M.A.G. blog, signed by Lydia

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: How to Stay Chic, Cool & Confident in Ghana’s Corporate Heat, Nana Benz now drives a Tico, Diamonds truly are forever, and Santoku Japanese Restaurant

How to Stay Chic, Cool & Confident in Ghana’s Corporate Heat. You want to look polished, feel breezy, and still show off a bit of that Ghanaian glow. So, if you’re a working girl in the city (or just want to dress like one), here’s your guide to serving office looks all week long — Accra style. Monday: Start Bold, Stay Bossy. Mondays are for making statements. Step in like the main character with an Ankara dress or pencil skirt that says, “I’m here to conquer emails and maybe the world.” Pair your prints with a crisp white blouse or a structured blazer. Clean, powerful, yet feminine. Pro tip: Keep your Ankara lightweight — cotton prints are perfect for the heat. Pair with: Nude pumps or simple block heels. You’ll thank yourself by noon. Tuesday: Chill, But Make It Smart. The week’s pace is picking up, so let your outfit breathe. A linen shirt dress or culotte set keeps things easy but professional. Colour inspo: soft greens, sandy neutrals, and light blue — perfect for Accra’s sunshine. Local hack: Keep a mini handkerchief or tissue in your bag. It’s not “sweating,” it’s just that tropical glow trying to break free. Wednesday: Midweek Monochrome. When in doubt, go monochrome. An all-white or all-navy fit says “organized” even if your inbox says otherwise. Try pairing a silk blouse with wide-leg trousers, or go for a tailored kaftan in a single tone. Simple. Chic. Strategic. Style trick: Add interest with texture — pleats, embroidery, or a soft ruffle detail keep your look from feeling too plain.

Nana Benz now drives a Tico. African prints were mostly dominated by Dutch textile producer Vlisco, and Nana Benz more or less had the monopoly of the distribution. There were about 50 Nana Benzes, mainly operating from Togo where the government assisted by charging low port tariffs, despite having it's own textile industry. Nana Benz would instruct the male Dutch Vlisco designers what she felt the African woman wanted. And Nana Benz had substantial political power, like some of the market mammies in Ghana. But with the strong entry of Chinese imports things have changed. Nanettes, or little Nana's came to the stage and negotiated with the Chinese like the Nana Benzes did with the Dutch, and today there are about 60 Nanettes, and there are only 20 Nanas left. Some of the Nanettes have created their own brands, made in China, like Femme de Caractère, Binta, Prestige and Rebecca Wax. Vlisco is trying to survive by making their prints a luxury item, Woodin. But for how long? China today is producing luxury cars, some more advanced than the Mercedes Benz, and at half the cost. Times Are Changin By Bob Dylan in 1964

Diamonds are forever. Who coined that phrase? East Africa was colonized for the British Crown to a large extent by Cecil Rhodes who also founded Rhodesia, today called Zimbabwe. Having found a reasonable amount of diamonds in countries like Botswana and South Africa, Rhodes decided in 1888 to regulate the market and try to control prices and established de Beers as main diamond trader. De Beers bought about all the diamonds it could get, or agreed with other big producers like Russia, and only let a limited amount of diamonds onto the market at a time, thus keeping the price high. After all, a diamond is only a piece of highly concentrated carbon, and can only be used to cut things or function as non wear bearings in mechanical watches and things like that. So the value of a diamond lies in the (artificially created) scarcity and the image that goes with it. Through this price regulation diamond prices have stood the test of time quite well, and are generally seen as a safe long term investments (though prices can vary considerably during financial crises). Then came artificial diamonds, where carbon was compressed mechanically and diamonds were created, at a far lower price. But the expert can see the difference with a natural diamond. Once we started producing artificial diamonds we created so many that their price crashed by as much as 96% in the wholesale market since 2018, transforming them from a luxury alternative into a commodity. Exactly the opposite of what de Beers had achieved. So now it is assumed that artificial diamonds will end up in cheap jewelry, like zircon, and people want real diamonds again for their wedding rings and other things which are seen as jewelry and investment at the same time. Diamonds are forever indeed. The phrase was coined by de Beers' advertising agency NW Ayer in 1947. And Ian Fleming's James Bond, also called 007, popularized it with the 1971 film “diamonds are forever”. James Bond in 1971

Santoku Japanese Restaurant. Villaggio Vista, 16 North Airport road, East Dzorwulu, Accra. Bring money, or don't go. But the portions are big. We had edamame, sea salted soy beans, and lobster tempura which was fresh but unfortunately a bit overcooked, and also chicken teriyaki which was tasty and juicy. Service is prompt and extra, tables are far enough apart to allow for a private discussion, and atmosphere is soft and subdued. Despite the price one needs to book well in advance, we booked early Friday afternoon for that same Friday evening and they just had one slot left at 7pm. Dress code no flip flops or shorts or T shirts, by order, anyway, they send you a detailed whatsapp with dress code, debit cards accepted and no flash to be used. Do go if you can afford it.

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