In Lagos, Embracing My Personal Style—and Size—Through Nigerian Fashion

09.11.2024 - 11:25 / cntraveler.com

This is part of Traveling in Our Bodies, a four-part series that reflects on how women's bodies influence their movement through the world.

Long before traveling to Lagos, Nigeria, I knew fashion would be at the center of my first visit to the country. My friend Karen, who is Nigerian-American and easily the most stylish person I know, had invited me to visit during the city’s Fashion Week. In the same way that foodies try the best restaurants wherever they travel, I like to see the clothes everywhere I go. My closet feels like a living museum of the places I’ve been: There's the bag I got in Lusaka, Zambia; a scarf from Istanbul; trousers from Ubud, Bali; a bracelet from Palermo; a blouse from Mexico City. I could go on.

My wardrobe—an amalgam of animal prints, stripes, feathers, sequins, and (faux) furs—is colorful, and I figured that, if there was a place where I’d see bold, beautiful clothing that fit my aesthetic, it was Lagos. But as thrilled as I was to explore the fashion scene, I worried that no matter how much I liked the clothes, I wouldn’t actually fit in them. In the States, my curvy size 14-18 body (depending on the item, brand, store, or season of my life) is often a hindrance for in-store shopping. Many brands don’t stock larger sizes on the floor; others don’t carry them at all. And frankly, the options that do exist aren’t all that stylish—something plus-sized women deride regularly. In 2023, it felt like designers on my side of the Atlantic had succumbed to naked-dressing, the teeniest of mini skirts, low-rise jeans, and cropped tops—all trends that have only accelerated since—for items that simply aren't for me.

I thought about this while plotting our itinerary for the week in Nigeria, and I managed my expectations. After all, the clothes were just part of the trip: I was also excited to eat amala and suya, to go to the beach, to drop by a brewery, and to hear live music. I wanted to compare and contrast with my home country of Zimbabwe.

On the fashion front, Karen and I planned to visit Alara, Reni Folawiyo’s concept store, which was featured by the Brooklyn Museum in its 2023 Africa Fashion exhibition. The store sells high-end furniture, accessories, and clothes from across the continent. You can find South African brand Maxhosa and Ghanaian brand AAKS, beside American and European designers like Christopher John Rogers and Jacquemus. We would also hit up Temple Muse, the glitzy store known for its selection of African designers and events catering to creatives. I loved that in many cases, we would be able to eat and shop in the same place: We booked dinner at Alara’s famed restaurant, Nok, and at Temple Muse’s accompanying tropical brasserie, Slow.

When we arrived, I realized I