Meet the Lovely Victoria Dadzie!

Hello Lovelies! 
     My amazingly awesome guest blogger is going to introduce herself to you guys today and if you have any questions for either of us just comment below! <3 

The Basics:
     My name is Victoria Dadzie – most commonly known as Vicky. I was born in Ghana, West Africa and have been living in Toronto, Canada since I was 9. I now feel ridiculously old at 22 years old and I’m currently going into my last year at the University of Toronto at Mississauga in the Management Specialist program in conjunction with a Major in Sociology.

When did you really start to care about fashion?
     Well, I’d say the answer to this question is two-fold. I have always been fascinated by the concept of style and I think I get that from my mother – she’s always had a thing for dressing up, even till this day, I always tease her for being too old to walk in the 5 inch heels she tries to pull off! I remember when I was younger, I would look at some of the older girls in my church and just adore them because they always seemed so stylish in whatever they wore. Then when I would go shopping with my mom, I would try to convince her to buy me what they wore but it was always too expensive. Up until middle school, I wore what my mom bought for me and didn’t have much of a say in it because that was all we could afford. But I always had that attraction to fashion and a knack for style. That however didn’t become very apparent till high school when I started working and could actually afford some of the things I wanted to wear. My interest in style entered a whole new level in second-year University where I started getting to know myself in a deeper dimension and somehow mustered up enough courage to allow my personal way of dressing to reflect that.

What do you believe fashion is?
     Notice in the answer to the previous question that I avoided using the word “fashion” as much as I possibly could. To me, fashion is what is dictated to us by popular culture and other influential societal figures – whether it be famous designers or current A-list celebrities. I equate the term “fashion” with “trend”. What one wears should not be a direct result of what society claims is “right” to wear in a given season. I aim for style when I dress and push for those around me to do the same. Even during my retail days, I constantly discouraged my clients from buying something solely because it was the current trend and tried to convince them to go with what they personally felt comfortable with.

     So now that the distinction has been made, I believe the answer you are looking for is to the question “What do you believe style is?” To which I’d say: Style is outwardly projecting what exists within. The way one chooses to dress – in other words, his or her style – should be reflective of his or her personality and not his or her society.

Describe your personal style.
     I am a bit of a chameleon where dressing is concerned. What I choose to wear on any given day depends on how I feel on that day. You may see me one day in a killer sexy, body con dress, boyfriend jeans with a baggy tee the next day and a fun, flirty ensemble the day after that – it all depends. But for the most part, I tend to play around a lot with boyish ensembles complimented by subtle femininity, or vice versa. I’m just naturally attracted to that fusion, I think they blend well together. I’m not too sure but maybe it’s because my personality is a bit like that. There’s the part of me that’s into shoes and romance then the half of me that’s very masculine-minded. I also prefer pieces that accentuate my petite figure – while I still have it!

Who are some of your style inspirations?
     I absolutely adore Karla Deras from Karla’s Closet at www.karlascloset.com. I also love and follow Delmy Rivera from Fashion Bananas at www.fashionbananas.com. I get a lot of inspiration from various Tumblr fashion pages and street-style blogs such as The Sartorialist at www.thesartorialist.com. With reference to celebrity style, I am in love with the Olsen Twins – I’m a self-proclaimed, gigantic Olsen Twins enthusiast, I can’t get enough of them! I also admire Solange Knowles’ and Rihanna’s style at times. 

What are your favourite brands and places to shop?
     I love shopping at thrift stores in general but Talize and Value Village to be more specific. I’m a big fan of vintage and I find that thrift stores are the best places to find affordable, unique vintage wear. I am also a lover of H&M, Zara, and The Gap. Topshop is another favourite of mine and I’m super excited they have finally arrived in Toronto at The Bay! In terms of brands, I’m not very picky about brand names as long as I love the item in and of itself. I tend to however stay away from popular, often cheaper brands only because from my past experiences, I’ve found that they don’t offer so much value. I mean, to spend $40 on a pair of jeans and have them rip on the first wear, you might as well have added the extra $30 for a better quality pair that’ll last longer.

What is your must-have accessory? 
     As cliché as it sounds, confidence really IS the best accessory one must carry. In order to fully express yourself in your way of dressing, confidence is a must – or else you would be too afraid to do so. I have had many people refer to my style as “strange” or “weird” and I personally love when I hear such things because that exactly is my intention. I never want to be normal. I want to be strange and different and me and it takes a level of self-assuredness to be able to do this. Aside from confidence, I don’t know if they’re technically accessories but lip balm and hand cream are a must!

Favourite fashion quote? 
     Quentin Crisp: “Fashion is what you adopt when you don't know who you are.” And also Jean-Paul Gaultier: “Elegance is a question of personality, more than one’s clothing.”