Day 30: Elegant Ankara Print Dress & African Dress Styles

And just last that, we are finally on the last day of the African print fashion series. Ha! It only took a few months to get to the final outfit wearing this elegant ankara print dress!

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I was looking forward to August being a relaxing and slow-paced month. But, this week has already changed my expectations for this month. Work was busier than usual. I found myself dozing off shortly after getting home. I just could not keep my eyes open!

Last night, I flew to Anchorage to wrap up my partnership with Anchorage 5th Avenue Mall. So it’s going to be an exciting weekend and a much-needed reprieve from Fairbanks.

They say, “save the best for last.” But how do you accomplish this if you believe that all of the African outfits are the best? My thought exactly! However, you’ll agree with me that this African print dress (look-alike) is a showstopper.

If you missed part of the series, you can find all 30 of them over in my archive: African print styles. Let’s talk about this elegant ankara print dress and where to find authentic and affordable African dress styles.

HOW I STYLED THIS ANKARA PRINT DRESS

Back in April, I featured this stunning African print Pussy-bow dress by the talented brand, L’aviye. There are only a handful of places I visit when I’m looking for the latest African dress styles. L’Aviye is one of them.

L’Aviye has made their name as a one-stop shop for all things African print. I wrote about the background of this UK-based company on day 8 of the series: African print Pussy-bow dress.

Summer weddings are still in full effect, and this infinity multiway maxi dress (Amazon option) will turn heads wherever you go. Shortly after this shoot, I got stopped by people curious to find out where I got this vibrant dress.

One thing I love about this African print maxi dress (similar for less) is the option to wear the dress in 6 different ways! Check out the dress (option 2) to see the model rock this winner in 5 other ways.

In my previous post, I mentioned how the choice of African wax fabric plays a role in the overall look of the finished product. L’Aviye’s definitely chose an appropriate print for this elegant style.

As with dresses this beautiful, all you need is a pair of heels and maybe a statement earring to complete your look.

WHERE TO FIND AFFORDABLE AFRICAN DRESS STYLES

AFRICAN PRINT DRESSES ON AMAZON

It is true that authentic African print clothes handmade with 100% cotton wax print can be expensive. And it is also true that you get what you pay for. However, you can find affordable African clothing on Amazon.

But be aware that the quality and fit of these less expensive styles on Amazon are usually lower than that of handmade ankara clothes.

I’ve found that most of the ankara clothes on Amazon are mass-produced in industrialized areas like China and made with polyester material. And polyester fabric does not have the same weight and substance as dyed cotton fabric.

That said, I’ve lucked out on a few occasions and purchased decent quality African clothes on Amazon. This dress right here is an exception! Here are a few top-rated ankara dress styles on Amazon:

AFRICAN CLOTHING ON ETSY

See below for genuine 100% wax print clothes available on Etsy, my go-to spot for African garments. If a style appears to be sold out, contact the seller on Etsy.

Often times, they’ll be able to get one handmade for you. You just have to ask. Most of these sellers all accept special requests or custom order.

Craving more African styles? You can find all my African styles from the 30-day African fashion series to quench your desire ?. As always, thank you so much for reading!

You may like these posts: Day 29: Breathtaking African Print Skirt | Day 28: Stylish African Print Dress |

I am wearing:

Black heels (similar)
Nokia activity watch (exact)
Amrita Singh drop earrings (similar)
Maxi dress c/o L’aviye nala dress | Amazon
Photos by SNH Photos

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