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 Corporate Girlie’s Guide to Lingerie-Inspired Fashion in Accra, Quality clothing? China, the other side of the coin, Anemia, and Au Grand Ecuyer

The Corporate Girlie’s Guide to Lingerie-Inspired Fashion in Accra. Before HR starts sweating, let’s be clear: We’re talking lingerie-inspired fashion — chic, polished, and office-appropriate styling that whispers elegance instead of screaming bedroom playlist. The Golden Rule: Suggest, Don’t Shock: Corporate lingerie styling is all about subtlety. We are inspiring curiosity, not starting emergency office meetings. Keep it classy by: Layering strategically Avoiding overly sheer fabrics Choosing neutral tones for work settings Keeping hemlines and fits polished Because the goal is fashion editor energy, not “the office group chat discussing you before lunch.” Confidence Is the Real Outfit: The beauty of lingerie-inspired corporate fashion is the balance of strength and softness. It reminds us that power dressing doesn’t always have to be stiff blazers and black trousers every single day. Sometimes power dressing is: Silk instead of cotton Lace instead of plain basics Confidence instead of playing safe. And the Accra girlies? Oh, we know how to do both business and beauty effortlessly. Now excuse us while we strut into the office looking like the CEO of elegance.

Quality clothing? What to look for? Look for signs of wear, if already the item has snags, premature peeling or bubbling on the fabric, likely caused by friction from people trying on the garment, it's probably not a quality purchase. Turn the item inside out. Does it look as good on the inside as it does on the outside? If so, it's a good indication you've got a decent quality garment. Look for quality hemming, button holes, buttons, are the button holes at the right place for the buttons? What about the zip, does it look quality? Does it run smoothly? Is it stitched in and invisible? While the piece is inverted, lightly tug at the seams that join the panels of fabric together. They shouldn't be loose or show any big gaps when you pull at them. Consider the material. It should make sense for the purpose of the garment. For example, if you're buying a sweater, choose one with a material that will keep you warm, like wool. If you're buying summer clothes, choose fabrics that will keep you cool, like linen. If you're buying swimwear or sportswear, you'll likely need a synthetic performance or technical fabric. Don't conflate durability with quality. If a garment falls apart in the wash, it's not necessarily a bad piece of clothing. Silk or clothing with beading and embroidery, may need handwashing. Read the labels. What material is it? Are there proper washing instructions?

China, the other side of the Chinese yuan coin (also called renmibi). China, superpower, super copier, factory of the world, making robots, electric cars and the iPhone. Right now they are building the longest bridge, the deepest tunnel, the highest building, what not. They have moved from the 3 years of hunger (1959-1961) when about 40 million people died of hunger (Ghana has about 36 million people) to a country that is now economically challenging the world order (where the USA claims to be on top). So a loud Ayeeko is not out of place. But? Europe has about 6 % unemployment, the USA 4.3 %. And the Chinese? Similar figures, except for young people, 16% cannot find a job. So they go for anything they can get, like delivery services for those who are busy with their job. And here is the interesting part. Those who have a job work so hard and so much that they don't have time to make friends. So if they want to have a nice dinner they hire a companion. Someone who does not have a job. Or to go to the cinema. Or to go hiking. It’s a big business, 200 million people, 14 % of the Chinese population is available for rent. To do shopping for you or to go shopping with so you don't have to feel lonely.

Anemia. The latest (2022) Ghana Demographic and Health Survey claims that 40 % of Ghanian women of reproductive age have anemia. And amongst pregnant women it is 50 %. Some regions have higher figures, like 70 %. What is it? Your blood mainly consists of red and white blood cells (and a host of other things), the red blood cells carry oxygen to where it is needed to get energy (organs, cells, muscles), we get oxygen by breathing. Anemia is insufficient red blood cells (RBC in your lab results). Anemia symptoms often include headache, dizziness, palpitations (the sudden, abnormal awareness of your own heartbeat), pallor (an unnatural paleness or loss of colour in the skin), tiredness and out of breath. And low birth weight children. How come? Assuming you are not “sick” (not suffering from illness such as malaria, sickle cell, or severe blood loss) you mainly get anemia by not eating sufficient iron rich food. What is iron rich food? Beans, beef, (chicken) liver, chickpeas, dark chocolate, eggs, lentils, oats, pumpkin seeds, sardines, spinach, tuna. Trick: add vitamin C to every meal, like bell pepper, tomato, orange or lemon for better iron absorption, avoid tea, coffee, milk, yogurt and cheese 2 hours before meals, they block iron absorption. And don’t overcook those green leaves.

Au Grand Ecuyer. Ring Road, opposite Fire Service Headquarters, Osu, Accra , popularly called the French restaurant, though they sell many local and African dishes as well, is one of my favourites. They sell a very good local tasty tender beef steak at 200 GHC, no need to import from Argentina or Australia, it comes with potato chips, mashed potatoes or green beans (you could choose others) and if you want with black pepper sauce. Popular is attiéké (also spelled adjèkè, acheke) with tilapia, you mostly will not be able to finish this huge fish and have to go for take away. Their shrimp avocado salad is also nice and fresh, they add tomato on request. There’s more, much more there, prices are a bit reasonable.

Lydia...

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