Fashion and a Funeral

Summer left as fast as it came in. Nonetheless, it’s been such a blast with the most anticipated event of my summer being,  my trip to Nigeria. For those of you who don’t know much about me, I was born in Finland. However, my parents are originally from Nigeria, located in West Africa. To start with, my trip came unexpectedly. It was due to my grandmother’s sudden passing. The news was joyful yet painful when it came. Joyful for the fact that she had lived a long life, with the privilege of seeing many generations of descendants. But I will no longer be able to spend time with my last living grandparent as was my plan for the coming fall.

Growing up in Finland, I had been raised to adapt to Finnish culture and yet feeling odd -calling myself Finnish. Maybe some of you reading this post understand what I mean when I speak about this subject. I don’t feel Finnish nor do I look like the typical/average Finn. Nigeria is where I have my family and my roots, so you can only imagine how much I was looking forward to this trip to Nigeria after 11 long years.

But remember, the funeral was the reason I took this trip. This was only the second funeral I have attended in my whole life. Ironic how foreign the experience was, being at a funeral in the unknown land of heritage.  Truth be told, despite the mixed emotions I came into the event with, it turned out to be one of the most joyous ceremonies I’ve ever been to. For the first time, I experienced losing someone close to me, but I had joy knowing this beautiful women left a legacy that will not die.  We celebrated her life rather than death.

And This was done with such vibrant colors and patterns! Definitely something I wasn’t sure to expect considering the circumstances.  There were no black hats, dresses, and scarves typical to my concept of funerals.  We remembered and celebrated with bright colors and patterns that almost seem to permit any tears of sorrow.  It was almost as if she wouldn't allow us to be sad.  Looking back I know that she wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

The colors of my ancestry have given me a renewed sense of identity.  I love the joy of the people, the gratefulness they had for life, the pride they have in who they are and what they have to give to the world.  But most of all it spurred me to consider the question of my citizenship with a much deeper meaning than I had previously thought.

Am I Nigerian or Finnish, both, or neither?  The Bible states in Philippians 3:20, "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ."

Today I have a mindset more on the essence of what’s to come after life here on earth and my true citizenship in Heaven.

It makes me glad to know that I have an eternity to spend there getting to know people like my grandmother who I really didn’t get to know here on earth. Imagine that!  Thank you for letting me share a piece of my summer with you.  I encourage you to be proud of all the aspects of your heritage, embrace each piece in some way, but recognize that our real home will be in the life to come.  Don't get too comfortable here.  It is but a vapor.  ;)

Sandra

Sunshine in Borås, Sweden

Spring is coming surely but slowly in Sweden. The most visible sign of this is the radiant sunshine that peaks through the clouds- on almost -a daily basis. The days are longer and people's moods are getting brighter. This time of the year is altogether joyful but always seems like a new phenomenon every year it comes. It's only now that I realize how long the winter darkness has lasted.

Ever since I remember, spring brings a radical change to the types of clothing people wear up here in the north. All of a sudden we move from very dark gloomy colors to brighter and happier tones. You can really see the transition and its impact on people's behavior.

I don't know anything better than to soak up the sun. Just recently, we really experienced some amazing weather here in Borås, Sweden. After many months of being heavily wrapped up in woolen sweaters and knits, I was able to grab a pair of open-air pumps that I have been waiting for so long to wear, paired up with a colorful top + a neat pencil skirt. This is a look I would normally sport back at my home town when going out for Saturday lunch with the girls. Sadly, though, I guess I'll still have to wait for better days to come. It's still a period when you really can't predict the weather. I guess it's just Scandinavia really...

Written by Sandra Eneh

(Sandra is a regular contributing team member for Top Buttons and has her own personal fashion blog too!  We are looking for other young fashion bloggers from around the world with a conviction for modesty in their styles.  If you are interested in being a guest or regular contributor, click here.)

COPENHAGEN FASHION WEEK

Being a fashion insider means constantly keeping up to date with what's IN and what's NOT.  Probably the best and most notable way to do that is to attend different fashion shows and fairs.

In other words, if you are curious to find out what’s on trend for the upcoming Autumn and Winter seasons, you'll want to take a peak at the catwalks of the many Fashion Weeks around the world.

On her journey to the beautiful city of Copenhagen, our Scandinavian team member, Sandra, was able to get the scoop on some fresh new designers around the region, as well as, some inspiration for the upcoming Fall season 2013…

After several fashion shows and a visit to the Gallery fashion fair, she is ready to give her REVIEW: “It’s looks like we’re heading towards nature-inspired clothing with a preference towards organically produced material.  At the same time, we will observe a great appreciation of modern femininity inspired by the 40’s and 60’s glamorous haute couture. Finally, why not throw in a bit of a futuristic edge, achieved through blending metallics and geometrically inspired shapes, into the choice of accessories and other apparel?!  It was an impressive week with unique combinations that will be sure to leave an impact as these trends make their way into the shops later this year!"

TOP BUTTONS IN SWEDEN

We would like to introduce you to a young woman who will be a regular contributor with Top Buttons.  She is already a fashion blogger with a beautiful spirit and a huge personality!  We look forward to working with her and learning all about what fashion and modesty look like in Scandinavia! Hey,

My name is Sandra. Born and raised in Finland having a Nigerian background now living in Sweden, I would describe myself as a globe trotter with an interest in cultures; very shortly- a free soul. Currently I’m studying Fashion Management at the Swedish School of Textiles in the South of Sweden. It was my great passion for fashion and appreciation towards aesthetics that brought me from a busy city life to a small yet warm-spirited town that I now live in.

Clothing is a very essential part of every day. It’s an outlet for expressing my mood and state of mind. Living pretty much my whole life in the cold Nordic region, where the temperature drops well below zero degrees with just a few hours of daylight during winter, it’s very easy to blend into the depressing darkness. Knowing me, I love to incorporate color into what I wear.

Perhaps my African background also plays to influence this aspect of my style. In doing this, I realize how it brightens my mood as well as other people around. I’ve had people walk up to me and remark about the radiance of joy in the colors I wear. It becomes evident that things like these that seem so little at first can greatly impact the people around us even though we don’t always realize it ourselves. This is something to bear in mind when making everyday fashion choices.

I personally believe that we should all be aware of what we want to communicate to others about ourselves and especially our state of mind and heart with how modestly we dress. This being said, I challenge you to think about what you communicate through your personal style of dressing.

Xoxo Sandra 

Finally it is truly a pleasure for me to be a part of  Top Buttons.  As a contributing team member I hope to both inspire and be inspired by the different styles and thoughts published within this platform. I can’t wait to share some exciting upcoming events from European fashion this spring.  It will be fun!