By Victor Ugo
These past years, the idea of fashion has become acceptable amongst the average earning population, both in developed and underdeveloped countries all around the world. The need to dress good and look same for the sake of a worthy representation of your social class has come to become ever so challenging. The working man/woman knows how important it is to look good and how mature and more in touch with reality it portrays.
But then, fashion isn’t just about what you wear and how you wear it, it mostly depends on what you can afford and how good you can still look no matter the total cost of what you are wearing. How you carry yourself when you dress up, matters a lot more than the price of your clothes. Although it’s agreeable that you can look much better with the right piece of clothing at whatever price; it is a fact, however, that some people still don’t look great. Either because, they lack interest, are ignorant or are just prone to making the wrong choices, when it comes to choosing what’s best to wear.
Over the years, there has been an increasing popularity of fashionistas, fashion magazines, fashion blogs and even e-books, all claiming to know the right way a person should dress. Some agree, that if an individual can dress to satisfy both him or herself and the people that eventually see them, then they seem to be on the right track. While others make it hard to believe fashion is that simple. They make it sound so complicated and uninteresting. They don’t say what an average person needs to hear. Fashion isn’t only for the rich. It is for every person that cares to put on a cloth. And, according to statistics, only a few people still don’t.
Therefore the idea of fashion, it seems, is for everybody. But then, most times people make it look like it is only for those that can afford it.
One of the main differences between a mad man and a normal man is the way they dress. But these days, we see seemingly sane people dressed like they are mad. Is it that they don’t ask other people how they look before they venture out? Or maybe they just don’t care? Or is it that they can’t acquire basic information relating to fashion, or such information is too far away from their reach? These issues need to be addressed if it’s ever going to get better. Therefore, information regarding fashion should be made simpler and reachable to the supposedly average/low class individuals.
A person’s dressing, says much about the person. If an individual doesn’t dress properly, it can either imply the person’s insane, ignorant or just carefree. A mad man is anybody that wears a winter jacket in the middle of summer, and a baggie to a dinner party. The way a person dresses, can also show how rich and influential the person is. While some people dress by imitating what they see on TV and on magazines, others just copy other people’s style, without considering whether it does look ok on them.
Some people spend time and money on fashion blogs and magazines stands, looking out for what to wear and what not to wear. While some privileged few, even take out time to travel abroad to get their choice of clothing.
Information therefore plays a key role in the world of fashion, and with the increasing popularity of computers, the internet and communication gadgets, people really should be able to relate to their fashion needs with just one click. These means of communication are available for an average person to reach out to for information. Style shouldn’t just be for the rich alone, it should be for every one that can afford to listen. Fashion is style, fashion is daily living.
Due to the limited number of generally literate individuals in this country, which subsequently limits computer literates to only a few among the population, an average Nigerian doesn’t seem to know much about how to express him/herself in clothes. Or just doesn’t care. They commit fashion blunders even when they try so hard to impress. Blame it on the lack of literacy and simpler means of information.
The society has come to become organized into social niches and classes.
The fashion world too. People are now known by how they dress. Occupations too have come to affect people’s daily dressing style. Medical personnel dress differently from bankers, lawyers and engineers. But apart from how they dress while at work, how well do they dress outside work? How much do they know about colour and dress combinations?
It seems therefore, that if Nigerians are going to improve their attitude towards fashion.
*Victor Ugo is a 500 level medical student in Igbinedion University
