Monday mas only

Mondayness falls under the overarching brand of Caribbean Beauties - “a social media platform dedicated to all things beautifully Caribbean”.

What started off as fun for founders, Miguel Mora and Jesus Douglas, Caribbean Beauties has morphed into a growing brand.

Mora, 24, and Douglas, 25 said, “We were just doing this for fun but we love what we do.” Douglas said the brand began when they posted pictures of “beautiful Caribbean women” on their Instagram account.

Their following quickly expanded.

Part of their drive for doing it was because a “lot of people did not know of TT and this was a way of exposing all that the Caribbean is to the wider world.” Mora and Douglas turned Caribbean beauties into a business by doing, “little gigs, saving, and also got investors.” Douglas said “big names” were willing to invest in the venture - although he was reluctant to say exactly who were the “big names”.

The next evolution in Caribbean Beauties is Mondayness - the exclusive Carnival Monday band. Douglas said Monday wear is the new thing that is taking over TT and by extension the Caribbean.

“We did Monday because we want to bring a diverse aspect to Carnival...a super alternative for the masquerader,” he said.

The band will have seven section with an open costume option - allowing masqueraders to create their own costume for a fee, however, they will have to pre-register. Douglas added a lot of people probably want to play mas but don’t want to spend the $8,000 or $10,000 or some could not afford or some want to play mas but have to go away on Carnival Tuesday or Ash Wednesday and there is no alternative.

This prompted the development of Mondayness.

“So we came with the alternative so that you have the option to play for one day. We are not to touch Tuesday at all, it is only Monday. Hence the concept.

Monday night at 11:59 pm we lock everything off.

“Monday wear is actually not a full costume but a more comfortable way to play mas. It is a design that is way more comfortable.

Less backpacks, less feathers.” The band is expected to start its Carnival trek from as early as 7 am and stops its street parade at 6 pm and then readies itself for what it has termed its festival of friends - an after party.

It described this as a two-fold experience called Road Sesh and Night Frolic.

He said masqueraders from other bands would be allowed into the after party for a fee once they adequately dressed.

Douglas said its unique Mondayness concept would be marketed to Carnivals up the archipelago since, “Caribbean Beauties is a brand that has a female committee across the islands.

We will be patterning it in different islands.”