Headache and confusion in the name of fashion

One of the basic necessities of life is clothing. Others include food and shelter. I for one like to dress well, even as a child with very few cloths, I like to dress responsibly. I am aware dressing has a set of rules in all culture. However, not everyone is familiar with all the rules while there is also no unanimity of opinion on some of the dress codes.

There is what is called “dressing to match”. This has and is still creating confusion all over the world. There are issues around colour combination, what tie goes with a particular mode of dressing, what cap fits a particular style of dressing and so on and so forth.

I try to respect dressing codes as much as I can. However, my confusion stems from the fact that there seems to be no unanimity about dressing styles. I was told for instance that it is wrong to wear socks on native dress. Says who? I have seen many people including well educated elites do that. In Yoruba land where I come from if you wear ‘buba and Sokoto’ without cap, you’re accused of incomplete dressing.  Same for ladies who wears ‘buba and iro’ without scarf or headgear or head tie. Yet I have seen many wearing the outfit without anything on their head. Yet no police has arrested them for incomplete dressing.  

Recently, I got a face cap better known as Papa’s Cap and proudly wore it on a native attire as I have seen many people do.  A colleague said it’s wrong as the cap is meant for suits and western dressing generally. Says who? I later wore same cap on a suit and some people said am better off without it as it’s covering my face. Which kin gbege be this na?

Last week, I decided to wear one of my five bow ties, also known as ribbons on a suit to a couple of media engagements and some people were asking me if am going to a ‘ball’ or party. Isn’t bow tie for formal occasion too just like long ties? They said it’s faux pas. They explained that it’s meant for cocktail and dinner. Well, I have no regret wearing it on TV. Let anyone unhappy with my dressing go and call police to come and arrest me if it’s a crime. Enough of this headache we give ourselves in the name of trying to conform with modern fashion trends.

I think the fashionistas of this world should just let some of us who are not trendy be. What the heck! Dressing is primarily is to cover. Unfortunately, contemporary fashion trend is making some people especially ladies to almost be walking naked.  Talk of rag jeans and split skirts.  Today, young guys are sagging their trousers and they think it’s cool. Well they have a right to dress as they like.  It’s also my right to wear whatever am cool with. It’s becoming a pain in the neck trying to catch up with fashion trends. Someone, perhaps, some people set the trend we are trying to copy. I can also be setting new fashion trend with what you see me wear that you think it’s unacceptable. This life is about different strokes for different folks. I just want to dress decently and I need not be a power dresser!