Why Nigerian Celebs Look Bad On The Red Carpet- Anonymous Celeb Writes

Aww this is to people who are fast to drop comments on blog
slamming celebrities by asking them to get a stylist or sit their butt home if
they don’t know how to look good. One of them have written to thenet.ng saying it
is not easy and wants you to think twice about slamming them. Anyway, the
anonymous celeb is not asking for your pity, but has listed why and why some
celebs might never look good as you expect. Sit back, grab a bottle of coke and
enjoy. Too bad the anonymous celeb called an actress out who is alleged to have
flaunted over 6 different Hermes Birkin bags! Those bags cost roughly $14,000
per bag. So she bought them all? *Blank stare*the anonymous celeb asked. You
will enjoy it, just sit back and relax, Hehehe…

I was watching Nike Oshinowo’s new TV show and in the first
episode she said something that made me chuckle. It was something along the
lines of ‘it takes a village to get me to look like this’. I smiled. Thank God
someone is telling the truth!

I often shake my head when I read the comments sections of
Nigerian blogs where men and women criticize celebrities’ fashion sense and
fling the words ‘Get a stylist! She needs a stylist!’ Do you think it’s easy???

As someone in the public eye, I try to look good. Sometimes
I look good and sometimes I don’t. And I really do try!

First of, there are not up to 10 GOOD stylists in Nigeria –
I don’t know why. The fashion industry is growing rapidly but the number of
GOOD stylists remains small.

The average GOOD stylist charges as much as N50, 000 per
look! (Take for example Bubu Ogisi). And that’s just the outfit. So if a big
event like the AMVCA is coming up and you call on a stylist- you pay N50, 000
for the outfit that he/she will get for you. It might or might not include
shoes. You have to return the clothes after the event.

Then you have to do hair and makeup, which let’s say costs
N15, 000 if you go to the salon to do the hair and then go to the makeup
artiste’s studio.

For example MUDD or Shomya – If you want them to come to
you, they will charge you double for home service! Theodora of Doranne Beauty
charges N25,000 and up for hair and makeup.

Some stylists like Veronica Odeka ask you to put them on a
monthly retainer – the last time I asked how much she charges was 2012. The
rate at that time was N200, 000 per month. The good thing was it would cover
all events, photo-shoots and even a wardrobe overhaul. Again, this depends on
how many events you attend. Note that this was back in 2012. I heard her star
client Genevieve Nnaji pays her more.

Speaking of Genny, how many movies has she been in recently?
How does she afford all her designer this and that and all her fabulous trips
abroad? I’m asking! Biko show us the way! Her new fashion line seems to be
doing well – but she just started!

It’s 2015, who knows how much it is to get Veronica to style
me now? I did not have money then and though I can afford it now, I refuse to
be giving someone 200k every month! So I have been styling myself from Day 1!

Lets do the math! 40k per outfit + Hair & Makeup (studio
or home service) – Between 65k to 85k PER EVENT!!!

OR N200, 000 + every month!!

Let’s be honest, how many Nigerian female stars can afford
this?…

Please let’s not get into how some female celebs flaunt
designer stuff online all the time. Half the time, their money isn’t from their
craft. (I won’t get into that today). The likes of Chika Ike who actually take
vacations every three months and buy all these designer things – what exactly
do they do for a living apart from being celebrities?

We also know the ones who flaunt very good imitations (I see
you, Mercy Aigbe). The pretty actress has been seen rocking 6 different Hermes
Birkin bags! Those bags cost roughly $14,000 per bag! So she bought them all?
*Blank stare*…

Unfortunately the red carpet is important. It helps with
image, helps with awareness of your brand and generally reminds your fans,
foes, colleagues and brand managers that you are around. Appearing on the red
carpet has helped a lot of careers. Look at Toke Makinwa, Uti Nwachukwu and
Zainab Balogun. They appear often on the red carpet and they look good. They
also have endorsement deals. They are making money.

Let’s address other things like logistics. You are dressed
and you arrive at the venue. Most of the time, this venue is Eko Hotel. If you
are driving yourself, you meander around the hotel until you find parking – or
your driver does. Then you walk to the red carpet.

It is HOT! No jokes! It’s HOT, there is no AC or Fan and you
are sweaty and our Nigerian photographers don’t care! If you have been in the
game for a while, you will know some of these guys by name. So you ask them to
wait while you quickly dab your face and adjust your outfit. Your outfit is now
probably wrinkled (depending on the fabric) from sitting in your car.

Some of the photographers don’t listen and just snap away.
They will not even tell you if it looks good or not. Thank God for photographers
like Kola Oshalusi who take their time to get good shots.

Many photographers do not know how to photograph from the
right angles. Sometimes when you see your pic on the blogs the next day, you
almost weep! Some of the female celebs that look terrible in photos from red
carpets actually look good on their Instagram pages in the same outfit with the
same hair and makeup. For example Waje – She usually posts a picture of her
outfit on Instagram before she hits the red carpet, when you see the picture on
the blogs the next day, you wonder if it’s the same person! Sometimes, I think
blog editors pick the not so flattering pictures of celebs so that they can get
heckled in the comments section. Anything for clicks!

Speaking of angles, you do know that stars in Hollywood
actually have been taught how to pose on the red carpet by experts right?! We have
no such experts here!

So sometimes, celebs get creative. You dress yourself from
your closet or get a designer to make or borrow you an outfit.

Sometimes, you just have to make do with what you are given.

That’s just getting ready for an event.

If you are not naturally slender like me, you have to work
out constantly or resort to body magic or both. You have to eat healthy- this
is not easy all the time and it’s not cheap in Nigeria. Abroad, there are a
plethora of nutritionists, aestheticians, plastic surgeons and personal
trainers to ensure that the stars look their best.

Uzi (Celebrity trainer) charges over N100, 000 per month.
Ponle (Another trainer) charges over $100 per workout session.

We all know with N500, if you buy rice and meat from a buka
– you will eat well. N500 cannot buy you a salad! It might buy you some
miserable looking carrots and cucumbers. That’s it!

A facial at a good spa costs at least N12,000….

I made enquiries at a dentist’s office; I wanted to whiten
my teeth. I was told it costs N80, 000. Just to whiten – not to get a new set
of teeth!

I’m not making excuses. I just want you to think about these
things and know that IT IS NOT EASY! So think twice before you type ‘get a
stylist’.

It is a LOT of hardwork and dedication! I duff my hat to the
women who almost always look good – The Genevieves, Tokes and Nike Oshinowos-
these women have spent a fortune and it shows!

I’ll be back with more write-ups as an industry insider.
Thanks for reading.