Saturday 14 November 2015

Should I begin to question my gender?

I have no choice but to question what it actually means to be a woman, how do we define the term woman? 

Based on society today am I really a woman? Or am I just a woman because I can dress in fancy clothes, put weave on my head, paint my nails, wear a push up bra, wear 6 inch heels, pay to get my boobs bigger, wax the whole hair off of my body.... 

I can't make myself have periods though or pay to experience the pain of carrying a child for 9 months then deal with having to get my body back in shape 9 months afer. Added to that is the morning sickness, hormonal imbalances, mood swings, sore boobs and hot flushes.

 Feel free to add more to the list......

The media and society have left me with no choice but to feel really confused..

It is becoming increasingly tiresome seeing Bruce Jenner celebrated and honoured for being 'a woman'  Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong in honouring a true woman for what they do if it is for worthy causes. For example female veterans who loose limbs for worthy causes? What about them?

 I do not feel that dressing up for 6months-1year as a woman warrants in any recognition at all. Glamour magazine recently gave Bruce Genner the Transgender Champion award at American GLAMOUR's Women of the Year awards.

I think it is an absolute insult, there are so many real women out there who have dedicated their lives to society and have done amazing things yet there is no coverage on their story Why?

Somebody please tell me why the media deems it is so necessary to celebrate and honour Bruce Jenner in the way it continously does? He does not know for one second what it truly feels to be like me a WOMAN.

Correct me if I am wrong but from what I can see, the media claps its hands at the fact that if you wake up one day and say you always knew you were a woman and have felt like this your whole life then its ok for the public to suddenly just adjust to what they've always known you as which has been a MAN for 66 years of your life, you've had 3 wives, been an Olympic gold medalist and had numerous kids.

I guess its ok becuse he's a celebrity to just phone up Diane Saywer to interview him, cry a little, give a sob story on TV and expect the whole nation to jump on the bandwagon and label him as a hero?

I certainly do not agree one bit, he's not my hero and will never be.

I've been a woman for the whole of my life, been through many things and haven't one day been awarded for being a woman. If he is being awarded for being a woman what makes me so different from him?

Let me tell you there is actually a difference....

Being a woman is much more than a wig, makeup, false boobs, heels and false nails. To me being a woman enbodies so much more, it is much more complex than the outward apperance. There is this strength that comes from within that we uphold ourselves with, a woman is very powerful both mentally and on a spiritual level. We are built to be able to withstand multiple things at once and still smile at the same time. There is a way that a woman puts a home together. Being a woman means being strong, because you’ll find that your womanhood will need that strength, and when you let it, sometimes that strength will even find you.


Monday 5 October 2015

Dear heart what does falling in love really mean?

There are often too many thoughts and feelings that prove hard for me to articulate or to put into words.

Nine times out of ten I am in my own world of thoughts calculating, imagining, praying, hoping and wishing that one day the sentence falling in love will make sense to me. As it stands in my head it means an inseparable force that pulls two people together or am I just thinking too deeply?

I don't really have a live platform where I can emulate what true couple love is or what it means, or let me say I haven't really seen true love played out in front of me with the couples I have grown up with #Cryptic

On social media you often see #Couple goals #BAE #Theloveofmylife. Honestly it gets a bit tiring seeing these hash tags  because I can't help but think 'how do you really know if these so called couples are happy?' The rate at which break ups occur is alarming sometimes, you think it will last forever then the next minute you hear its over...

 Just because you see a picture of a couple posing together smiling, it actually doesn't mean anything. 

Well according to Urban dictionary the phrase falling in love is often used when you are constantly thinking about someone and you can't seem to get them off of your mind. Your heart skips a beat each time you see the person, you get butterflies in your stomach, they are the last person you think about before you go to sleep e.t.c.

I think about food all the time, my heart skips a beat each time I see a nice plate of food, I get butterflies in my stomach each time I see a mouth watering dish and food is the last thing on my mind right before I sleep LOL so I guess I am in love with food then! Ha...

In all seriousness falling in love sounds quite intense when you think of it.... If you pick the words apart and say it in your head quite a number of times it has much more weight than briskly saying it without thinking about it. To fall means to drop or descend down imagine descending down into a pool of love. The thought of it is actually so comforting :)

But then again if this phrase is anything to go by, if you did fall in love why did the relationship end so quickly? Was it really love?

Maybe falling in love is an outdated form of expression... Maybe loving Bae should be the new term I don't know...

I choose to stick by 'Falling in love' because when I do fall in love I want it to be forever.

<3 xxx


Monday 24 August 2015

Dear Madam Tussauds you have done no wrong in my eyes...

In the words of Phaedra Parks from the real Housewives of Atlanta  If it walks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck."

I'm sure you are getting my gist right about now. Earlier this month Madam Tussauds in Las Vegas released the wax figure of Nicki Minaj as demonstrated below on all fours based on a scene from her record breaking video for Anaconda. Immediately when I saw this figure I was really short of words and all I could do was gasp. Although I remember thinking how real it really looked.....

To be quite honest I really felt disgusted looking at it and thought to myself if she is really trying to be a role model like for young girls who look up to her and love her music this is definitely not helping in any way. 
















What then further fuelled my annoyance was a video on Facebook I watched by Janet Mock talking about Nicki Minaj as being a victim of violation and objectification. Sort of blaming Madam Tussauds which I think is out of line.

Can somebody please explain to me how Nicki Minaj is a victim in any way shape or form? 

Fair enough its a person's choice if you have chosen continuously to portray yourself as an image of lust and sex do you boo but then please accept the consequences of your actions!

According to Janet Mock via video she released on Facebook many people like her side eyed the figure in disgust, not because it depicts Nicki in a sexual way but because her "Her body is being taken out of context and being made to be some sort of prop, a stand in for other people's desires and fantasies''. Hold on I thought that's what the music industry was all about? correct me if I'm wrong but all I see in music videos these days is bum, boobs and basically nakedness. Why then suddenly when this figure is released Nicki is some sort of victim?

Poor Madam Tussauds they were just doing their job, doing what they always do with the celebrities they immortalize. Madam Tussauds in fact defended their choice to the Fader magazine  
by saying "We made the decision to celebrate Minaj's unforgettable pose (The Anaconda video) because it resulted as one of the most iconic videos ever produced. As with all people we immortalize in our attractions her representatives were kept informed every step of the way during the figure creation process"

By that statement it is clear that Nicki in fact was aware of the creation process and was informed every step of the way and could have refused the figure to be moulded in this sort of position but in fact she hailed the figure all over her social media calling it 'Iconic'.

If the so called 'Victim' herself is in awe of the figure and loving it why is it so shocking that visitors will be groping the breasts of the statue and fondling the figure?

It makes me so confused that Janet would say that Tussauds intentionally chose to position her this way on all fours and "didn't do enough to protect her". It is not as though this position has not been re-enacted in her music video. Janet it is not like the 502,618,840 and counting have not seen her do it on TV and probably replayed it over and over again and done what they need to do in the comfort of their homes. The only difference here girl is that people are living their fantasies in flesh in the public.

Lastly as a woman of colour myself and as a woman of colour that Janet Mock is, she says that historically women of colour have had their bodies framed as public property, as "mere objects to gawk and fondle".

Well what I will say is that this trend is still going on and its on voluntary basis. Take a look at the music videos and the adverts, 'women of colour' in the celebrity world choose to make themselves objects, they are not forced. We see it everyday in the music videos, so please Janet we are not victims we are the ones making ourselves objects.

The only way this objectification and perceived view of women of colour would stop is if they themselves wake up to the fact that we are not objects of sex for people's desires and sexual fantasies. Until then this will be the perceived view until I don't know when.....

It's going to take more than security forces to guard the perception and imagery that has already been waxed into the minds of the public even without this figure.....

Sunday 16 August 2015

Almost one year on... My Uni experience



1 year ago around this time there were about 41 days until I left home for Uni, time was ticking and the days were approaching where I would have to say goodbye and move 87.0 miles all the way to Buckingham. Home for me is South East London Catford and has been for almost all my life. As a young person I would say you yearn for independence at some stage in your life. The ability to be alone and have your own space without hearing your Mum at 7am on a Saturday morning shouting your name and telling you that you haven’t cleaned the dishes yet. I certainly do not miss that!

Although optimistic and excited I felt all sorts of nerves and I remember thinking to myself what would life in a Private University be like? My first thoughts and expectations was that I would be bored and that there wouldn’t be much to do in terms of activities because prior research let me know that Buckingham was a very small town. Believe it or not I even feared for my eyebrows, I thought to myself “Where will I go to get them threaded”? Simple things like that you see… Not to worry my eyebrows have not grown into a bush I have found where to get them done lol! 

Even better there is an onsite salon which keeps us students looking prim and proper!
Asides that I was scared if I would make friends and what my uni accommodation would be like. I even pictured myself as a recluse because I didn’t imagine that I would have time to socialise as it is a two year intensive degree. Even the thought of meeting my future husband crossed my mind once or twice, ok maybe even three times. “You never know Zoe you could meet him” “A lot of people meet their spouse at University” Truth is everyone’s story is different and just because it happened in a particular way for one person does not mean it would be the same for me. It is a year on almost and nope I haven’t seen my future husband yet lol! ;)
But you’ll be pleased to know I am not a recluse and I have found plenty of things to do to have fun. Buckingham isn’t boring after all. 

Saying goodbye on the cold windy day of 26th of September to my family and crossing the bridge on Hunter Street to the OTM was not easy. I could tell my mum bid me farewell quicker than I could even say bye to avoid the awkward exchange that would result in tears. Even as I watched her drive off the gulp in my throat became inevitable and I shed a few tears as I made my way across the bridge to the  Old Tanlaw Mill where the life and personality of my fellow students old and new breathed forth. I felt like I was walking into the unknown but there was no turning back. I could hardly look at anyone in the eye I think I was even shyer than a 5 year old little girl by that point. 

I didn’t know who to talk to, how to even socialise or where to start from. Everyone looked like they had made friends already and were already so chatty and bubbly. I thought to myself was there a book that I should have read prior to coming to know how to make friends? I wanted the ground to swallow me up. But before it could happen my now good friend Harriet saw me sheepishly walking up and down the bar area contemplating if I should scurry back to my room. She introduced herself to me and we got talking and we have been inseparable since then. 

From then up until this point there have been so many memories, I have found my one year experience here to be very interesting. Very much like any other student experience there have been times when I have cried myself to sleep as I have felt so homesick but then I think to myself ‘Zoe you are only one hour 30 minutes by train away from home”. My eyes have been opened culturally as there are some many diverse people here. You would think each season we are in a different country, from Holi, to Nigerian Independence Day to society fair days. It has been amazing!
Oh and the 4am party nights where you end up coming home and finding that you can only sleep for about 5 hours. 

Uni has been an amazing experience so far and I look forward to the remaining year. I've almost seen it all I think, from people walking into class half asleep in their pyjamas to people doing their assignements last minute until early hours of the next morning and then getting a better mark than me :( I haven't mastered the art of lastmin.com yet.

I am enjoying every moment of it, the trips to Milton Keynes to shop, my communications, Media and Journalism degree is amazing and I feel fulfilled.

If you search Buckingham news on YouTube you may even see me anchoring the news :)

Wednesday 12 August 2015

It's not my cup of tea

Hey guys,

I will pick right back up like I never left you. I'm so sorry for the long silence, lack of posting I've been crazy busy with Uni and everything else.

Today's post may seem a bit reflective and honest but it is what I'm feeling and I'm sure many of you reading have felt it too.

It's a very British thing to say 'He or she is not my cup of tea' it is a way to describe a dislike for something in a polite way. This phrase has been resounding in my head for some days now and not particularly due to something I don't like but because I feel I may not be some people's cup of tea. Reading this you may think 'Gosh c'mon Zoe that's common sense, you win some, you lose some' but for me in my head I've been living in a world where I feel that once you give love it is an automatic thing that you will receive it back. Basically in my ideal world love would be reciprocal.....

I have lived 8767 days here on earth and no I did not just count every single day since 199* up until now on my calendar I used Age calculator. 8767 may be a lot of days for me to have realised that 9 times out of 10 love is in fact not reciprocal and there will be many instances where you will feel emotionally cheated whereby you are the only one giving, giving, giving and the other party is taking. Nope I am not in a relationship for those wondering I am talking about simple platonic relationships.

My lovely mother has always warned me by saying 'Guard your heart Zoe' 'You go far to deeply emotionally into friendships' 'Take people for who they are' 'Don't be surprised if you are treated differently from what you expect'. I have heard it time and time again but I still choose to give people the benefit of the doubt and continue to let my feelings get hurt without voicing it out to the other person. It may not be a deliberate act from the other person but trust me I am way too sharp not to realise a sudden change in character.

I think I speak on behalf of the majority that if anyone has a problem with you as a person you would much rather prefer to be told then to be treated as though you are dirt on a person's shoe. For someone like me who has a mountain of insecurities little things trigger me off and drag me into a world of non-stop thinking. 'Was it something I said' 'What's the sudden change in attitude' 'What could I have possibly done' These are some of the things that will be playing on my mind for hours on end. If you're lucky you may even get a tear out of me.

It's sad but it is reality... These things happen time and time again to me and unfortunately for me I'm way too childish to learn from previous occurrences. Maybe it's the new trend that I'm still not used to. I think the trend is called like me today and loathe me tomorrow !

who knows? Only God knows ....

But from this day forward it's time to guard our hearts! Who's with me?

x x x


Thursday 4 June 2015

What does good dressing mean to you?

Have you guys heard of the term that dressing well is a form of good manners? In the words designer Tom Ford I couldn't echo it loud enough. For me looking good and dressing well is a signature that defines who I am. I have always been taught to take pride in what I look like and make sure this shines through on a daily basis. The way you present yourself to others is the way people will accept and define you. Sadly we live in a world that can be judgemental and full of prejudice however I feel that appearance is something that should be weighted very high. What you attract is what you command. I don't mean to make it sound easy but honestly guys.... 

It is a fair amount of effort! If you had the chance you will see me each morning scrambling for what to wear for at least 30 minutes making sure that as I step out I am making a fashion statement to the world. Sometimes I say to myself there is no way I can repeat that outfit again I wore it last week, but I think it is about the way you choose to rock it. If you wore it with a cardigan last week wear it with a leather jacket this week. If you wore heels with it 2 weeks ago downplay it with some statement flats. :) 

Comfort is very important to me when I am choosing an outfit. I love to feel good in whatever I'm wearing, if you catch me on nice outing you will probably see me wearing a bodycon dress- which relates to a very tight style of dressing. I am naturally a slim built person with not that many curves :( However it is about embracing what you have and making the best with your features. Shake what your mama gave ya! Well in my case wrap tightly what nature gave ya! LOL 

I'd really like to know the sort of dresses or clothing items that are your statement pieces? 
Drop me some comments below :) Or if you want email me with some pictures of your statement outfits and then in my next blog post I can feature all the pictures that have been sent to me in a post titled 'Statement pieces from across the world' That would be fun. My email address

I'm always on the look out for new dresses and my selection can be found anywhere from asos to boohoo to missguided to AX PARIS. I like to play it safe but make a statement all the same time. 

My aunties back in Nigeria and Germany are always on the phone to me asking 'I hope you are still eating healthily' 'You always have to look good' 'Make sure you always dress well' 

It is definitely runs in my family and it feels good when you step out and all eyes are on you for the right reasons! 

Below are some pictures of some of the outfits my aunties have worn! 





Which looks are you all liking? Signify in the comment box below by saying 'Look 1' 'Look 2' e.t.c.


I also forgot to show you all my OOTD for sunday the 31st May! I Wore a red dress from ASOS 
Shoes are from Miss selfridge.  The shoes were purchased last year for my birthday and they are one of my favourite pair of heels.

                       

I purchased this outfit from Asos a while ago and I love it. Red is definitely a colour to wear this summer as it is bright and hot. I decided to wear a red lace body inside of the dress so if you look closely around the arm area it is lacey. I decided to add my own twist to the dress as I have actually worn it a couple of times. When it comes to repeating favourite items I make sure I give the outfit a break and then reintroduce it again a few weeks later as though it were a new outfit. When I do wear it again I will make sure I do something different to the outfit to make it feel new. 

It's even better when you get the thumbs up from people you look up to in the industry who I consider style icons too. I tweeted my outfit to Rocsi Diaz and Melissa Knowles and they both gave me the thumbs up. I found out that Melissa Knowles is fan of Asos too. She wears lovely outfits too that compliment her looks and figure.


It is really great to know that Melissa Knowles is an Asos fan. I was really happy when I heard that! 
I'm always on the look out for outfits that stand out. An outfit she wore yesterday to help bring attention to National Gun violence awareness day #StopTheViolence. Was an orange dress from Zara which looked really lovely, definitely my kind of outfit. Simple but statement worthy! ZARA I think this a gorgeous dress.


     

Rocsi Diaz is another style Icon that I follow. A couple of weeks ago she posted some of her outfits that she wore on her trip to Las Vegas. These two particularly caught my eye. 

The first dress is unique and really suits her. I love the lace combination with the dress. The yellow part has a tribal look to me and the simple nude heels were perfect to go with it. Like to know it I love the simplicity yet definition of Rocsi's white body con dress.  

Did you guys spot Kim Kardashian's recent outfit to the CFDA fashion awards? 
Her outfit dress designed by Jack and Lazaro

I found this outfit to be very unique and different. I haven't seen anything like it before. Considering she's pregnant I actually thought to myself wasn't it a bit too tight around the belly area? What do you guys think? Yes or No to Kim's outfit! 


Another outfit that was a sure winner for me was Janelle Monae's stunning custom caped design by  Tadashi Shoji I think it was a very bold, powerful, confident and unique look. She definitely exuded confidence wearing this outfit and it shone through. I would definitely wear this outfit. 


You are never fully dressed without big hair/braids/eyelashes/Foundation/mascara/heels!

Which category can you not do without or which one of those items that I have listed completes your outfit?

For me it is all about big hair and long eyelashes and a knocker pair of heels. 

I think big hair and statement curls is definitely in this summer! I love the way I look with Curls 

What do you guys think? Oh yeah I forgot to mention that I think I have a mascara obsession and I am devoted to Rimmel London scandal eyes. Trust me when I say it is the best mascara ever. I continously get complimented whenever I apply my mascara. It definitely accentuates my eye lashes making them as long as ever! Bold eyes for me are everything. Big hair, bold eyes, shoe game strong it is a sure winner! 


Many of you have wondered where I purchased my extensions from. I must tell you that I have not regretted buying this hair as it has lasted me for over a year. I have been able to wash and reuse and it has still maintained the same quality and shine. Check Diamond hair out Here . When I purchased the bundles of hair about a year and a half ago I went for Peruvian hair and bought about 5 bundles which has been inserted into my hair through a method of weaving. 

As you can see I really do love my mascara and actually feel really incomplete without it! I definitely am loving my curls and I think braids are actually not bad either for a great protective style if you have natural hair I have rocked braids too in the past. People tend to say they make me look really young I think so too. 

It has been a slightly longer post but I hope you have enjoyed going through all the pictures and reading all that I have said. If you have any comments or suggestions or would like to show me some of your cool outfits then feel free to email me! 

See you soon 

Zoe 

Tuesday 2 June 2015

#Vote for Aduna and let us make Baobab famous! One fruit, one vote 10 million Livelihoods

Africa is very very close to my heart being of African descent, a Nigerian born in the UK I still have the spirit of Africa running through my veins. 

I have been fortunate to visit Nigeria a number of times and seen the life and soul of Nigeria through each encounter I have been blessed to experience.

Now, once in a while when we turn on the television we are presented with a very different image of Africa. The thought of Africa to some people is that it is a country where there are people who are suffering endlessly with no food or water or proper shelter. You see and hear children crying with flies perching on their dull skin and mothers carrying these innocent souls with their ribs almost coming out of their frame. 

That is not Africa. Africa is a vibrant continent that is full of life and vigour. The people are warm, friendly and welcoming. 

Africa is a country that boasts of a wealth of natural resources, it is also a hub of economic growth, entrepreneurship and innovation.

Did you know that more than 25% of the world's Botanical species originate from Africa? Sadly less than 1% find their way onto the shelves of health and beauty retailers. 

This is where Aduna comes in, they need your help to make Baobab famous #MakeBaobabfamous

Aduna Baobab is a 100% natural, nutrient dense raw wholefood. It is a rich source in Vitamin C, Calcium, potassium and thiamin. It is almost 50% fibre and has one of the most highest antioxidant properties in the world. It is called the feel good fruit and trust me when I say you will feel good when you take it. Whether you mix it in with fresh juice or mix it into water you are bound to get a boost that will leave you feeling energetic. I really look forward each morning waking up to a fresh glass of Baobab mixed in water. 

Read more about them on their website here

Their mission is to create demand for under utilised natural products from small scale producers in Africa. Since their launch in 2012 they have lifted Baobab from obscurity to being London's best selling superfood. They are already working with 11 communities in Poverty stricken Northern Ghana to source their Baobab, over 1000 women are receiving transformational income flows through trade and not aid. They are now ready to scale up to a possible 8,000 communities. 

But to achieve this target this is where your help is needed. The demand for Baobab needs to be heightened #VOOM.

Wouldn't it be amazing to create sustainable livelihoods for millions of rural households?

This will become a reality if you take a few seconds of your time to vote. #MAKE BAOBAB FAMOUS! 

Aduna has made it as semi finalists of Virgin's pitch to rich competition. Watch their entry here

They came from a field of 500 entrants and are now part of the final 10 entrants they have almost made it to the finish line. 

You 

can help them get there. 

There are 

14 days left to generate as many votes as possible

Getting into the top 3 would mean getting Sir Richard Branson's backing for the campaign

This would transform awareness of Baobab- and with it potentially millions of lives. Lets do something great! 

Voting takes just 10 seconds and here is what you need to do:

1. Click on this link here 
2. Verify your vote (click the link you will receive from Virgin via email) and also check your spam inbox just incase you can't find it in your main inbox 
3. Share and spread the word everywhere you can on your social media websites. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest. 

Further reading? Click here




Baobab harvesters in front of a tree





                            
                                          Baobab superfruit powder loose.




















               Remember #MakeBAOBABFAMOUS  

Monday 1 June 2015

When CNN and HLN say yes you basically can't say no!

Following my previous post 'Everyone's path is so different' which paid homage to my role models shortly after I was given undoubtedly one of the best advice I have received to this date about career moves and how to make it within the TV business via periscope. I was overwhelmed from the feedback I received from my role models and how sweet they were about my blog post.

As humans we feel energised when we get recognition and validation. Inevitably one has the tendency to want to doubt themselves as an individual, feeling like you cannot attain a certain level or get to the peak of your dreams. You sit down wondering when will it ever get better? Or when will I ever make it?

You've probably been laughed at, bullied, doubted, disliked or told you can make it

BUT regardless if any applies to you reading this or has ever applied

Truth is we all have the capabilities and the ingredients required within us to succeed within any chosen field. It takes preparation, seriousness and focus. Keeping one's eye on the prize and closing both eyes to distraction at the same time.


I'm determined to make it and so you should be too! Max Foster from CNN after watching me anchor Buckingham News on Youtube kindly gave me his thoughts and feedback as to how I can keep getting better and better. After watching he concluded that: "You have got it" :)

Errol Barnett CNN correspondent in Atlanta dedicated a Facebook post to me and my blog post. He wished me luck and also enjoyed reading the post. I was pleasantly surprised! This made my day.

Zain Asher CNN newsroom co-anchor also gave me the thumbs up via a Twitter message.

The beautiful Melissa Knowles American reporter and TV host on the daily share, HLN said that "My blog is really cool and that she loved my outfits". I don't think she knows it yet but I love hers too :)

The sweet CNN International news anchor Rosemary Church thought "Great job and she really loved reading it".

:)

Got a few moments? Maybe over a tea break or whilst you are on the train to work have a browse through below of all the lovely comments and audio feedback I got from Periscope.

Errol Barnett's Facebook post regarding my blog post 

Melissa Knowles Twitter response



Zain Asher Twitter response 




Rosemary Church Tweet about my blog

 Max Foster's feedback after watching me doing my anchor segment for Buckingham News.

Larell from CNN, was kind enough to have a read and has given me his opinion so far 


Max Foster Anchor and London Correspondent for CNN international gave me some more advice on Periscope. Have a listen!


Errol Barnett and Rosemary Church also gave me a lovely shout out this morning on Periscope. Have a listen :)

P.S apologies for the sound quality, I was recording from iPhone to a software on my PC. 


I hope you enjoyed this blog post! Stay tuned for the next post :)

Zoe x x