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Traditional wears have not gotten quite the attention they deserve in past but the recent boom and attention on bridal fashion and weddings in general is making up for that.
An essential part of any traditional outfit is the headpiece which often comes in the form of a headwrap or head tie. The most popular is the Gele which has long been in existence and many especially the Yorubas, pride themselves on their expertise in tying it. The head tie is an integral part of almost all occasions in Nigeria which is why even when “aso-ebi” has been selected for an occasion, there would be a gele to match, though wedding guests are left to make the choice of using it for the occasion or not.
Stylish wedding guests have makeup pages, YouTubers and how-to articles to thank in learning how to style the traditional gele. However, the gele-tying game was stepped up with the introduction of the Avant Garde gele.
A trend relatively new, the avant garde gele trend has steadily gained prominence amongst stylish ladies who love to make fashion statements. Created and introduced by Funmi Olurinola of Abeke Makeovers, the style “came out of a need for trend setters and belles of the ball who need something different”. Known for her creativity in makeup artistry and classic gele designs, Abeke a.k.a “Abekeonigeleara” (which translates as Abeke the maker of Spectacular geles) has indeed changed the face of gele in Nigeria.
This style of gele is has all the feels of class, elegance, sophistication and drama suitable for the woman who is not afraid to bask in the wake of attention.
Celebrities like Rita Dominic, Deola Sagoe, Toke makinwa, fashion designer Toju foyeh, South African media personality Bonang Matheba and more recently Nancy Isime and Stephanie Coker are among the few woman who have given us many reasons to don on the avant garde gele for our next wedding ceremony.
Here some some fashion-forward avant garde looks we’re currently crushing on.
How to Nail the Avant Garde Gele Look
Basically, the avant-garde gele is known as autogele or rosegele.
To achieve this style, start by wrapping the gele around your head from the back (both ends of the head tie should be equal) then knot at the front before spreading the tips to give you the pattern you want be it a rose or any other design. This should be done carefully in a way that shows a definite shape to avoid looking like a ‘learner’.
Not to worry, this goes with almost any outfit combination be it dresses, a skirt and a blouse or wrapper and a blouse. Many have embraced this gele style because it is totally fashion forward making it’s wearer the center of attention.
Want to be the next show stopper? The video below takes you through a detailed process on tying this kind of gele.
Video from the creator herself, Funmi Olurinola.
You’re welcome!
Photo Credit: Instagram/@abekemakeovers
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