Are You a NanaYaa or a Makena? Meet the Stylish Stars of Africa’s Sex and the City Inline
Photo: Courtesy of An African City1/5Are You a NanaYaa?
Who: Returning from New York, the de facto “Carrie” of the group (MaameYaa Boafo) is the outspoken, determined, neurotic, and, might we add, hopelessly romantic journalist and radio talk show host who parses relationship and cultural issues with true heart.
The Look: Bringing her big-city swag with her, the daughter of a former diplomat navigates the Accra dating pool and untimely run-ins with her married ex in outfits that are a colorful hybrid of her Ghanaian roots and New York zip code. Think traditional wax print tops and dresses paired with waist-whittling high-waisted denim, towering platforms, and the swipe of a red lip.
Photo: Courtesy of An African City2/5Are You a Makena?
Who: The stunning and shrewd Oxford-educated divorced lawyer (Marie Humbert) isn’t one to mince her words. Since her return from London, the daughter of an English father and Ghanaian mother often finds herself standing up against gender conventions that plague her love and professional lives.
The Look: A sharp attorney and a cool, tough single lady, Makena often opts for businesswear with kick—zigzag printed pencil skirts, high-waisted flared emerald green trousers, or feathered blouses.
Photo: Courtesy of An African City3/5Are You a Ngozi?
Who: The squeaky-clean but sincere Ngozi (Esosa E) is old-fashioned with a modern vegetarian appetite. While the devout Christian aid worker has decided to remain celibate, she’s happy to counsel her friends on the headaches that come with dating and sex. Wide-eyed and optimistic, she’s hardly jaded by love.
The Look: She’s not one to show too much skin, but Ngozi is hardly shy about prints and colors, adding plenty of traditional wax print with ladylike cuts.
Photo: Courtesy of An African City4/5Are You a Sadé?
Who: Sex positivity is alive and well in Accra ever since Sadé (Nana Mensah) moved to town from Houston, Texas! (Yes, she’s the “Samantha” of the crew.) The forward-thinking and brazen Harvard Business School grad is forthright about what she wants: good sex, designer handbags, and great real estate.
The Look: Formfitting and sultry: Sadé is happy to show off her best assets in a bevy of body-con numbers, accessorizing with stilettos and the Bottega Veneta handbags, gifted to her, of course.
Photo: Courtesy of An African City5/5Are You a Zainab?
Who: Business-minded Zainab (Maame Adjei) has built a shea-butter empire since moving from Atlanta, Georgia, to Accra, but the stunning socially conscious feminist has a tough go of it with traditional dating expectations. This season alone, one suitor was a lot more interested in her armpit than in her brain.
The Look: To match her incisive business acumen, Zainab is all about patterned tops and dresses: Africa’s answer to boss attire.
