Omolara Kowoti, a pattern drafter and fashion designer is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dunskani Designs, Lagos.In this piece, she shares tips on her to look gorgeous without breaking the bank. Excerpts:
Identify your body type
We have different body shapes; we have the hour figure, pear shaped and so on. If we have unique shapes what will fit one shape won’t fit another shape. So, you have to identify your body type and look for what best suits it. There are certain blouses and trousers that suit a particular body shape. If you know you shape then you won’t go near the ones that are not meant for your shape. Wear only whatever will flatter your body shape. Don’t just wear a dress because it is in vogue, wear only what suits you.
 Always add something extra
As a designer, what distinguishes my work from that of other designers is that I make statements with my designs. My designs are a combination of contemporary and African designs. Most of the time, when people see my designs, they don’t believe that they are made in Nigeria. People always argue with me when I tell them I made the clothes I am wearing myself. For instance, I can make a regular shirt and add something extra to it; I may put stones on it or write something on it. I can also put a cartoon character on a corporate shirt. You can wear the shirt on a Monday and put a jacket on it or wear it alone for an outing at the cinema. My clothes are most of the time multi functional. I create designs you can always rock in different ways. Any woman who wants to stand out must add something extra to her outfit. Something that will give her an edge over other people. I started with Ankara but I realised that everybody was doing Ankara so I decided to make mine in such a way that when people see them they ask questions like; are they made abroad? How do I do this, mix Ankara with other fabrics and use them to corporate outfits.
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Don’t copy other people’s styles
As a pattern drafter, one issue I always have with customers is that they want their designers to copy other people’s styles. They don’t want them to be creative and original. If you refuse to do what they want, they won’t patronise you again. As a creative person, when you copy other people’s designs, you are ashamed to post them on the social media because you know it they are not your creation. Customers should allow their designers to create beautiful pieces for them. Because a particular styles looks good on somebody doesn’t meant it will look good on you.
Go for classic pieces and not trendy ones
I am not a trendy designer, I don’t follow fashion trends. I believe in making classic pieces that will last for people. An outfit I made in 2012 is still functioning right now. I believe people should wear something that they are comfortable in and is stylish at the same time. No matter how simple a piece is, you can still stand out. You don’t have to wear revealing clothes before you can be classy. You just need to know how to combine your colours and also add some edge to your pieces. That is what will make you stand out.
Stay within your budget
Nobody needs to cut their throat or break the bank to look good. It is not worth it. You can wear something very simple and still stand out. You don’t have to bother yourself about whether the other person is wearing a designer label or not. You can wear something similar but within your budget. For instance, when I was growing up, I liked okrika clothes a lot. When I got a tailor, we used to rip the okrika apart, add something to it, remove the sleeve or cut it and make it a short gown. I would sketch how I wanted the dress to look for the tailor .That was even before I became a fashion designer. You can always work around your clothes and tailor them to suit you. You can look expensive within a budget.
Pay attention to details
If you are wearing designer shoes that are dusty or an expensive dress that is rumpled, you won’t command the right kind of attention. All these little things matter. Your appearance and how you put everything together matters a lot. Iron your clothes properly, fold your sleeves when you need to fold it and make sure everything is in order before you step out of your house.
and then