Amazing history behind bridesmaids' dresses

Do you think bridesmaids just start wearing uniform dresses? There is an interesting story behind this.

The bride, dressed radiantly in a white, sparkling dress, is usually the best sight to behold at a wedding ceremony and that’s just fine.

Flanking her are bridesmaids, dressed in matching outfits of another colour and looking gorgeous and lovely in their own right.

But did you know that this wasn’t always so?

Back in time, in ancient Rome, both the bride and her bridesmaids used to all wear white dresses.

Yeah, everyone of them in white dresses!

According to Mental Floss, “the motivation behind the uniformed dress code was to ensure each woman looked identical at the altar – in a bid to keep the bride safe from evil spirits.”

So the idea was to get all women looking alike so that when the evil demons of the time came to attack the bride, they wouldn’t know which of the women to hurt.

Also, conquest was very common at the time. So it was also usual for angry exes and rival suitors to raid wedding ceremonies with their friends and steal the bride away.

Hanne Blank, author of Virgin, the Untouched History says this tradition was also the practice in ancient China where scorned exes would usually wait until the girl’s wedding day to strike and whisk her away to a forced marriage.

It then became imperative to outsmart these angry exes, so bridesmaids were used as the perfect decoy against these raids.

The attackers would not even know which of the ladies they came for, because everyone of them was dressed in white!!! [Lol]

Even at the wedding ceremony of Queen Victoria of England in 1840 where she had 12 bridesmaids, they all wore white dresses alongside the royal bride.

According to Lou Taylor, Professor of Dress and Textile History at the University of Brighton who was chatting with The Independent, the queen wore a “white off-the-shoulder fashionable 1840 dresses, with full-blown artificial roses decorating their hair behind their right ear.”

Somewhere between that time and now, however, the influence of evil spirits on wedding days has become downplayed and law and order has helped prevent exes and suitors from making such savage, uncivilised raids.

Now brides are safe to exclusively wear their white dresses and stand at the altar in peace.

And although bridesmaids no longer wear white alongside the bride, they still always look exquisite in their uniform, colourful dresses.

Read today's newspaper headlines [Wednesday, August 10, 2016]

Get to know what is making headlines all over the country from the covers of The Nation, The Punch, The Guardian, Business Day and Vanguard.

For today, August 10 2016:

THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER

South West PDP rejects zoning of chairman position to Lagos

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership in the South West yesterday rejected the Monday’s zoning of the chairman position of the party to Lagos State by some PDP Governors and leaders of the party.

Army hunts for killers of soldiers in Bayelsa

A manhunt has begun for militants who killed three soldiers attached to the Operation Delta Safe in Bayelsa State on Monday, according to the Nigerian Army. READ MORE

Osinbajo sustains conversation on reparation for slavery

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said yesterday that issues relating to reparations for slavery can only be delayed and not denied.

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THE VANGUARD NEWSPAPER

Budget Padding: EFCC grills Jibrin for seven hours

ABUJA — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, commenced a formal probe into alleged padding of the 2016 federal budget, with the former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin  being grilled for seven hours. READ MORE

Anti-graft war: NPCC to take over prosecution of ex-govs

ABUJA —The Federal Government has given the National Prosecution Coordination Committee, NPCC, the nod to take over the trial of high profile public officers, especially former governors, alleged to have looted their state treasuries

CBN sets new limit for sale of foreign exchange cash to BDC

LAGOS — The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday, set a new limit  of $30, 000.00 per week for the sale of foreign exchange cash from the Authorised Dealers, ADs  to  Bureaux de Change, BDCs, just as the Naira depreciated to N350 per dollar.

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THE PUNCH NEWSPAPER

Town hall drama: Nigerians tackle Buhari’s ministers

Nigerians on Tuesday tackled members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet about poverty and rot in the country at a dramatic town hall meeting in Abuja.

Jonathan using Avengers to destabilise Buhari govt — MEND

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta says it has been vindicated by the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers’ allegation that former President Goodluck Jonathan is a grand patron of new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers.

Presidency backs Dogara, says budget not padded

The Presidency on Tuesday said the  2016 budget, which President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law, was not padded. READ MORE

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THE NATION NEWSPAPER

Budget padding: EFCC writes Clerk, Perm Sec

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has written the National Assembly Clerk, Mohammed Sani Omolori, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and National Planning over the budget padding scandal, it was learnt yesterday.

Lagos to seize properties used by kidnappers

THE Lagos State Government yesterday warned that it will not hesitate to confiscate houses and hotels used as hideouts for kidnapping and other criminal activities.

Troops swoop on creeks for soldiers’ killers

The military swung into action yesterday, combing some creeks and waterways in Bayelsa State for the militants who killed three soldiers at a checkpoint near Nembe Jetty on Monday.

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BUSINESSDAY NEWSPAPER

CBN tightens noose on its lending window

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday barred all authorised dealers from accessing its discount window standing lending facility (SFL) on the settlement date for government securities' auction, in a renewed effort at monitoring and managing banking system liquidity.

Recession creates opportunities to formalise export, mining sectors

The economic recession currently besetting Nigeria provides big opportunities to formalise the export and solid minerals sectors an enable them serve as engines of growth rebound, experts say.

Experts see devaluation gains on Eurobond auction

The timing of Nigeria's record Eurobond auction, coinciding with a recent devaluation of the nation's currency may be an auspicious time to rake in more money into the economy, experts say.

For Men Only!

In every society, there are the boys and there are the men and certain behavior traits separate the boys from the men. Thus, here are four behaviors that any mature man would have:

Clean clothes:

This may sound silly and obviously but there is a league of men who don’t care about their appearance. They just tend to wake up and go about their day. There should be no stains or holes or creases on your clothes.

Being polite:

There is nothing like a polite man. When it comes to making and cancelling plans, it is better to do it over the phone and never by text or social media messaging or any other way. For that personal touch. 

Chores:

A handyman is a purposeful man. A man who isn’t too egotistical to get down and dirty and take care of his surroundings is a hardworking guy who doesn’t need anyone to make things happen for him.

Goals:

A man without goals can never be a serious man. It doesn’t matter whether or not you have achieved all the goals you set out to achieve at the beginning of the year but what counts is that you are actively working toward achieving them.

Ladies Only- 5 things you should never tell your partner's Mom

Mother-in-laws can be unbearable but you, as the wife of her son should try not to tell her the meanest things like...

It's preferable to be respectful to the woman who raised your man but you should also find a way of limiting her influence in your home.

Having your mother-in-law active in your husband's life can sometimes be a big problem. Some women have admitted to me that they wished their partner's moms were dead. Others even say they wouldn't want to marry a guy whose mother is still alive. It's almost like, the fear of your mother-in-law is the beginning of wisdom. But whatever the case may be, she's alive and involved in your marriage. So, to keep things sane and happy, here are five things you should never say to your mother-in-law.

1.) "Don't ever come to my house again":

Most mother-in-laws hate these words with passion. They hate when the wives give them ultimatum not to see their sons whenever they want to. They feel it's their right to know everything about their sons' lives but don't want you to have same right.

2.) "You are a bad mother":

No mother wants to be labelled as a bad mom, not even yourself. Yes, she could be problematic but does that make her a bad mother? The truth is she raised the "good" guy you are now dating or married to. She'll think you are rude, ungrateful and disrespectful. This could be detrimental to your relationship.

3.) "Stay away from my husband":

These words will hurt any mother. Your husband is her son no matter how you want to look at it. So show the woman some respect already! Some mothers are mean, even to their own children but don't be the one to tell her that. Let her son do it. She's been in her son's life like forever so asking her to stay away from the man she raised is unreasonable.

4.) "You didn't raise your son any better":

Any mother hates when her ability to be a good mother is called to question by anyone especially her daughter-in-law. She knows how she raised her boy, and if the son isn’t complaining, you shouldn't!

5.) "You're a witch":

This is very offensive to African mothers. To prove someone is involved in witchcraft is almost impossible except you are a strong man of God or involved in Spiritism. if you are not into any of these, then you may have no right to call someone - certainly not your mother-in-law - a witch. Instead, go down on your knees and pray!

ADVISE: Allow your husband or boyfriend handle his mother if she's becoming too unbearable

Becoming The Best Wedding Planner

7 tips on how to be the best

 Planning a wedding takes time and every planning is stressful. so what does it take to be the best wedding planner? Here are tips below

Wedding planners are slowly but surely becoming popular in the Nigerian wedding culture as well as to the rest of the world. Their relevance has also become the focal point to almost every big or small wedding. Without them, a wedding could go totally wrong leaving the bride, groom or hosts embarrassed and ashamed.
Planning a wedding takes time and every planning is stressful. However, wedding planning doesn't come without so much fun. So here are ways to become a great wedding planner.

 

1.) You need to have a passion

Having a strong or deep passion for organizing events and most especially weddings, begins your journey to becoming a great wedding planner. Seyi Olusanya, CEO of Once Upon a Destination, says "you need to love putting an event in order… making sure resources and time are managed properly to suit a concept and a venue." A wedding planner loves to make things happen, give people a great time with the resources s/he has.

2.) You should have a taste for style

A wedding planner is supposed to know and understand the use of style, designs and colors. Putting a wedding together entails good coloring and lighting. What color should be used for the internal décor of the hall, what color of cutleries, table clothes, balloons etc?  How would the invitation cards look like? 

3.) You should be keen to details

Every wedding planner has to pay attention to details. Taking care of the little things such as the guest list,  weather report, feeding the DJ etc are very important to making a great wedding. Make sure time is respected to the teeth, food is brought on time, time for event is repeatedly announced, checking with the bride is constant and so on. Failing to notice the little insignificant things could ruin an entire wedding.

4.) You need to be patient/ enduring

A wedding planner has to be professional at all times. Your job is not over until the wedding ends. You are not supposed to get angry at your client or yell at any family member during the wedding or reception. Keep your cool, relax, put a smile on your face and be happy to serve. "I never go off at my client," says Christina Holt, founder of Wedding Concepts, South Africa. "It's important to stay calm and focus on the job. Getting angry will only ruin your countenance, make you snap for stupid things and be unprofessional. It could ruin your relationship with the client forever."

5.) You need to have the desire to make people happy

Organizing a wedding is never an easy job and managing people is even harder but every wedding planner needs to be super patient with an objective to just make people - both the couple and guests - happy throughout the event. "I have always loved to make people happy and that’s one attribute to my success," Seyi explained. "If you can make people around you happy, your organization becomes easier because other will love to give you a hand."

6.) You have to be a team player

There are no "I can do it all" rule to being a great wedding planner. Every planner needs a team to work with. These are people you trust. They are people you know have the expertise to handle certain things you can't handle. No one is an island, as planner, you need to know how and when to ask for help. There's nothing wrong in having extra hands on a job.

7.) Perfect time manager

To be a great wedding planner, you need to be the best time manager. Being an organized person is one thing vital but you also need to be great at knowing how to be prompt while being efficient and under pressure.

 

 

"How do I get rid of pimples?"

At some point in life most people usually experience one or a combination of breakouts, pimples, blemish or acne. It’s painful, sometimes itchy and surely hard to cover with makeup! Worst of all it leaves that dreaded blackhead when it finally goes down. Ok let’s put the facts in place before we discuss the solution.

What are the causes?

In very simple terms, it happens when your pores (tiny holes in your skin) gets blocked. Some people like to blame it on the following factors;

-Stress

- Change of environment

- Allergic reaction to a particular product

- Diet

- Hormonal changes

We like to blame it on a buildup of bacteria as a result of some simple things we do or forget to do.

What am I doing wrong?

1. Popping your pimples: the only time you need to touch your face is during your skin care routine or applying makeup (with clean fingers) any other time is compounding the problems as the bacteria will spread and make it worse.
2. Using facial cleansing Brushes: they are great to use especially to help open up your pores, however if you have pimples your skin is inflamed, any vigorous scrubbing will irritate the inflammation and won’t make it any better.
3. Using too many products at a time: it takes the skin about 4weeks to rejuvenate. Be patient with your skincare. Using too many products that do the same thing makes it difficult for you to know which one actually works for your skin type.
4. Using harsh creams: products that promise to whiten or lighten your skin will probably do so initially but in the long run, damage your skin in more ways than you can imagine.

How can I make it better?

1. Be gentle with your face, at this time try not to scrub your face till the inflammation settles. In the meantime make sure you are consistent with your routine; cleanse and moisturize your skin twice a day
2. Always take off your makeup with makeup removers or simple wipes before you begin your routine. Washing your face alone is not enough because your skin absorbs whatever you on it; so it is very important to ensure that all the dirt is completely taken off.
3. Cleansing is a very important process in your routine as it takes off any excess makeup or dirt that may be left and opens up your pores for your moisturizer.
4. There is no such thing as over moisturizing. Your skin needs moisture to stay hydrated and glow. You need to replace the lost moisture from the cleansing and washing. Always remember to choose moisturizers according to your skin type.
5. The skin on your face is more sensitive than the rest of your body and deserves special care. Try using a different towel especially for your face other than your bath towel.
6. Bacteria easily spreads and so it is important to change/wash your pillow covers very often to avoid a buildup of dirt and bacteria which could be spread to your face.
7. Check your diet, you may want to stay off sugar and groundnut oil for good. Try choosing healthier options like honey, extra virgin olive oil or canola oils for your cooking

What products should I be using?

Whatever product you decide to choose; whether its store bought or homemade always have the following in mind:

1. What works for someone else may not necessarily work for you. The key is choosing a product that works for your skin type.
2. If your skin is oily and more prone to blemish or acne, always look out for oil free ingredients rather than those that are for “all skin types”.
3. When choosing makeup always look for products that are “non-comedogenic” which means they won’t clog your pores.
4. The importance of drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day cannot be overemphasized. Its keeps your skin hydrated and gives you a natural glow.
5. Never leave the house without sunscreen. You need to protect your skin form the harsh rays of the sun; which usually causes sun burns, uneven skin tone, and dullness amongst other things.
6. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables go a long way in improving the quality of your skin. Ok guys, so we have touched on a little bit of hygiene which will be the starting point for getting rid of these horrid skin concerns. Next week, we look at some ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen cupboards that are amazing for your skin. Till then... remember: flawless makeup starts with a healthy skin!

Content brought to you by Log Cosmetics. www.logcosmetics.com

Wellness Tips: 5 tips to stay healthy no matter how busy your day gets

Even of you a busy professional with little or no time to exercise or stay in shape, these tips work perfectly to help you stay healthy.
Staying healthy requires constant attention to one's overall state, from eating the right type of food, exercising and more but then work gets in the way of staying in shape making it an unfruitful effort?
Professionals/busy executives are busy at every time of the day as all their time count making it difficult to squeeze in other things including dedicating time to exercise, visits to the gym and more

If you don't have the luxury of time- understandably so- there are five ways to still stay healthy from day to day, check these handy tips:

1. Never skip breakfast

Breakfast should be eaten like a king as this fuels the body for the most productive and better part of the day.
Breakfast jump starts the body to take on the day. Studies reveal skipping breakfast can increase obesity and diabetes risks and cause morning moodiness.
2. Hydrate
Drink at least eight glasses of water everyday. Water works to keep the body hydrated as well as flush out toxins.

3. Don't work and eat at the same time

Dedicate a time to eat and that alone. Don't try to eat and work at the same time but take a few minutes during the day to eat, breathe deep and generally relax because it refreshes the entire body.
4. Reduce alcohol intake
Alcohol does more harm than good to the body (the organs) as well as the skin. If you must take alcohol reduce it to the barest minimum to stay healthy.
5. Eat quality food always: Surviving on fast foods/ cheap alternatives will eventually wreak havoc on the body. Eat quality food, avoid quantity over quality when it comes to the food to feed on especially at work