired with a crop top for a relaxed weekend. An elegant boubou for family gatherings or church services. Casual jeans and a printed blouse for errands or casual meetups. Remember, fashion is a powerful way to express your identity and culture. Be bold, be authentic, and wear what makes you feel confident and proud of your roots!

The slump in the big fashion industry and East Legon. The big boys are presently suffering. LVMH (holding 75 prestigious brands, including Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, and Dior), Kering (holding 14 luxurious brands, including Gucci, Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta), and Richemont SA (25 brands, including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Piaget), are experiencing reduced sales and profitability. It's about time. I used to buy a very decent bottle of eau de toilette for 60-75$, now the same thing goes for 100 $ plus. These guys have simply been increasing prices to grab more and more money from those who have a lot of it, and it now appears some are waking up to this madness and refusing to buy more. Only Hermès (bags, leatherware, silk scarves, ready-to-wear clothing, fragrances, watches, jewelry, and home furnishings) seems to be doing ok, and the recent auction of their first real original Birkin bag at 8.6 million $ shows they are riding the tide very well. But in order to maintain sales, LVMH is now creating complete shopping streets in Japan where every shop is owned by them and represents one of their brands. Purely artificial if you like. In Ghana, we have our own. If you drive through the newer parts of East Legon, you see new office building after new office building and luxury shop after luxury shop. Who rents there? Who buys there? No one, it is a way to hide ill-gained money for those who make a lot of it, I am told from drugs, fraud and Nigerian money. How long will the authorities allow this country to be a haven for criminals?

Dehydration and headache. A friend of mine frequently complains about headaches. I checked her shoulders and the back of her neck, which were about as hard as a plank and suggested exercises to loosen things up; often that helps. Then it came to me that I had never seen her drink and I asked her how much she drank in a day. The answer was 2 sachets, sometimes less. That is less than 1 liter of water. I thus asked for the colour of her urine, which she said was yellowish orange. We looked at a urine colour chart and decided that she needed to drink more to move into the safe zone. Then I decided to look at symptoms of dehydration (AI really is helpful) and guess what? Symptom nr 1 was a headache. I asked AI how much a 50 kg person living in Accra should drink in a day and the answer was 2-2.5 lts. Draw your own conclusions.

Salad dressing at the Ecuyer French restaurant (Ring Road, opposite Fire Service headquarters, Osu, Accra). I took a Greek salad at Ecuyer and the dressing was almost pure vinegar. Salad dressing in French is vinaigrette. The word vinegar is indeed there, but they use oil and about 1/5th vinegar, a little mustard, salt and black pepper. And different oils have different flavours, and there are many different vinegars, like rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, and there is even our own cocoa vinegar. Some add finely chopped onions, or garlic, or walnuts, or grated dry parmesan cheese, the possibilities are endless. Have a try, salad has a lot of vitamin A, C and K, and fiber.

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.