Nollywood actress, Benita Nzeribe, tells ‘Nonye Ben-Nwankwo about her style and fashion
How would you describe your style and fashion?
My style is me and my fashion goes beyond that. A lot of things come to play when I consider my fashion. I look at the weather of the country I am in. If it is hot or cold, it changes my fashion. But my style is anything I am comfortable in. That something is in vogue doesn’t mean it must gel with me. I must consider Benita before I wear anything. My fashion is determined by occasion, the country and comfort.
So, you don’t always follow the trend since you said what is in vogue may not necessarily gel with you?
I am trendy and I am not against people who follow trends. But my trendiness must flow with what I am comfortable with and my style. If what is trending doesn’t suit my style, then it is not for me. What flatters Miss A mustn’t flatter Benita and what flatters Benita mustn’t flatter Miss A. I always have this at the back of my mind. Each time I have to follow the trend, it must bring out the best in me.
Would you have given attention to your fashion and style if you weren’t an actress?
If I weren’t an actress, I would just be me. I don’t really go out of my way to look good. Being an actress doesn’t change who I am. I don’t try to impress or live above my means. I always go with what I am comfortable with. Even if I weren’t an actress, I still would have been trendy. Trendiness is in me.
As much as comfort is paramount to your fashion and style, are you daring in your style as well?
I should think so. But I always have it at the back of my mind that I am an African woman. There is a limit to what I can wear. I can be crazy but I can’t look stupid. There is a way you want to dress crazy but you will just end up looking stupid. Instead of people admiring you, they will see your looks as being off-putting. So there is a limit I must go if I want to dress crazy.
Do you have a fashion craze?
Yes and no. I am just in-between. I am neither here nor there. I can admire certain things on people but I might not go out of my way to get that thing.
Do you prefer pants or skirts?
Anybody who knows me should know that I love dresses. I wear them a lot. I wear jeans when I have to be causal. I am a dress person. My wardrobe is filled with so many dresses.
Have you done anything crazy to your hair before?
I don’t think I have done anything really crazy to my hair. I have not tinted my hair green or red. The colours I use are usually calm. I wouldn’t call them crazy. I have not done anything wild to my hair. I have not considered cropping my hair before. If the need arises, I will know what to do. And even if I must shave off my hair, it has to be for professional reasons. I am a professional to the core but with ‘proper arrangement,’ I will consider shaving off my hair.
Do you prefer wearing hair extensions to braids?
I do both. At times, I wear weaves and at times, I wear braids. At the moment, I am wearing braids. It just depends on what I feel like wearing. I mustn’t stick to one.
Does so much money go into your hair?
It is moderate, nothing much. I am not exorbitant. I give my hair the nourishment it deserves but I don’t overdo it. When you do so much stuff on your hair, I think it kills your hair. At times, I wear my natural hair and allow my hair to breathe for a while.
How long do you carry a particular hair-do?
If I am wearing hair extension, I can carry it for slightly more than a week. This country is hot. I can’t wear a particular weaves for more than 10 days, it would be a miracle.
Do you wear tattoos?
I just have one tattoo somewhere. You will not see it unless I show you. But if I want it to show, I know the kind of dress I will put on. I am not into body piercing; that is not my style.
Have you been a victim of the fashion police on the red carpet before?
I think it should be in my earlier days or when I was a teenager. I really can’t pinpoint the event. I wore something thinking it was cool, but it was very bad.
Can we see you outside with a make-up free face?
Oh yes. Naturally, I don’t even love make-up that much. If I am going to location, I go bare, I don’t wear any make-up until I am about to go on set and the make-up artiste does her job. When I don’t have an important place to go, I don’t wear heavy make-up. I just put on powder slightly. I have an oily face so the powder helps to dry it. Heavy-make up is cumbersome, so you don’t bother with it.
What do you think nobody will catch you wearing dead or alive?
You can never catch me wearing a winter jacket in Nigeria or ankle boots in this country. It must be a dream if you see me wearing such or it must be a comedy film. It amazes me when I see people wear such in this hot weather in Nigeria.
Do you dress African?
I do. I love wearing African designs. I am African and I am proud of it. I love wearing my Ankara.
Who makes your clothes?
I do my shopping in and outside Nigeria. I am not one of those who must travel out of this country to shop. But if it is native attire, I have a designer who is very good. He is not known but he makes what I like.
Must your shoes be the same colour as your bag? Do you mix and match?
I colour-block but it has to be sensible colour blocking, it mustn’t be way off. I must not wear red on red but something close to it. Sometimes, they might look like same colour but when you really look at it, you will find out that it is not same at all.
Are there times you feel like dressing down?
If I must attend an event, I must be comfortable. I must look good and my personality must be impressive. It mustn’t be about wearing one bogus dress. My dress is part of me. I don’t have to be clumsy.
Do you love jewellery like most ladies?
I am not so much into it. I have my earrings and my bangles. I have my necklace. I used to do ankle chain but I stopped wearing it for a long time. I used to wear waist chain as well. I have stopped it.
Do you consider Nigerians as fashionable people?
We try a lot. But considering our weather, there are things we wear that we shouldn’t wear, especially since our climate is hot. There are other ways to look corporate than wearing suit and tie in the scorching sun.
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