DRESS TO BE ADDRESSED.

Hi Loves, how do you do?

Been a while yeah? I think so too. I actually wanted all the previous articles to digest before we start off on another topic again, perfect excuse right? I missed y'all muchos. It's midweek already, would it be late to ask how your weekend went? I doubt. So how did it go? I didn't attend the road walk I told y'all about. Sorry jare, my laziness got the best of me and it rained that morning too.

Today's topic is very sensitive and I fear to be quoted out of context. But then again, these are the risks writers have to take right?

The saying that ''dress the way you want to be addressed'' can never go out of style. Always remember that first impression matters a lot and there is never a second time to make a first impression.

Dressing well has no age barrier, you mustn't be 50 years before you start wearing nice clothes. In fact, parents should dress their children well too, it tells a lot about the parents.

This article doesn't aim at making anyone feel less of themselves nor is it an excuse for unnecessary and extravagant spending, although I recommend you splurge once in a while.

Personally, I love good looks (who doesn't really?). You've scored a first point when you look all cleaned up, smart and smell (abi na ''scent'') well. Dressing well shouldn't be limited to just clothes, it is all encompassing. From hair, to nails, to scent, even to carriage. You attract a lot of good attention and you command a lot of respect from dressing well.

Please note that dressing well does not include dressing nude or half nude or quarter nude or the likes. Dressing well does not also include opening cleavage or butt and other private body parts. Those kind of dressing may even be an eyesore to those you set out to impress. It's embarrassing to see people, most especially ladies leaving nothing to the imagination all in the name of fashion. They see Beyoncé or Rihanna or Nicki Minaj, Tiwa Savage, Cynthia Morgan and co wear semi nudes, and they want to indulge too. I pirry you oh, you haff enta one chance. Those ladies are into showbiz and their dressing is part of the trade. You will hardly see them on a regular day going for lunch dressed like that, they only wear those kinda clothes on red carpet, to perform at shows and for other fashion events. But trust ''us'' to buy the exact clothes and wear them for job interviews or to church or to a family gathering...oversabi, oga and madam fashion forward!

You see some people and you wonder what planet they are from. Guys are not left out on this. Maybe it is just me, but I have never understood the reason behind guys putting their trousers under their asses. Sagging or whatever it is called, I hate it! Guys that keep long nails (I can't deal!), unkempt hair, dirty dreads and ugly beards, please change oh, we are in 2015. I'm all for beard gang and I admire guys with well trained ones but please, it has to be nicely put together.

When I talk about dressing well, I do not mean that it has to be all the expensive stuffs. You don't have to wear Gucci from top to bottom or Jimmy Choo shoes or Chanel Bag to know that you have ''arrived'' (if you have all these though, it is an added advantage). Just make sure you dress appropriate for the occasion.

Let us get practical. Make a mental picture of a well built man in a fitted tailored suit, low cut hair, well trimmed nails, nice scent, nice shoes and a satchel bag to go and please add impeccable diction...yummy right? Then a lady in a nice office gown, good heels and a bag to match, nicely made hair, and scents like she has strawberry poured all over her body...you like that too right? Now, imagine a guy walks to you with unkempt hair and beards, dirty nails, sagging trousers, slippers and smells like he just finished frying ice fish...trust me, you will not even allow the ''hello'' on his lips to drop before you give him a side eye. Or, for the guys, will you ever approach a lady who always dresses shabbily and chews gum carelessly? So you see, your dressing says a lot about you even before you dare to speak. More attention and respect will always be given to that person who looks well put together before the one who isn't.

I may not have all the money I need to get me the designer stuffs I want, but I try to make a bold statement with what I have. Let me discuss a few tips on how you can look good and dress well without breaking the bank...

1. Have at least a set of every kind of outfit, be it; corporate, semi formal, casual, traditional, party wear, beach wear, club wear, easy wears and co. Less headaches that way, you always have an outfit for every occasion.
2. Shop at places where you can get good quality at affordable prices. I'll recommend mobile shopping. There are sellers who don't rent shops or need to pay light bills or pay allowances to any sales girl. They sell their goods on the go, their goods are usually less expensive. Buy from them rather than buying from boutiques or fashion houses (these ones will always charge you for the ACs, blue lights, tiles and co that they fixed in their shops)
3. Shop when the goods are on sales. (I like this one!). I have fallen victim once. I bought three different items from an online shop and in the next couple of days, all their items (including the ones I bought) were on sales. I almost wept. I would have used the same amount to buy more things during the sales! Since then, I have learnt my lesson oh, no more shopping on impulse again, wait till the items are on sales. They always go on sales after a while.
4. Be creative, artistic and stylish. Learn how to combine your clothes, learn how to match colors, learn how to wear monochrome, crop tops, bum shorts and different outfits for different occasions. Don't be a boring dresser, some people have these clothes but don't know how to put them together, switch combinations and watch people ''wow'' and ''aww'' when you wear the same outfit (in a different way) for the third or forth time. It is called aesthetics.
5. Sample prices. A little 1000naira difference here and 2000naira difference there will add up one day to buy you another pair of shoe or a nice sneakers.
6. As an addition, wear a smile and walk confidently. I think these are accessories to every outfit. You may forget to wear your ''panties'' but please don't forget these ones (kidding). Please add, a fresh breath and good diction to the list. You will never go wrong with these.

Tadaaaaa! You're good to go.

Over to you, please add your beauty and dressing essentials to the list. What's your perfect ''spot on'' on dressing? What's your turn off? What's your best outfit? What can't you be caught wearing? Please let us know...

Enjoy the rest of your week,
Barby