Wedding

Ask what the couple actually want before you decide anything. If there is an aso ebi, the fabric and colour are chosen for you and the only decision left is who cuts it.

Never outdress the groom. If he is in a corded agbada, you wear a kaftan or a clean two-piece — not a bigger agbada.

Nigerian weddings in Britain often run two ceremonies in one weekend. Plan traditional for the engagement and tailoring for the white wedding, not one outfit stretched across both.

Cover your head properly if the ceremony calls for it. A well-blocked fila finishes the look; a crumpled one undoes it.

Bring a second shirt. Church, hall, dancing and a British summer in a heavy fabric is a long day.

Ivory, bone and off-white read expensive on camera and photograph better than pure white under hall lighting.

Deep tones — burgundy, midnight navy, forest — are the safest way to look formal without competing with the couple.

Gold and cream embroidery belongs to the couple's party. As a guest, keep embellishment quiet.

If the aso ebi colour does not suit you, negotiate the shade rather than the colour: a muted version of the same family still reads as part of the group.

Ordering three weeks out. Embroidery and fittings cannot be rushed and rushed work always shows in the shoulders.

Wearing a heavy corded agbada to an indoor London reception in July.

Trousers that break twice over the shoe. Traditional or Western, the hem is where cheap tailoring announces itself.

Buying an outfit that fits the photos but not the dancing. Sit down and raise your arms in the fitting.