Wizkid - Nigeria’s Fashion Icon
Also known as Starboy and Bigwiz, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun is a man of style, the best-dressed pop star. In his interview with Alex Frank of Vogue magazine in 2016, his response to the question about his style icon being Pharell reveals his high sartorial inclinations. He went on to say, ‘It’s not about the brands. It’s how you put them together.’ This is the secret code of every stylish person; understanding the how of putting together a look and this response shows you that Wizkid gets it.
Although critics may bemoan his lack of a message or world view and castigate his music for just being about vibes, Wizkid definitely understands the interplay between feel good music and feel good fashion.
What is feel-good fashion? Feel-good fashion is fashion that doesn’t over think. It’s a feeling-myself, can’t-hold-me-down, laidback, love-my-life kind of fashion just like feel-good fashion which is eclectic, a mix of everything -Wizkid’s songs which combine different elements and styles, definitely fall under this category.
The Building Blocks
Wizkid, one of the best-dressed pop stars, knows that a good wardrobe starts with investing in the basics - Tshirts. Solid color Tees in red, black, white and orange are his wardrobe staples. A T-shirt is like a blank canvas where all artistic ideas begin, layers and colors can be added, but it all starts with a good T-shirt. His love for T-shirts is seen in his ‘Made in Lagos’ merch with PUMA featuring Tees with slogans scrawled in catchy calligraphy.
Photo Credit: Issu3.com
Photo Credit: Pinterest
The Chic Toughness of Leather
Noble, durable and warm, the Starboy loves to layer with leather. He combines the cotton simplicity of a T-shirt with the glossy thickness of leather for an aura of sophisticated grit, a signature look for his stage performances. One of such notable looks is his Monogram Admiral Jacket by Louis Vuitton for his performance at the O2 Arena - Starboy Fest 2019.
Photo Credit: Thebbbuzz.com
The Kiss of Accessories
Stylish people understand the power of accessories. The right accessories should never betray you. Unlike clothes, some weight and your favorite clothing doesn’t fit anymore. Investing in statement accessories can stand you out; belts, scarves, hats, jewelry, shoes and bags that they will rock for years to come. Get ready like a best-dressed pop star and visit www.joestylee.com for some statement accessories.
Accessories can become the focal point like Wizkid’s red beret in the picture below or they can pull together the look like the second picture below showing him in mustard color sunglasses and matching mustard coloured sweater, paired with silver jewelry. The trick is to keep it personal and simple like Wizkid does.
Photo Credit:360dopes.com
Never without his sunglasses, neck and finger jewelry, the Starboy is a true wiz with accessories.
The Fun of Prints
From hoodies to jackets, to pants he always finds a way to insert a little drama with unpredictable patterns. Sometimes it’s quirky, sometimes it’s cultural but always eye-catching and inviting.
Afro-inspired fashion definitely leans more towards more prints as showcased in www.joestylee.com
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Who Inspires WizKid’s Fashion?
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In his A Day in the Live, a 3-hour live coverage of a typical day in Wizkid’s life with Julie Adenuga, he says he never had a lot of clothes growing up and reveals for the first time that his keen sense of style was inspired by his late father’s dapperness. ”My father made me fall in love with clothes. I would see my dad going for an outing wearing clothes made by his personal tailor and I would be like, check this out’. Watching his fashion stylist, Karen Binns hand him outfit after outfit in preparation for his exclusive performance of songs from his Made in Lagos album you realize that his style really is intentional; he may have clothing already picked out for him, but he keeps mixing and matching until it feels just right.
Wizkid style is rooted in a strong understanding of self. The lyrics of his song Ojuelegba from the album, Ayo summarize his life story of hard work, hustle, street-smarts and faith. These qualities are all reflected in his fashion style; grounded, unpredictable, easy and self-loving. For the man who knows what he likes, appreciates every inch of his journey because it’s made him who he is and knows that life is to be lived boldly with fun and swag; for a variety of looks, shop for similar style on Joestylee.com
What are your thoughts? Is Wizkid a fashion icon?