A little inspiration from a beautiful song "Yesterday was hard on all of us".

I am a sucker for songs that have good lyrics. I recently saw the movie "Selma", I liked the official sound track "Glory" by Common featuring John Legend but I absolutely loved "Yesterday was hard on all of us" by fink. When I read history, I feel terrible and ponder why such a thing had to happen. I've read about South Africa's history on Apartheid system and racial discrimination in Europe and America. The movie "Selma" just showed me a real illustration. In Nigeria, we are currently dealing with Boko Haram, it still seems like a movie to me, not because I don't feel it is real but because it's just difficult to imagine how a human being with a heart can feel so much hatred and derive joy from causing others sorrows. I pray it all ends soon.

I always wanted to visit all the states that make up Northern Nigeria, I visited some while in secondary school.  I enjoyed the song "Yesterday was hard on all of us" and I hope soon terrorism would be in the past and peace can be restored once again in our nation and continent.

Lyrics to Yesterday Was Hard On All Of UsWhere do we go from here 
Where do we go 
Is it real or just something we think we know 

Where are we going now
Where do we go
Cos if it's the same as yesterday you know I'm out
Just so you know
Because
Because
Our paths, they cross
Yesterday was hard on all of us
On all of us
Who can we trust from here
Who can we trust
Are you real or something from wanderlust
Who can you can we trust my dear, sweet, flower
Who can you trust
From cradle to grave
From ashes to ashes, from dust to dust
Because
Because
Our paths, they crossed
Yesterday was hard on all of us
On all of us
Where do we go from here
Where do we go
We've got nothing we can trust and nothing we can sell
That's for sure
How do we get out
How do we move around with all these eyes on us
Tell you what, you go first
Almost like it's kind of rehearsed but
It's not, no
Because
Because
Our paths, they cross
Yesterday was hard on all of us
On all of us.

Dedicated to the Chibok Girls. 

Skin Care Focus: Dudu Osun (The wonder black soap).

While many of my mates had to deal with pimples and acnes in secondary school, I got to enjoy a clean, smooth and fresh face. I can clearly recall how one of my boarding house mates "Ramatu" would admire my face and tell me she wished she had my kind of skin. I felt I had escaped the horrible part of puberty.

The minute I was done with secondary school and I passed out, puberty kicked in, my face became the dwelling place for pimples and acnes. My face was secreting so much oil. I switched from one product to another but nothing seemed to be working for me.

One lovely holiday at Abuja, I walk into a pharmacy to get drugs for my knee caps (Don't ask me what's wrong with my knee caps), that's another tale for another day. The pharmacist keeps starring at my face and then asks "My dear, what product are you using to treat pimples?" I looked at her and said "nothing! I'm tired of being a skin product whore". She smiles and tells me she understands, she then recommends "To-To soap", a Nigerian soap produced with natural ingredients.

Toto soap was effective, it dealt with the pimples and acnes on my face but my face remained oily. After my short break at Abuja, I returned to Port Harcourt. To-To soap was not readily available in any super market or pharmacy. I went back to using my regular soap and using my facial cleanser daily.

A friend recommended Dudu Osun, I had doubts and wondered if Dudu Osun could solve my skin problems. I decided to do an online research and I was impressed by the results I saw. Even foreigners had nice feedbacks about this soap. Some Africa Americans even use it as shampoo for their natural hair. I just couldn't believe Dudu Osun was this good. I went to the nearest supermarket and bought one.
It's been one month since I started using it and the result is impressive.

 I no longer have to deal with pimples, the acnes on my face are steadily clearing and my face is no longer oily. I am so relieved that I don't have to powder my face every hour or wash my face repeatedly when I'm home. Dudu Osun is affordable, readily available across Nigeria and is effective. It's produced with natural ingredients also, so it maintains your natural skin tone. I am not a fan of anything that changes my natural skin colour, I love my skin tone just the way it is.

I normally don't blog about beauty or skin care products but this blog is primarily dedicated to my all-time experience as a fashion designer and a young lass. I know there are a lot of ladies out there who share similar skin issues. Give Dudu Osun a trial,  it works wonders if you are struggling with acne, pimples and oily skin.

Fashion Focus: Queen Daenerys Of Game Of Thrones

I have never been a fan of epic movies or series but Game of thrones came into the spotlight and caught my attention from the first episode of season one. I have followed the story one episode at a time and one season after the other and I simply cannot get over the action, intrigue and suspense. 

It's fiction but it relates so much to our own political era, it's a do or die affair in the game of politics just like it is in this thrilling series.

My favorite part of this series is the fashion, As a designer, there is so much styles that have inspired me. 

I'm always excited to see what my favorite characters are wearing when all the drama goes down. Medieval-inspired Gowns, fierce battlegear and a look or two from the Mother of Dragons.

Today's blog entry is dedicated to my 5 favorite styles of Queen Daenerys. She is my favourite character, her confidence, strength, determination and courage is inspiring.

Daenerys stood out from the dusty backdrop in a sleek white dress.

Khaleesi plays with her dragon dressed in an elegant white gown.

In a play on the balance needed to attain the throne, Daenerys pairs a soft white slip with a tough blue leather dress.

Khaleesi was dressed for war in her signature blue.

Daenerys's blue dress stands out in a crowd.

Photo credit: HBO

Fashion Focus: "THE PENCIL SKIRT" the "CHICEST" of all skirts.

A pencil skirt is quite versatile and with the right accessories and styling, you can easily transform it from a plain formal look into something more chic and fun.

Satin/Lace Pencil skirt by Mi'De Fashion County

What I really love about this type of skirt is that it's flexible enough to team up with most types of tops and shoes. Especially a simple black pencil skirt which can be worn as a part of a conservative office work outfit or for parties or with your casual shirt.

Floral Print  Pencil Skirt By Mi'De Fashion County

You can dress it up for work or parties, or dress it down for casual everyday wear. Just put on your sophisticated dress shirt at daytime and take it off and put on a slouchy t-shirt and you're good to go to the movies later that evening! You can also wear it with a basic tank top and a long cardigan for a cool and casual look.

Black Polka Dot Pencil skirt by Mi'De Fashion County

Black Pencil Skirt By Mi'De Fashion County

It has (almost) everything you can ever wish for in a skirt, and that's why I consider a pencil skirt to be one of your most important wardrobe essentials.

xoxo
Chioma Olamide Udom

5 Powerful Rules for Women Entrepreneurs to Live By.

This is the best article I have read this week and it was written by SUMI KRISHNAN CEO of K4 Solutions. Enjoy!!!

There’s no magic formula for entrepreneurial success, of course. Stepping into the unknown is scary -- and many women doubt their abilities, feeling like impostors. “I believe that no matter how thoroughly prepared a woman might be, she will feel unprepared, whereas a man will feel even more prepared than he really is". Unfortunately, research supports this notion.

Other women hesitate to pursue entrepreneurship from fear of not having enough time for themselves or their families.



Here, then, are five strategies to help you crush these types of entrepreneurial fears and succeed even as you step into the unknown:

1. Quit seeking validation and embrace your crazy.
This is your business. It’s yours because no one else has had the vision you did to start it. Stop seeking validation before you launch a new product, program or idea. The most successful people are those who were once believed to be crazy.

2. Celebrate even the smallest of wins.
To maintain a go-getter attitude requires positive reinforcement. Have you worked up the courage to make that call you’ve been putting off? Finally gotten through that stack of paperwork? Kick up your heels and celebrate! That energy will carry you forward.

3. Get specific.
Now that you’re trusting your own instincts and celebrating along the way, challenge yourself to break down your vision into smaller chunks. With the freedom to do what you want during the day comes the increased need to stick to a plan. What do you want to achieve this month -- and what do you need to do this week to reach your goals? As we know, writing your goals down significantly increases your chances of success.

4. Know that making money is like making broccoli.
A mentor once told me that making money is like making broccoli: You’re not afraid of using up the broccoli in your fridge, are you? You know you can always get more.

Similarly, if you’re committed to growing your business, you can’t be afraid to invest in your growth or do the things that excite you. Rather than worry about the money you’re spending, focus on making each investment worthwhile.

5. Decide to be grateful.
My dad used to say that no matter how good or bad you have it, there’s always someone
who has it better than you and someone who has it worse than you. Comparison is the root of despair. Every day, we get to choose to be grateful for what we have, regardless of where we want to be.

Like anything worthwhile, being an entrepreneur isn't easy. All of us, however, can be grateful for the opportunity to pursue meaningful work and build a life we love. What more could we ask for?

Morning Inspiration: Falling in love with yourself.

Many women find it difficult to appreciate themselves because society puts pressure on them to be completely selfless, any attempt at self nurturing and self love is condemned. It is not easy to overcome this pressure.

Withstanding the opinions of others is at best stressful and at worst debilitating. Many of us are crippled by the masses of people who do not allow us the freedom of our own opinions and the exploration of our own personhood.

To some extent, some women are still vulnerable to the words and opinions of others about how they are. It is for this reason you see young girls imitating the ills of society, they want to be perceived as "cool", they want to have a million followers on twitter, they need others to validate the reason why God created them and would do just about anything to seek the approval of other humans. If we are going to be effective individuals as women, we must develop the ability to embrace ourselves.

A positive self image is not arrogant. It is necessary in order to procure a healthy relationship with others. People who have low self esteem are too obsessive to enjoy others. They cling to others like a vine to a wall. They need others to stand and that need is compulsive and draining.


To be graceful and endure certain things in this world as a woman you need to fall in love with yourself. We are not born in relationships. We are born empty handed, there are no hands to hold but our own. Most of us are single birth babies who spent time alone from the womb to the crib. We played alone in the crib. Alone is where we start and essentially it is where we end. Job says he came here naked and returned naked, it is true.

If there is any relationship you should be clingy to, it is a relationship with God, it is essential to have a healthy spiritual and emotional life as a woman. If your relationship is not fortified with God and yourself, you go into all kinds of relationships for the wrong reasons, both platonic and intimate relationships.

Jesus Christ says that the greatest commandment in the word demands that we love our Lord with all our heart, mind and soul, the second greatest commandment is that we love our neighbour as we love ourselves. But how can we love our neighbours if we do not learn to love ourselves? How can we give to someone a gift that we do not value or believe to be significant?

It is important to balance your life. To be balanced is to have and maintain all elements in their proper proportions. Instead of dwelling too much on the opinions of others, try developing all parts of your life. If one area of your life is deficient and exaggerated, you will be imbalanced.

Set out to be a woman of excellence, be armed with a road map, have a blueprint for living, don't wander the earth aimlessly and hoping to be found by people who will end up trying to please.

Know that you are winner, you are a diamond, you have started as a coal but with determination, hard work, patience and God by your side, you would become a jewel. You are an exquisite wonder to your generation and the opinions of others can't stop you from shinning.

Enjoy the rest of this beautiful day the good Lord created.

How often should we wash our jeans/denim clothing?

When it comes to caring for your denim, you probably fall into one of two camps: You’re either all for rinse, cycle, and repeat, or against washing in general. Whichever camp you’re part of, we thought it’d be helpful to find out when and when not to wash the wardrobe essential, so we took our questions to Google, lol, researched and came up with these answers.

Is it a must to wash a new pair of jeans?

“Absolutely not. Almost all jeans have been washed as part of the fit process. If you are buying a rigid or raw jean, wearing them in from a rigid state is the best way to get them to form to your body.”

So, how often should you really wash your jeans?

“Most jeans stretch and have such great extension that it's no longer necessary to wash your jeans to get them to shrink back up again. Don't wash them every time you wear them. There are optical brighteners in most laundry detergents, which will change the color of your jeans too quickly. I think it's best to wash them every four or five times.”

The number-one rule when it comes to taking care of denim?

“Don’t wash them too often.”

The best tips for washing different colors or fabrics of denim?

“It's always best to wash them in cold water. It helps retain the dyes in the denim for longer periods of time.”

Tips to keep your jeans fresh between washes?

“Hang your jeans and let them air out between wearing. Letting your jeans form to your body as you continue to wear them is the best way to create your own individual wear pattern.”