Biodun Okeowo
Yoruba movie actress, Biodun Okeowo, in a recent interview with Punchng let us into her fashion and style
Did you become so fashionable because of your line of duty?
No. Naturally, I love to look good all the time. I make sure I dress well no matter the event. But then, as an actress, I am a role model. A lot of people look up to me. My job only enhances my style.
Is your style ‘anything goes?’
I can say that I am not a designer freak. I wear what suits me. It mustn’t be a designer as long as that thing is fine. Even designers started from somewhere. As Africans we need to be proud of our designs and our local designers. We need to make them grow. But then, when I see a label that I really like, I go for it. There is no hard and fast rule about it. I don’t know if I should call myself a ‘serial’ buyer. I buy anything I see. If I see something I like and the money I have with me is for something else, I wouldn’t mind using it to buy that thing. I buy every day.
You are always seen in afro hair style, why?
My best hair style is braids. I do ‘Ghana weaving’ but I don’t do it often because it cuts the front line of my hair. I had to reduce the number of times I do it. But I wear afro because I have a small frame. I use the afro hair to bring out my small frame so that I could look slightly bigger. But these days, I am more mature. I don’t think I need an afro hair to look big. I carry afro just once in a while now.
Have you ever thought of cropping your hair?
Oh yes. I have even done it twice. I just wanted to change my looks. I think it was in 2012 and I carried the hair style for a while.
Have you thought of doing crazier things to your hair?
The only crazy thing I did was when I tinted my hair to gold. That was when I was wearing cropped hair. There was also a time I was rocking red wig.
How often do you make your hair?
I make my hair twice in a month. It depends on whether I am going on set. But if I am so busy, I wear wig.
Does so much money go into your hair?
Oh yes but I am trying to cut it down. There are more important things to do with money. I have had enough. I don’t intend to say how much goes into the hair.
Why do you like wearing skimpy clothes?
Well, it depends on where I am going. I can’t be going to a serious function and I wear skimpy clothes. I can only wear mini gown. But I have to be covered to an extent. It won’t be revealing but it would be short. Basically, I love wearing short clothes.
Do you mean all kinds of short attires including knickers and gowns?
I wear short dresses to functions but I can’t wear knickers.
Do you wear short attires because you want to show off your legs?
Do I have straight legs? I don’t think I have straight legs unless you are telling me. I just love wearing short clothes.
Is there anything you don’t like wearing?
I hate ‘three quarter’ dresses. If my cloth has to be long, then let it be long and if it has to be short, let it be short. There shouldn’t be any in between. So you can’t see me wearing three quarter dresses, I hate them.
Do you invest so much in foot wears?
I have so many foot wears. I mustn’t tell you how many I have. In fact, I hate revealing that. All I know is that I have so many.
Are they all high heels?
No. when I am on set, I wear high heels if the script requires me to wear one. If I am going for a function, I must wear high heel shoes. I only wear lower heels and flats when I go for children’s birthday or other petty functions.
How come you don’t have a tattoo?
I don’t like it at all. I have never thought of having tattoos on my body and I don’t think I will ever do it. I can’t even pierce my body unnecessarily. I call such hard fashion and I cannot be a party to that. I can’t even wear contact lenses. I don’t do extreme things.
Do you wear things in vogue?
I don’t follow trends. I am a trend setter. Some people will tell you this and that are fashion rules. I don’t always follow such. I am an entertainer. Anything I wear should be a trend for people. Anything I do is ‘wonder.’ People try to copy me all the time. Knot wrapper is in vogue now, I was among the first set of people to rock that style. If they say this is how something should be worn, I would wear it the other way and I don’t care if people abuse me. I know my fans will love me and copy my style such. It is people who set trends. Trends just don’t grow on trees. It didn’t come from heaven. So what stops me from setting trends so that others can follow?
Does it mean you have not made fashion mistake since you say you are a trend-setter?
I have made mistakes and I think I have done that countless times. Nobody is perfect. We were not born with fashion. We tend to make mistakes. But at times, even if the mistake is pointed out, you can stylishly say you purposely wear it that way as your style.
You seem to love make-up a lot…
I love it but at times, I don’t wear it at all. I only wear make-up when I am going for an event or when I am going on set. I love wearing natural looks. Outside location and parties, I rarely wear a make-up.
Is there any special way you dress that makes you stand out at an event?
I don’t think it is the dress that makes one to stand out. For me, I think it is my shape that makes me stand out. I and my friends could be rocking the same attire but people would appreciate me. So I think it is one’s personality, shape and carriage that make somebody to stand out. If I wear simple stuff, it would still wow some people. How you dress matters though. There are some dresses that are so loud and you will not fail to be noticed.
Do you think Nigerians dress well?
We dress well. You don’t expect me to say the contrary. Nigerian ladies love fashion.
How would you want your ideal man to dress?
Let him wear anything that suits him, anything that makes him comfortable. I don’t have a particular dress code for my man but I love men who wear African print shirts.
Would you encourage your man to sag his pants?
No way! I am not a fan of sagging. I don’t like it, especially for elderly men.
Do you wear African designs?
I wear them a lot. I make them into fashionable designs and not the traditional iro and buba.
Can you put a cost on what you wear from head to toe?
I know I don’t joke with my shoes and my handbags. They are always expensive. I don’t like to say how much I wear but on the average, it cannot be less than N200, 000.
What kind of jewellery do you like?
I don’t like wearing gold but that doesn’t mean I don’t have one or two. I prefer costume jewellery. I also wear beads but they must have good quality.
What do you really like wearing?
I wear casuals a lot. I wear shorts, boubou, flowing dresses.
What is predominant in your closet?
My shoes are more than my bags. My shoes are not as expensive as my bags. My dresses are more than my shoes as well.