trends | Zikoko!

Nigerians may not know how to generate 24/7 electricity, but one thing we know how to do is party. Over the years, Nigerian weddings have only gotten louder, grander, and more over-the-top, but with every year comes a new trend, and not all of them are worth keeping.

So, Zikoko asked six Nigerians to share the wedding trends they think should be retired immediately and not a minute sooner.

“If I ever see a gorilla dancing at an after party again…” — Derin* (28)

I don’t know who started that trend of someone in a gorilla suit coming to dance at wedding after parties, but if I see one more gorilla dancing legwork to Asake, I’m going to lose it. Aside from the fact that it’s visually jarring, I also think it ruins the intimate vibe of a wedding and makes it seem more like a rowdy club. It needs to go.

“Those ridiculous wedding hashtags need to stop.” — Fola* (32)

At the risk of sounding like a hater, wedding hashtags these days are leaving the aesthetic behind to become downright ridiculous. When it first started, a wedding hashtag would be something like #ShAde2022 or #TiwAdeForever. Now, you’ll open wedding invitations and see #Tinu&AdeMergeInOneLove2025. Can everybody be serious? Please, let’s keep the hashtags short and sweet.

“Bachelor’s Eve/ Bachelorette’s a day before any important wedding events” — Peace* (26)

The trend of having the bachelor’s eve the day before the wedding needs to be scrapped. We almost missed my brother’s wedding because we had his bachelor’s party the night before. Having an all-night celebration right before a wedding day packed with activity is not practical. There’s no crime in spacing these things out.

“We need to end corset culture!” — Fade* (25)

When I was younger, I remember older women wearing simple, loose traditional clothing — like iro and buba— to weddings. The hidden benefit of that style of clothing is that at the reception, when you’ve eaten your fill, you can simply loosen the wrapper and carry on with your day, but with corsets, you won’t even be able to enjoy the small chops before the corset boning stops your enjoyment. Speak less of saving room for dessert. I believe the corset agenda was created to stop the baddies, like me, from enjoying wedding food, and we must fight back. No more corsets!

“We need to ban unfunny MCs” — Deja* (28)

Master of Ceremonies are meant to be very charismatic hosts who move the events of the day along. These days, a lot of these “hosts” think they’re comedians and they make the most upsetting, out-of-line jokes that can ruin the vibe of a wedding party. When I get married, I will screen whoever my MC will be. If you’re not an actual comedian, please keep the jokes for your group chat.

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“Aso ebi that costs the same as my rent is not the move.” — Biola* (26)

The price of aso ebi these days needs to be laughed at and abolished immediately. It’s one thing for the aso ebi to be expensive, but a lot of the time, the material isn’t even high quality enough to justify the price. Beads and sequins fall off, dyes stain your skin and the cloth loses half its vibrancy after one wash. Please let’s keep the aso ebi prices demure so we can continue to afford to attend weddings. Aso ebi that costs the same as my rent is not working for me.

“Stop asking strangers to be on your train.” — David* (30)

I think it’s so strange when people ask acquaintances or strangers to be on their train. I’ve had multiple grooms-to-be randomly ask me to be their best man or be on their groom’s train, and we barely knew each other. One had barely spoken to me before, besides a passing nod at work.

He said his wife asked him to find tall, good looking people for his train so that the photos could come out nice. I asked him if he had asked any of his friends and he said no, because they’re not tall enough. I think people should focus more on the relationships they’ve built and what weddings are really about rather than on just the aesthetics of the ceremony.

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We’ve previously written an article about fashion trends that have come full circle. Although that article highlighted the influence Y2K fashion has on what we wear now in terms of clothing, we didn’t quite talk about accessorising.

Accessorising is a big part of fashion, it’s the thing that takes your look from a nine out of ten to a perfect ten. The cool kids and fashion people have tapped into fashion trends from the past to give us some of their most interesting looks.

1. Resin rings

Everything that’s going to be listed in this article is a must-have, but most especially raisin rings. You can trust a raisin ring to elevate your look and bring out the youth in you.

2. Chain belts

Chain belts are interesting. I really don’t know how they work, but all that matters is how stunning they make outfits look. The girls that get it, get it and the girls that don’t, don’t.

3. Multi-layered necklaces

Multi-layered necklaces have been around longer than a lot of us young people and they never really left. In 2022, if you don’t own a pair, it means you know nothing about fashion and style.

4. Hoops/ chunky earrings

Hoops are the baddies of accessories. They take you from looking like a babe to looking like a bad bitch. Best in fashunz.

5. Ugly glasses

The fact that these are being called ugly glasses doesn’t mean they’re actually ugly. These glasses are usually designed to be cool, not fine. They are going to help you look really cool, even though they don’t do much to protect your eyes.

6. Bucket hats

Gen Zers are single-handedly keeping the bucket hat industry in business. Bucket hats are functional and although they aren’t particularly cute, they work.

7. Mini bags

What more can women store their patience in if not a mini shoulder bag? Mini bags have been serving us for years for multiple reasons like holding our millions, as well as the little tolerance we have for annoying people.

ALSO READ: 6 Things That Can Fit Into Women’s Mini Bags

Fashion trends, like karma, always comes back. Some of the items we wear now were things that trended in the late 90s and early 2000s. Their re-emergence started with young millennials and GenZs getting inspiration from Y2K fashion. To be very honest, we’re glad these looks are back and we’re also impressed with how well they’re styled these days.

If you don’t have any of these in your wardrobe, you need to fix up IJN.

1. Bell bottom jeans

Bell bottom jeans are so gorgeous on both men and women. Your mum and dad wore them back in the day and looked like the coolest kids on the block. They’re trendy and can be worn for any occasion.

Bell bottoms — via *oldnaijahistory* and *rehmie.com*

2. Sleeveless sweaters

It’s giving early 2000s music videos, but that doesn’t mean sleeveless sweaters are not cute. The fashion boys and girls have multiple videos on the internet that can teach you how to style these sweaters if you need help. It’s almost rainy season here in Nigeria, so there’s no better time to go a-shopping. The uglier the sweater, the better.

3. Baggy jeans

Did baggy jeans really go out of fashion though? Baggy jeans are so comfortable and cute. Jeans are usually uncomfortable AF, but not baggy jeans. Dip into your cool kid bag and purchase a pair.

4. Durags

Durags didn’t really go out of fashion anyway. If you have hair on your head that you care about, you definitely should get a durag, especially a silk durag. Durags are stylish, they also protect your hair and help you lock in moisture. Being healthy while maintaining beauty? Big W.

5. Platform heels

I’m a sucker for platform heels and there’s a pair from Versace I so badly want but can’t afford if I don’t rob my employer. Anyway, I digress. If you get my gist, you know how unmissable platform heels should be in your wardrobe.

6. Oversized waistcoats and blazers

Style inspiration: Josh2funny and associates. If you’ve read it this far, you must have noticed this trend make a comeback. Everyone wants to be stylish while maintaining comfort. Oversized blazers can be worn in every part of the world and in different styles.

7. Ashewo clothes

Nolly babes were the queens of wearing what we now call ashewo clothes. Backless dresses with thin straps? Check. Short denim skirts? Check. Bandana-style, cut-out tops and mules with low thin heels? Check. Grouping all of these as ashewo clothes because the girls that get it, get it ✨.

8. Loose pants

When I say no one wants to be uncomfortable, absolutely no one wants to be uncomfortable. Palazzo pants have always been a thing, but now, loose pants have come to stay for both men and women. Loose pants can be made with any fabric, from soft cotton fabric to Ankara.

9. Thin eyebrows

Before you start to protest, look at yourself and ask if your brows haven’t gotten thinner over time. You don’t have to update your wardrobe with thin brows, but you need to update it with the eye pencil Eucharia used to achieve this look.

10. Suspenders

While this may scream 70’s math teacher, trust me, those math teachers were the real deal back then. And even now, the style still bangs. There’s just that vibe of foreign education with a touch of colonialism that it gives off. You should definitely wear this if you’re trying to convince people to vote for you.

Granted, a lot of us were super impressionable at the time — peer pressure was no respecter of person — but I still don’t understand how Nigerian men collectively let these atrocious looks fly?

1. Those infamous spinning dollar belt buckles:

You had to spin it before entering a room.

2. Those painfully tacky LED belts:

It was the ultimate swag that time sha.

3. Studded belts. Holds in vomit

Dark times.

4. That time there were more Ama Kip Kip shirts in Nigeria than actual Nigerians.

Kai! They were EVERYWHERE.

5. See ehn, if you ever owned this shirt, only God can adequately judge you.

Tueh!

6. Remember when everyone was wearing Ed Hardy?

Still gives me nightmares.

7. Those G Unit singlets that Ice Prince never let rest.

Did he have a contract with them, abi what?

8. Satan clearly invented harem pants. You can’t tell me otherwise.

They were just the ugliest things.

9. Let’s not even talk about carrot jeans.

No words.

10. SUPRA, you will not be missed.

Reminds us of those extra-skinny jeans days.

11. These scarves paired with ridiculously tight white shirts.

I’m shaking just remembering it.

12. NOPE! NAH! JUST NO!

Bandanas, BYE!

13. Kanye has committed many sins, but this one is still top 3.

The struggle.

14. All those N200 Jesus pieces where the ‘Jesus’ will be looking like Ayuba.

They did not try.

15. Nigerian babes would ALWAYS find a way to obtain your shambala.

In retrospect, they were probably doing you a favour.

All Africans are beautiful, and our fashion and style has gone through a series of evolution over time. WatchCut shows us how beauty trends in East Africa –Ethiopia in particular, have evolved over a hundred years in just over sixty seconds.