One thing that separates Nigerian students from their counterparts on the continent is their dress sense. This is manifested in the simple but stylish clothes that adorn their bodies on their campuses across the country.
For instance, despite economic downturn in the country, they have braced themselves to look better and more decent than wallowing in poverty and agony.
However, while female students will go the extra mile to look good, their male counterparts have little to worry about the way they dress. Speaking to Black Campus, Jibola Oluokun, a student of one of the nation’s universities said that it is quite easy for male students to maintain their dress sense despite the harsh economic realities as they do not have to worry over make-up, latest fashion and hair-do.
Oluokun said that a lot of guys do not care about their looks due to the fact that looking good to them means a clean shirt, T-shirt or polo on a pair of jeans and trousers.
He, however, noted that guys who want to be fashionable by following the latest trend among celebrities have resorted to buying second-hand clothes popularly called “Okrika” in the local parlance due to lack of money.
In his words, “Some of these guys who want to look good and great at all cost usually starve themselves to afford the latest fashion. Others who don’t have enough money buy used clothes and then starch them to also appear good. We also have the minority who are either from a comfortable home, entrepreneurs or working boys like we call them that dress decently since they can afford good dressing.”
For Chika Onyema, a 200 level student of the University of Lagos, fashion sense among universities students, especially the females depends on the cliques and places of worship they belong. According to Onyema, the girls that do partying could go the extra mile to look good. While those from modern Pentecostal churches like Redeemed, Christ Embassy and Winners chapel follow suit in the dressing spree to please people.
Describing the trend in fashion in this harsh economic, the undergraduate said the popular Yaba Market has been their solace as they could afford modest apparels with little money. “What many of the girls do is to visit Yaba Market every Monday, Wednesday and Friday when new bails are opened. If one is lucky, one could afford a cheap nice wear and still look hot,” he added.
Onyema noted that due to hike in prices of things, girls now depend on cheap make-up kits, which most times have adverse effects on them. Her words, “For instance, original Mary Kay Powder costs N3,000 to N4,000. What we do is to get the substandard one sold for N1,000 to N1,500 unless I tell you it is fake, you won’t know. Although, after a while, the fake Mary Kay Powder will smear your face. The same goes for attachment.”
For Deji Lawal, a 100 level student of University of Lagos, fashion for him during this inflation period is to be creative with what you wear and still look good.