Men’s fashion is no more a novel concept in Nigeria, it has come to stay. We no longer say “just throw on any outfit you see, it doesn’t matter, you’re a man” anymore because men are now expected to be intentional in their dressing. Men’s fashion like all fashion has rules and processes that make for successful step out.
Let’s look at five of these rules.
Fitting: Personally, before you consider what you’re wearing or how expensive it is, the first question you should ask is how does it look on me? I don’t care that you are wearing a twenty-five thousand naira pair of jeans if you look like a sack of beans on display. For an outfit to work, it must fit. Please, guys, fitting does not mean wearing something so tight that your sack is squeezed into your stomach and you’re spilling out of your buttonholes. My rule is, not so loose that someone else can join you inside the clothes, and not so tight that your blood flow is cut off. Let your outfits be like a second skin, operational word– second.
Trending: There is nothing wrong with keeping with the trend. Let’s be real, it’s simply great. If you want to be taken seriously and be ‘the bawse’, you can’t afford to show up in 2017 with a broad fluorescent tie reaching all the way to your knees on baggy trousers pulled up to your chest. As much as possible, live in the present, that means wear outfits that are in vogue. As much as I’m of the school of thought that encourage people to go against the mold, try and skirt around the current trends.
Combine colours with caution: Red shirt with fluorescent lime-green tie on yellow trousers may work if you need to be found in the dark, but if you’re not lost in need of rescue, combine your colours with style. Before you dabble with bright shouting colours, make sure you have mastered the art of colour coding. Get a rainbow chart if you are bad with combining colours, it can show you colours that go well together. Work with colours that complement your complexion and the occasion you are dressing for.
Accessorize: They use to tell us that accessories were for women, but I beg to differ. Accessorizing has been very popular in African fashion, check the chiefs of our history or our traditional rulers, can you beat their blings? The key to accessorizing as a man is knowing what is appropriate for occasion and personality. Hand chains, neck chains, brooches, rings and the works are cool, as long as you use them sparingly and correctly. Four dog chains and rings on every finger is an attire to wear for a concert or better still, a deliverance session than for a bank interview. Wear what is comfortable for you and appropriate for the occasion.
Personal style: Don’t allow yourself to be boxed or confined to a textbook style system. Try and develop a personal brand, something peculiar to you. Don’t be afraid to try out your own creation. Maybe a haircut, casual/corporate mix mash… The key to a successful personal style is to know the rules of men’s fashion, then work around it. So before you try to combine jeans and a jacket, make sure you know how to wear a suit first.
