TOZALI: How to Rock the Modern Iro and Buba (Oleku) Style for any Occasion

Friday 29 January 2016

How to Rock the Modern Iro and Buba (Oleku) Style for any Occasion

We all know that the Iro and Buba is a fashion trend of the 1970s for mostly Yoruba Women of the south western part of our country, Nigeria. The Iro and Buba that we once knew has evolved to another level of fashionable look. In those days, it was meant for older women or mothers, but today, it has become fashionable wear for young girls. All thanks to the Nigerian creativity! Iro and Buba has now been modernised into a beautiful fashionable outfit worn for every occasion. Young girls in Nigeria don’t like wearing the old fashioned Iro and Buba; but the modernised one has got every young girl on the street clamouring for this fashionable outfit. Quickly, before we reveal how to rock this flattering outfit, let’s see the differences between the modern Iro and Buba and the old one:

Fabric types: The traditional Iro and Buba style used to be sewn with cotton fabric. Usually, Ankara/wax or Lace was mostly used for style. But the latest Iro and Buba style comes in different beautiful, lighter materials ranging from Silk and Chiffon to Guinea Brocade and more.

Neckline: The neckline of the old style of Iro and Buba was usually round neck while the modern necklines of Iro and Buba style are timeless. These days, we see women even wearing the one shoulder Buba style, the V neck, high neck and more.

Sleeves: The traditional Iro and Buba was only sewn in wide long sleeves that reached the wrist. But the modern styles are sewn in all sorts of sleeve styles - fitted sleeves, short sleeves, three quarter sleeves, puffed sleeves, long sleeves, sleeveless and much more. Oleku is the name for the short sleeved Iro and Buba, and that is the style in vogue at the moment.

Body Fitting: The traditional Buba style is loose fitting; meanwhile, the modern style has been tweaked into the fitted and not so loose styles.

The Iro (wrapper): With the old traditional Buba style, the wrapper is tied round the waist, but with the modern style Buba, the wrapper is knotted in front; this is called the tulip style. In the modern Iro and Buba, the wrapper (Iro) length varies- long and short, as the wearer desires.

Colour matching: The traditional Iro and Buba was mainly of one colour for both the Iro (wrapper) and Buba (blouse), but the modern one can have the Iro in a different colour and the Buba in another colour. Usually the combination is beautiful and flawless. However, the difference is very clear and it is obvious why women these days prefer the modern one to the old fashion style.