IS “TO-MATCH” ALL THERE IS TO FASHION?

“Red top, black pants…no blue jeans…uhm…no…black jeans, with red shoe, red bag, red accessories, red eye shadow, yeah; this outfit is really going to match my red hair do, I have to look cool and everything has to be ‘to-match’ ” Tabitha said to herself as she browsed through her wardrobe one fine morning in preparation to leave her home. She had ransacked the whole wardrobe in search of a befitting ‘to-match’ outfit for the day. All her clothes where all over the room and she was almost getting a blasting headache, she was running late and still hadn’t found the ‘perfect’ outfit or should I say, the ‘perfect to-match’

Many ladies in Nigeria today are so keen about this ‘to-match’ pattern of dressing that they ensure that all their dressing is in that manner. No matter the occasion, no matter where they are going, they always want to be on ‘to-match’ that’s the only time they feel confident in their dressing and that’s the only time they believe they look good, as in, really good. I’m not trying to say that matching up your cloths is a bad thing or following the ‘to-match’ trend is bad but is that what fashion is about? Is that all fashion has to offer? If we understand fashion, there are certain things that don’t remain static in our dress sense. Just come with me through this article and I will give you a little taste of what fashion is, which would give you a clearer picture of the awe of fashion.

Although it is allowed for you to have your own definition of fashion, but there is what has been generally accepted as the true meaning of fashion which also covers whatever definition you might want to give it. Apart from the dictionary meaning of fashion, designers and fashion expert who live the life of fashion have given fashion its true meaning. They were able to define fashion because they live the life and not just talk the talk and so have a natural in-depth knowledge of what fashion is. A French designer, Coco Chanel once said, “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only, fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening”. As superb as this definition looks or sounds, it still falls under the ultimate definition of what fashion is. Whether you choose to define fashion as an art, or a religion, a job, a peek into personality, playfulness or an escape in disguise, fashion is ultimately a statement of expression. Fashion is a term usually used in a positive sense as a synonym for glamour, beauty and style but it is ultimately a prevailing mode of expression.

Now that you now have a picture or an idea of what fashion is, you will agree with me that living a fashion life of just ‘to-match’ is you underutilizing fashion. Apart from that, too much of a single colour on you doesn’t actually look as good as you think, just like the outfit Tabitha picked out at the beginning of this article; you will agree with me that too much of red is actually bloody. Be expressive in your dressing but don’t look like a circus clown. There are laws even in fashion that should never be over looked and must be considered when picking out your clothes, and the attempt to avoid ‘to-match’ do not overdo it, be aware of the colour combination and be sure that they match; you can have up to three colours on you at once or even six colours but be sure to match the right colours. There are certain colour that match that people are unaware of that look beautiful together, like, lilac and wine red, turquoise and yellow and a whole lot more even blue and red of any shade.

More so, whenever you want to do more than two colours, ensure that they all blend, let the centre colour compliment the other two, that is, let them connect and flow without a break; for instance, tomato red, sky blue and yellow, red compliments the other two colours, the yellow matches the red and the red matches the blue so no colour is lonely and there’s a flow. Just be artistic and creative in your sense of style and fashion, don’t be trapped down by just one very minute side of fashion, be daring, life is too broad and short for you to remain hidden, stand out with your style and not in a negative way but in a way worth emulating, drop this ‘to-match’ trend, its old fashioned, you could do it once in a while but don’t make it a regular thing. Don’t limit yourself; you can actually look more stunning than you think.

In summary, fashion is a means of expression that allows people to try on many roles in life whether you prefer hip-hop or Chanel chic, fashion accommodates the chameleon in us all. Fashion shouldn’t be taken too seriously or you lose the fun in it.