Hilda Baci’s 31st Birthday Looks Go From Floral Corsetry to Gold Chainmail

Hilda Baci wearing custom 31st birthday dresses by Clasikq Diane and Firstlady, styled by Emmanuel Goodnews Icon

Hilda Baci has given us two very good reasons to stop scrolling. The Nigerian chef, restaurateur and entrepreneur is 31, and for her birthday, she stepped out in not one but two looks that could not be more different. One came covered in florals, the other in gold, and both were styled by Emmanuel Goodnews Icon.

You might know Hilda for her record-breaking cooking feat or for My Food by Hilda, the food brand she has continued to build alongside her work as a chef and restaurateur. For this birthday, however, the kitchen was not the only place where she had something worth serving.

Look one arrived in the form of a Clasikq Diane floral corseted mermaid gown, and the first thing to notice is the colour. Olive green velvet sits against blush-pink tulle, with 3D floral appliqués, pearls and lacing running across the corset. If you have been sleeping on olive green and pink as a colour pairing, this dress might change your mind. The green gives the pink some depth, while the pink keeps the darker shade from feeling too heavy.

Hilda Baci posing in a custom Clasikq Diane floral dress to mark her 31st birthday.

Hilda did not try to compete with the gown. She wore simple drop earrings and pulled her hair into a high, full curly ponytail, which keeps the neckline open while giving the curls enough room to fall. It is also a good formula if you are trying to figure out how to style a floral corseted gown: let the shape and detailing of the dress do the talking, then use your hair to frame it rather than cover it.

Hilda Baci posing in a Clasikq Diane floral corseted dress as she celebrates turning 31.

And then, just when you thought you knew where the birthday wardrobe was going, she changed into a gold metallic chainmail dress by Firstlady. The floor-length piece has thin straps and layers of golden chains over a sheer base, making it about as far away from the floral gown as you can get while still belonging to the same birthday wardrobe.

Hilda Baci styling a gold chainmail gown by Firstlady for her 31st birthday shoot.

This time, Hilda kept things in the gold family with simple choker chains and an updo. If you are wondering how to style a gold metallic chainmail dress, this is one route to take: keep the jewellery simple, pull the hair away from the face and let the texture of the dress take up the space. It means you can have a statement birthday outfit without adding five more statement pieces to it.

So, if your own birthday is coming up and you are wondering what to wear, perhaps the better question is what sort of birthday you want to have. A floral corseted gown with a curly ponytail takes you in one direction, while a gold metallic dress and an updo take you somewhere completely different. Hilda, naturally, chose both.

Hilda Baci wearing custom 31st birthday dresses by Clasikq Diane and Firstlady, styled by Emmanuel Goodnews Icon

As she celebrated 31, she also shared a reflection on the woman she has become and the life she is still building:

Another year. Another chapter. Another reminder of just how much grace has carried me.
I look at these pictures and I see more than a woman celebrating a birthday. I see the girl who dreamed, the woman who dared, the moments that broke her, the ones that rebuilt her, and everything in between.

This year, I’m choosing to celebrate me my growth, my courage, my softness, my strength, the lessons, the wins, and even the things I’m still praying for.

Here’s to another year of becoming, loving, creating, giving, laughing, living fully and walking boldly into everything God has prepared for me.
Happy birthday to me

Hilda Baci in a gold metallic dress by Firstlady for her 31st birthday celebration.

Hilda Baci wearing a floral corseted mermaid gown by Clasikq Diane for her 31st birthday photoshoot.

Hilda Baci styling a gold chainmail gown by Firstlady for her 31st birthday shoot.

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Photo Credit: Hilda Baci (First Look), Hilda Baci (Second look)/Instagram