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Accessories are an important part of the fashion industry. Waist beads is trendy fashion accessories. Waist Beads – Popular African Fashion Accessories.
Waist beads are a popular African adornment. This item is made up of little glass beads strung on a thread or wire that is worn around the waist or hips. Waist beads are popular in West African nations such as Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and others.
Furthermore, these beads represent femininity, fertility, sensuality, and spiritual well-being. Waist beads are commonly worn as a stylistic element in today’s bohemian fashion cultures. The search traffic for the fashion term “waist beads” often increases during the summer months.
Why Do People Wear Waist beads?
In as much as many people frown at waist beads fashion especially among the Christians in Africa, there are reasons why people choose to wear it. Here are 4 Reasons people Wear Waist Beads:
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As a Costume:
As I was growing up, I have always known waist beads as part of the cultural dance costumes and beauty accessories. Egedege dance troop like Queen Theresa Onuorah are adorned with waist beads around their waists. It is also used as costumed in the drama. Read also about
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As a Check on Gaining Weight:
I am also very sure of this very one. I have bought waist beads as an undergraduate to tie round my waist. We used it to check when we gained weight or when we shaded weight. When it became tighter around your waist, it is an indicator that you have gained weight and it begins to fall from your weight, it also means you have shaded some fat.
I wore it as an inner accessories which no one saw or noticed until I visited a family friend. She saw the waist beads around my waist while I was pulling off my blouse and began to scream.
“She has joined marine spirit fraternity oo!” She kept screaming. I was confused initially. I thought she was talking to the Television, until she mentioned my name. I knew she was serious when she asked me not to pass the night in her house that I would initiate her children.
All my explanation was like pouring water on a stone. I saw fear and insecurity in her eyes. She alleged that waist beads are used to break marriages that any man who sleeps with me will be trapped and becomes useless.
Finally, I left her house that evening after failed explanations and convictions. That too was the end of my wearing waist beads.
Waist Beads – Popular African Fashion Accessories
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For Fashion:
Yes, waist beads is among fashion accessories. There are many cultures and traditions that permitted it as beauty regalia. Tribes like the Hausas and the Fulanis wear waist beads and their men applaud it.
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Spiritual Reasons
Waist beads are also used to spiritual rituals and initiations. The drawings of Ogbanje and marine worshippers are women who have beads around their waists.
Not all waist beads in the markets are affordable. Some cost fortunes to obtain. This is because the sellers claim it has some spiritual powers when it worn. Like this pos I saw on the Facebook;
“Fortified blue eyes waist beads wey Jaruma dey sell 50k-150k before, nah him Jaruma combine with 6 other products making them a total of seven products. All seven products are now 15k.
Everyday for the onye ori, one day for the owner. Judgement day go reach the domain of all these people wey dey use spiritualism that is unreal to fake products and sell to gullible people.”
Waist Beads – Popular African Fashion Accessories
How to Wear Waist Beads Fashion
Waist beads have the potential to alter your life! Do you ever wish someone particular would pay you more attention, or that the opposite sex would pay you more attention in general? Try waist beads instead! They were designed to draw attention to your waist and hips in a modest manner, and they may be worn by any girl or woman!
This fashion accessories are one of the newest fashion trends to catch our notice, and I’m sure they’ll be a lot of fun to wear this year and in the future! Waist beads are a type of traditional West African jewelry that consists of delicate glass beads tied onto string or wire and worn around the hips or waist. They were once placed on a bride’s body immediately before her wedding, similar to how newlyweds wear seductive undergarments on their honeymoon.
They come in a variety of forms and hues, and can incorporate Swarovski crystals, glass jewels, and ‘charms’ with symbolic significance. This new fashion trend is also referred to as belly beads, beaded waist chains, and waistline beads.
Waist beads have been used to ornament women’s bodies since ancient Egypt utilized them as status symbols, and perhaps much earlier! They are particularly linked with Nigeria’s Yoruba tribe in West Africa.
Traditional reasons for wearing waist beads include enhancing women’s body shapes, making them appear more feminine, assisting women in conceiving, and for other spiritual reasons such as protection from danger and bringing money.
Is it true that waist beads are exclusive for thin women?
Nay! Nay! Not true at all. Waist beads are suitable for all ladies, slim or plus size. It may be worn either concealed beneath your clothes to embellish your body and make you appear hotter to your spouse, or on top as a (sexual) fashion item. They are just meant to highlight your curves and feminine body, regardless of your size or shape.
And because waist beads are not worn firmly around the waist, you may wear them boldly and comfortably every day around your hips. It’s just a great new method to show off your fashion sense and be more appealing.
How do you put waist beads on?
It depends on the types of the waist beads or how it is beaded. Some are made on a long rope which needs to be rounded on the waist as many times as it can go round. Some waist beads are auto beaded with elastic rope and fits on. 2, 3 or more strings can be worn as if the person wants to wear a skirt.
for the lengthy waist beads, wrap the entire length of the new waist beads below your waist or down your hips to check how the line fits. If you find the waist beads to be too long, just slip any additional beads off the cotton thread. Then, to ensure that no beads are lost, tie 3 – 4 tight knots at the end of the bead-line. Check that the knots are secure before cutting any excess string.
That’s all there is to it when it comes to beading! The optimum spot to wear your waist beads is just behind your belly, but because everyone is different, you can simply figure out the most comfortable position for yourself. You can wear your beads in the conventional manner, that is, beneath your clothes and against your skin, or you can wear them outside of your garments.
What outfits should you wear with waist beads?
This choice of cloth to wear with waist beads is determined by the motive of wearing the waist beads. If you are wearing it for keeping fit reason, there is no need selecting a matching cloth. But if it is for fashion, it can go with any smart dress, especially, a crop top fashion.
Wearing brilliantly colored or sleek black and white waist beads may accentuate almost any sort of apparel. In warm weather, they look great with cropped shirts, bikinis, and low-waist jeans. You can also add a lot of elegance to a plain-colored, fitting tube dress by wearing it over a pencil-skirt with a tucked-in top (which is a hot trend this year).
Wear the waist beads over the top of high-waisted jeans, shorts, or skirts to make them a super-trendy component of your fashion look!
If you enjoy the Boho or romantic gypsy appearance, add a lot of traditional metal charms to your waist beads and pair them with long, flowing skirts and ankle boots. Wear carefully picked trendy hues, such as numerous sets of beads in orange and purple, with black clothing for a classy effect.
You may wear as many pairs of waist beads as you wish, and when you do, they appear like a lovely, colourful belt around your hips. Waist beads are versatile and may be used with a variety of outfits!
Waist Beads – Popular African Fashion Accessories
What do the various colored waist beads represent?
If you’re going to wear waist beads outside of your fashion apparel, select hues that suit your outfits. However, each waist bead color has a distinct spiritual meaning, as follows:
- Black represents personal strength and safety.
Blue represents honesty, truth, and commitment.
Gold – Wealth, excellent health, and strength - Brown – Stability and being connected to the earth
Green represents wealth, fertility, and natural plenty.
Orange represents vitality, self-assurance, and bravery.
Pink represents love, compassion, caring, and beauty.
Purple represents wisdom, spirituality, and monarchy.
Red represents vitality and self-assurance.
Turquoise represents self-awareness and effective communication.
White represents purity, honesty, and brightness.
Yellow represents happiness, vitality, and joy.
How long may waist beads be worn?
If you choose, you can wear your beads all the time, without taking them off to wash or bathe. After getting soaked with soap, beads may appear less bright, but polishing them with a dry cloth restores their luster. Waist beads may also be worn as a fashion piece that you can put on and take off like any other jewelry.
If you don’t want them to be permanent, simply tie them in a bow in the back rather than a tight knot. Waist beads are long-lasting, but if you wear them low, be careful not to pull them down and break the thread when using the toilet.
Do Men wear waist Beads?
Yes. Yes, I said yes. We are in the world of aesthetic (aesthetic generation). I see men in the streets walk around and move about flaunting waist beads.
Don’t ask the reason why men now wear waist beads. Fashion, they say is an adventure. Men have decided to try out waist beads fashion and it looks goo on them or so they think and it is now becoming a trend. Men wear waist beads for fashion.
Why do ladies wear fashionable waist beads?
In a current, new fashion for industrialized nations, most ladies wear waist beads to bring attention to their feminine form. Wearing them for an extended period of time does not, contrary to popular belief, mold your form. However, wearing a tightly buckled belt or a chain-belt gives the appearance that you are curvier than you are. That’s a terrific cause in and of itself!
Traditional explanations range from stylish ornamentation to dancing to show off your waist and hips. Some people in Nigeria think that waist beads elicit strong sexual responses in males. And some men believe that charms attached to waist beads may impact their lives in the same way as magic spells do!
When presented by a lover to his sweetheart or a husband to his wife, they may be a significant love gesture. As a result, they’ll make a stylish and well-received Valentine’s Day present. Waist-beads are also said to promote fertility since they make you seem hotter, causing your spouse to crave more intimate interactions!
Waist Beads – Popular African Fashion Accessories
Do waist beads aid with weight loss?
Yes. Waist beads will call attention to the amount of flesh on your stomach and hips since they will tighten and loosen when you wear them every day. And many ladies find that this actually helps them stop overeating and lose weight. They do not, however, do any sort of “waist-training” – they only assist you in tracking your weight increase and reduction. Thousands of ladies, however, strongly endorse them as a terrific approach to keep to a slimming diet.
Before people wore flexible garments, you could always tell if you had gained a few pounds because your waistline became too tight and difficult to wear. So the only solution was to cut off the additional cakes or drinks and lose weight until you could fit into all of your outfits again.
However, with the development of leggings and flexible pants and skirts, you no longer get this warning signal that you’re gaining weight, which has led to many of us eating more than we should and being overweight.
How do you determine your waist size for waist beads?
Here’s how to accurately measure your abdomen and determine the length of waist beads to purchase online or from a local retailer. Please don’t be tempted to undersize your measurement; it’s better to buy a little extra than to be stuck with waist beads that don’t reach all the way around your belly.
Maintain a straight posture while breathing normally and without holding your breath.
Hold the measuring tape behind you and make sure it is not twisted.
Bring the tape measure all the way around your waist, starting at the top of your hip bone and overlapping with your navel.
Check that it isn’t too tight and digging into your skin. The tape should be parallel to the floor and comfortable to wear around your body. When your abdomen is relaxed, check the number on the tape measure just after you exhale.
What are the Traditional Significant of Wearing Waist beads?
Ileke, jigida, giri-giri, or whatever name you give to waist beads, have played an important role in African custom since time immemorial.
Many African women’s waists have been ornamented with these beads strung on fine fishing lines or expertly knotted ropes. Whether concealed under garments, peeking out at intervals, or meticulously placed to display over clothes, the mesmerizing noises and brilliant colors of these beads as the wearer moves keep our eyes hooked. The attraction of the beaded woman is difficult to ignore when she is adorned with beautiful beads.
Waist Beads – Popular African Fashion Accessories
These beads come in a variety of sizes, colors, and lengths and are made from beads, small bits of glass, metal, and sometimes cowries that are pierced and strung together. Waist beads have great cultural importance in several African communities. These beads, worn by women and sometimes males, are seen as a sign of femininity, fertility, sensuality, and spiritual well-being.
Each bead, with its many colors and forms, has diverse significance in different civilizations and conveys different messages depending on who wears and sees it. Waist Beads – Popular African Fashion Accessories
Female children in certain African communities are decked with waist beads by their mothers when they get their period to signify their rite of passage into womanhood. These beads represent the female child’s journey from infancy to maturity, as well as evidence of her fertility and sexuality.
These waist beads represent purity in certain cultures and are only to be removed by her spouse on their wedding night. Waist beads have always been considered private, to be viewed only by the wearer’s companion.
They have an intimate appeal that arouses desire for another. In certain cultures, these beads are laced with charms and perfumes that entice open intercourse. Wearing waist beads during intimacy, often known as traditional lingerie, is said to improve the wearer’s and her partners’ sexual experiences.
Waist Beads – Popular African Fashion Accessories
Adding precious stones to these waist beads enhances their therapeutic properties, addressing diseases or other concerns such as love and equilibrium that require improvement.
The waist bead has a more physical meaning in that it is used to shape the body. They alert users to even the smallest change in their weight, weight increase, or weight decrease. They do not stretch and instead roll up or break when the user adds weight. Wearing these beads from a young age is also said to improve the exquisite curves that African women are famed for.
Most waist beads are traditionally worn under garments and are considered a private matter. They have recently been employed as fashion accessories, worn over garments and beneath crop tops to highlight the beauty of each strand.
Whatever number you choose to wear, one thing is certain: despite of modern options such as chains, waist beads have and will continue to be extremely important in African heritage. Waist beads are available online.
