“I know I need new clothes, but I just don’t have enough money yet”, “I’m not just a stylish person”, “who’s looking at me abeg?”… Do these statements sound familiar? I bet they do. They’re monologues some of us have with ourselves or dialogues we have with friends when matters of clothing and style come up. Given the economic realities, with the soaring unemployment rate, high exchange rate, and inflation rate, I can understand clothing and styling matters may not be a top tier concern for some that may be affected in one way or the other.
We are social creatures, we don’t do well in isolation. We find our purpose in our interaction and relationship with others. Consequently, we have daily human contact, with an employer, social gatherings like parties, church, and mosque, friends and family, date nights etc. By nature, nobody wants to carry last, we’re all in the business of impression selling whether you admit it or not. Even Jesus Christ asked his disciples…” who do people say I am?” which implies he cares about the public perception of him and as we all know, most times perception trumps reality. If you then say clothing and your general outlook is expensive, try nakedness or show up looking anyhow…yaba left will receive a new visitor, lol.
FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT
It takes 5 seconds for people to make an impression about you upon seeing you, especially if it’s the first time. You want to make that impression fast and stand out with your appearance.
Being classy and stylish is not about being rich, it’s a mindset which when wielded properly you can show up looking like a million bucks. In fact, we’ve all seen some money miss road individuals, that obviously has a lot of money but zero dress sense. Although, being rich obviously gives you wider style and clothing options. And NO, you don’t have to break the bank to pull this off. Dressing well is a skill, nobody came to this world dressed in an Armani suit, and just like every skill, it requires practice and effort until you become a pro. Essentially, you just have to train your eyes to spot fine things, educate yourself on men’s clothing and style, up your combination game, master the art of accessories and understand your body type and skin tone to know what works and what does not. Come with me as I crack the code of looking sharp on a budget.
AUDIT YOUR WARDROBE
Go through all your clothes, in the wardrobe, bag or wherever else you store your clothes. Find out what you have and what you don’t have. Whilst doing that, you will most likely find some long-forgotten gems buried deep in your wardrobe. Sometimes, it’s not more clothes you need, but the optimization of the existing ones. Decide the ones you want to give out and the ones you want to retain. Then arrange them chronologically i.e let pants be together, shirts and others the same too in the same order. This will help you select faster when you want to dress up, also you’ll see pieces that can be combined easily.
DEFINE YOUR STYLE
“Fashion fades, style is eternal” Yves Saint Laurent. As a modern man, your style should be less about following trends and more about crafting your own aesthetic, less about fitting in, and more about customization and personality. Don’t compare yourself to others, they might be wearing designers or high-end brands… but most times it’s packaging. Focus on your own journey and income.
Create a list of items you need either in a notebook or on your phone, not just an imaginary list. This is important because it’s easy to deviate when you go shopping and end up buying things you didn’t plan when you see a myriad of items. A list keeps you in check. As the saying goes…a dull pencil is better than the sharpest mind. A typical list will consist of the following;
- UNDERWEARS: singlets, t-shirts, boxers, boxer-briefs, briefs (whichever one works for you).
- CASUAL WEARS: Tee- shirts (polo), jeans, chinos, sneakers, sandals, leather slippers, shorts.
- FORMAL WEARS: Dress shirts, suits, waistcoats and pants
- TRADITIONAL WEAR: Kaftan, agbada, caps
- ACCESSORIES: Chain and beaded bracelets, wristwatch, belt, rings, pocket square, tie, lapel pins, cufflinks, a pen, sunglasses, neck chain.
- SHOES: A lace-up, a slip-on, monk strap, moccasin, loafers, ankle boots etc.
- SCENTS: perfumes (oil or spray), body spray, deodorant, and antiperspirant.
Looks like an overwhelmingly long list right?… Nah, the idea is to select the ones you know you really need or are missing in your existing collection. Note that your style will be strongly influenced by what you do, where you live, the circles you roll, your age and don’t forget your pocket. For instance, if you’re an office white-collar guy, your concentration will be on the formal wear section. That’s not to say you won’t get 1 or 2 of other categories (nobody wears a suit to the beach), but your present persistent need is office clothes.
COLORS MATTER
The role of colors in fashion and styling cannot be overemphasized. It’s the foundation on which your fashion mansion rests. Avoid bright colors or prints like yellow, red gold, and the likes for now or t-shirts with large images or brand logos (if it’s not the original, people can tell and that’s an epic fail). Not that anything is wrong with them, but they’re easily identifiable when you wear them and they’re likely to bleed and fade easily when you wash. plus, you don’t want to be described as that guy that wears a yellow shirt.
Do more neutral colors like white, sky blue, ash or grey, beige (carton color), mustard, black and brown. These colors are subtle and gentle on the eyes, they are not overpowering, hence easily combined with themselves. Also, when you want to add more color to your wardrobe, they provide a good backdrop for new colors. If you’re really on a tight budget, do more of bright neutral colors like white, sky blue, and ash especially for your traditional wears. People can’t spot the difference or authenticity easily and they don’t fade fast even when you wash often. Below are color Palettes and wearing suggestions.
ACCESSORIZE
This is the game-changer for any outfit you wear. It’s crossing the Ts and dotting the Is, it shows attention to details, class, and style. A single pocket square used on your kaftan can transform a very basic look to a million-dollar look. Accessories also take the attention off any error or anomaly in your clothing. It may be fit, stitch, stain, accessories somewhat become the center of attraction. So small an item, yet so huge its effect on your entire look. If you go cheap on other items, accessories are one of those items you don’t want to go cheap on. I take this seriously with my clients because I know and understand its power. The more colorful, the better. You can hardly go wrong with this, except you over-accessorize. Matter of fact, with accessories, less is more. One nice ring, the perfect sunglasses that suits your face, 3 beaded bracelets, one pocket square or lapel pin (or a combination of both), a pen for chest pocket, could just be all you need to join the league of extremely stylish men.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR CLOTHES
Generally speaking, the way you save money and prevent fast replacement of anything you own is by using them right and taking care of them. It’s not rocket science. I tell my clients even if we use the most quality fabric for you and you don’t use them right, you’ll kill it just like any other cheap fabric. Fold your clothes after wearing them or use a hanger, don’t leave them lying wrinkly on the floor. Wash deep colors only when necessary. Personally, when I wear a deep color like black, when I get home, I clean it with a damp piece of cloth, aerate it, iron, and fold. Keeps it new, fresh, and neat for the next use. For bright colors like white, soak in detergent immediately you get home, apply bleach if you must. Pay special attention to the pulse points like the neck, collar, and armpit. They’ll serve you longer if you give them these treatments.
4 EASY AND CHEAP WAYS TO ACQUIRING MORE CLOTHES
1. BUY DURING CLEARANCE SALES:
I have clients that wait till December to make literally 80% of the clothes they’ll wear for the year because they know I sell cheaper then and do crazy bonuses to close the year. This is an effective way to acquire clothes at a very cheap rate. The basic thing is just to stick to your list because you can be tempted to buy things you don’t need in the name of its cheapness. Or better still, delay some shopping for that season. Imagine buying an item for 20k and later seeing that same item for 10k on sales… the pain!!!
2. FAMILY AND FRIENDS:
Hand-me-downs from father to son or older brother to younger brother are the common clothing swaps. It’s not a big deal at all, people do it all the time. Taking it further, you can talk to cousins, uncles, and friends too to help out. I have friends or relatives that come to raid my wardrobe. The only problem I see in this is size. You may need to amend your size. One-piece or two here and there, before you know it…voila your wardrobe is full.
3. USED OR PRE-OWNED CLOTHES
These are popularly known as akube or okrika. Don’t know how they came about the names but I guess okrika sounds like something strong or quality. Indeed, that’s what you get when you buy some of these used clothes or shoes. Of course, they’re not items you want to use and pass down to your grandchildren, but they’re good enough to meet your present need and most importantly your budget. Crazy thing is, It’s like a treasure hunt as you can find some real vintage gems, designer pieces or brand new items with labels!. Lastly, they come in grades, just be sure you’re buying the first grade. Once again size might be a challenge, but definitely not an obstacle.
4. RENTALS
There are events you may need to attend and the dress code isn’t what you have in your wardrobe. For instance, a morning suit or tailcoat. These are clothing items you may never wear in a long time or never again. Renting is the best option to save money in this case. There are Nigerian designers and retailers that offer these services now. Find out about them and rent when the need arises.
SUGGESTED MARKETS TO PATRONIZE
1. MANDILAS MARKET LAGOS ISLAND: This is the hub for menswear shopping. You’ll get almost anything you need here (except used clothes) in any manner you need it, original or knockoffs, shoes, jeans and t-shirts, accessories etc, all depends on your budget. I recommend it if you want to buy a cheap suit, fabric for your traditional wear or casual wear. You’ll get a good deal and a wide range of options to choose from. One word of caution, be careful not to get ripped off or swindled.
2. YABA MARKET: If you need good quality used shoes, this is your go-to-market. From formal to casual shoes, all are available here.
3. SUPER OR KATANGWA MARKET: Anything used, you’ll get it here. Bedsheets, curtains, sweaters, belts…the list goes on. However, they have market days which are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The trick though is to go very early in the morning so you can get good items before its taken by someone else.
The iron rule of shopping is, try not to buy everything you need in one shop so you don’t limit your options and you can see a variety of items to choose from.
CONFIDENCE, CHARISMA, AND POSTURE IS THE REAL STYLE
Looking good isn’t just about fine clothes or expensive adornments. Your look isn’t complete without a good dose of confidence, carriage and charisma. A man that carries himself well and confidently in a 10k cloth, can look 10 times better than a man that wears a 100k cloth but carries himself poorly. This is extremely important and guess what, it doesn’t cost a dime!
When you see people like Ebuka (big brother Nigeria presenter) or R.M.D ( veteran actor). They’re both popular and it’s common knowledge that they’re stylish men, that’s why I use them as examples. You can go “damn! that’s a great bespoke suit, I’d like to get one like that”. We usually ignore intangibles like manners, good social standing, great grooming, and charisma. These are attributes that really make those suits fine. Someone else could wear that same suit and you’ll not give a second look. So, in your journey to ascending the stylish ladder, pay close attention to these things as they’re the icing on the cake for any outfit you wear.
Olowe Segun
Tolulope
