Looking elegant in Nigerian beads

Beads are small, round and perforated objects which are usually strung to form necklaces, bracelets, waist bands and earrings. They can also be fixed to garments or articles of clothing for decorative effect. Beads are made from a variety of materials such as glass, copper, wood, silver, brass, aluminum, bone, horn, shell, coral, pearl, jet, […]

Beads are small, round and perforated objects which are usually strung to form necklaces, bracelets, waist bands and earrings. They can also be fixed to garments or articles of clothing for decorative effect.

Beads are made from a variety of materials such as glass, copper, wood, silver, brass, aluminum, bone, horn, shell, coral, pearl, jet, amber, mineral, including precious stones, ceramics and plastics.

They come in different shapes, sizes and colours and can be curved, painted or enameled. There are different types of beads.

When made into different designs, beads are used to complement wears for different occasions and could be worn for office or simple outings. The elegant and bold ones are used for special occasions like weddings (especially for the bride and groom), naming ceremonies and so on.

Although bead making is an ancient craft universally practiced among various ethnic groups in Nigeria mostly worn by people from royal homes, it has since become a universal fashion trend even in faraway Europe and America, says Katrine Ololade, a bead maker.

She said one could not go wrong with adorning dresses with beads, adding that it brought out the beauty of African attires; especially when worn during occasions.

“It has also created avenue for many people to earn a living because many people are now into the skill of coupling beads for people to buy. We have them in both light and heavy weights. The heavy weight ones are for special occasions, while the light ones can be worn for day to day outings, during office hours and others,” she said.