Danger! The first thought that crossed my mind when I saw the guy wearing the purple SUEDE shoes. Come to think of it, the shoes were more lilac than purple, and heck, were they … Aesthetically challenged! The way this guy was … strutting is the word; in his lilac coloured shoes, I couldn’t even blame him because he most likely believed he was trendy and ‘on point’. I could only follow him with my eyes, I was shocked soundless. Maybe I’m aesthetically conservative, maybe the shoes were awe-spiring; either way, to err is human I guess.

At what point does one person become smart enough to delude a section of the human race into thinking some stuff is cool, e.g. light purple suede shoes? That person is a blooming genius of likes of Einstein and Beethoven. That is the only explanation for being able to convince Nigerian men to wear light coloured suede shoes. And these shoes come in all kinds of colours, with and without tassels and/or crests. And trendy people (men) the world over are wearing these … fashionable shoes.

Coco Chanel said, “Fashion is made to become unfashionable.” Remember that before you mindlessly follow the trends. Imagine how positively ridiculous you will look in retrospect and how your best friend would have captured you in your bad-ass suit and pastel suede shoes to blackmail you and show your children. Pictures don’t lie, sugar.

My take on fashion is that individuality is not a bad idea and that style is personal. You don’t have to be trendy to be stylish. “Fashions, after all, are only induced epidemics” said George Bernard Shaw. Let your clothes reflect you, not the current media rave or the A/W collection for 2011. BE YOU!

I will reinforce my position with the ‘white trad’ boys. One day in school, I was looking for something to eat. In the course of my quest, I came across a group of guys, about 6 of them. All dark skinned, all wearing white kaftans. Initially, it didn’t register until they started walking in a single file in (almost) order of height. I laughed, hard. It couldn’t be helped. It was comical.

Not that there is anything wrong with ‘and co’, I just believe that uniforms belong to school children, blue collar workers and owambe patrons and matrons. Do you? Find your fashion identity and rock it! Whether classic, alluring, sporty, romantic, edgy, eclectic, retro, or whatever. Just find your niche and make it fabulous. You don’t have to fit into the mould. However, neither do you need to upset the fashion police. Find a comfortable midpoint, maybe even turn a few heads. Heck, you can even do it in purple shoes AND white trad.

Temiloluwa Paul
@TemiPublished

Adapted from “PURPLE SHOES AND THE WHITE TRAD BOYS” on http://www.temipublished.blogspot.com

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