Los Angeles, Sep 14 (IANS): Actress Lupita Nyong’o may have some of the best designers in the world to offer her style tips, but she prefers to seek her mother's advice when it comes to her clothes.

The Oscar-winning actress has revealed that her ultimate wardrobe inspiration comes from her mother who taught her to dress respectfully for any occasion, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

“My mother raised us to dress as a sign of respect. Like, no ball gowns to the ball game. That's still how I approach dressing,” she said.

"At Yale (School of Drama), I was three years in slacks, so then, any excuse to dress up, I took. Now I'm the opposite,” she added.

The “12 Years a Slave” star also admitted says her love for dramatic make-up looks started when she was just a teenager.

"My mother never wore it, so make-up always fascinated me. I was always trying to add more! I started experimenting -- brows were first, and it hurt -- at 16. From brows I moved on to black lipstick, which I still wear. I've had black lipstick in my bag since I was 17 - I've even worn it on the red carpet. I'd tell my mother, 'It's for the play',” she said.

"We're a big performative family, so we were always putting on shows for each other, make-believe. Black lipstick is just instant drama. I always sought out drama -- I played Juliet at 14 -- though I don't like it in my personal life. It's more for the stage and screen,” she added.