First off, I want to start by apologizing for the delay in writing this post. I had an extremely busy week last week. I asked my instagram followers if I should write about my experience at the premiere and all 50 of you that voted, voted YES. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s dive in.

Little ol’ me got invited to a movie premiere by chance. Prior to this, I had never been to a premiere of any kind. Yes, I’ve had the privilege of watching a movie or show before it was open to public viewing but in the comfort of my home.

Do you wanna know how I got invited???

Even if you answered no, I’m still gonna tell you. So it turned out that my brother’s friend got two invites and he asked me to come with. That’s after he asked my brother and probably others who said no. Lucky me eh!

I found out about the premiere on Friday and I got my ticket on Saturday while I was at a wedding. On Sunday morning, I decided to look for what to wear.

Dresscode: Runway Ready; Be Bold, Be Colourful

I initially went for a simple black flowing dress but when I saw be colourful, I went back to my closet to look for something else. I settled with two options then I finally chose my outfit.

Let me quickly run you through my fit, the jacket and jumpsuit have been with me for years, the jacket longer. I had worn the jacket which I bought from @uniquepiece__ just twice before this day because of how obvious it is. I try to blend with the crowd as much as possible. I paired them with my gold sandals and a black purse.

My date was strict with time and he came to get me which was really nice of him. He wanted us to get there early to experience the whole thing. I didn’t mind that as I had never been to a premiere and I imagined the experience will be amazing.

I didn’t have a plan for my makeup but while I was getting ready, I decided to go dark on my eyes and lips. I managed to do my own version of a smokey eye and I wore my smoked purple lipstick.

When we arrived at the venue, which was Intercontinental Hotel by the way, it didn’t look like much was happening outside and I was a bit skeptical I was gonna have a good evening. When we got upstairs though, it turned out an entire floor of the hotel had been transformed. Everything was beautiful and well organized. From the props to the media walls, to the freed food and drinks, Hollywood style. I mean I had only seen this on TV so I was pretty wowed. I mean this was big for Nollywood.

We walked around a little, I took some photos, got convinced to do an interview and snacked a bit. Not long after, actors in the movie and other celebrities started to arrive. Can I just use this moment to appreciate the beauty that is Shaffy Bello. Her smile radiated the whole red carpet and she also arrived early!!!

TOP 5 BEST DRESSED

I must admit most people looked really good even those that were working. I thought I was overdressed at some point but later on, I was glad I didn’t go with my initial choice. There were some people out of the bunch that made a statement on the red carpet so I just have to appreciate their effort.

1. Folu Storms

I spotted her first on the red carpet. Her dress was so gorgeous. It was definitely bold and colourful.

2. Sharon Ooja

I love that her dress had a mix of African print in it. It’s a beautiful one that suited her tone perfectly.

3. Dj Xclusive

He was being interviewed right beside me at some point and we were both shining. He’s one of the few men that went with the dresscode and looked good.

4. Chioma Akpotha

The red dress and her updo was everything!

5. Demola Adedoyin

I just love this look, the details on the jacket. You know😊😊😊

Not long after, the doors to the viewing center were open and we went to find good seats. Everyone had water and popcorn on their seats (which I thought was very thoughtful). The movie started a few minutes later so everyone focused on the huge screen.

Lara & The Beat is a movie with a combination of drama, romance and music. It’s totally different from other Nigerian movies and I truly hope we’re ready for this kind of film. Seyi Shay did amazing job owing to the fact that this was her acting debut and I couldn’t help but notice the chemistry between her and Vector. The music wasn’t bad as well and I have a favourite that I’ve been humming since the premiere. Other actors in the movie include; Somkele Iyamah(who was amazing as always), Shaffy Bello, ChiomaAkpotha, Lala Akindoju, Uche Jombo, Toni Tones, Dj Xclusive, Folu Storms amongst others.

When the movie was over, the cast were called on the stage to take a bow and the After Party commenced which was lit by the way. All the cast were present and other actors that were not in the movie. If I was a groupie, I’d probably have taken selfies with all of them. It just made me see how like us they really are, dancing and living in the moment. There was too much to eat and drink as the movie was greatly sponsored. If you follow me on Instagram (if you don’t, you should), sure you saw it all. I got back home pretty late and I had to get to work the next day.

My Outfit Details;

Jumpsuit ~ Asos

Jacket ~ @uniquepiece__

Shoes ~ Asos

Thanks for reading, I’ll be waiting in the comments.

Mariam Shittu