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| Bigz Gurlz |
Everyone‘s mental health can be determined, to a large extent, by the kind of clothes that they wear and by appearance. When meeting an insane person, for instance, most people are usually careful not to move close to them. Even a healthy person can be mistaken for somebody that is abnormal by just looking at their appearance.
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At first contact, most people usually tend to react to anybody whose mode of dressing is unconventional with either admiration or disgust (as the case may be). The general attitude to such a person may not change until his sanity is established.
Human beings are rational creatures. So there is a reason for acting the way we do. Some people‘s actions are based on past experiences, while some act by copying what other people do. If we choose to dress properly, there is a reason for it. If we choose to dress with cleavages exposed or boobs popping out of our dresses, it is for a reason.
If a man chooses to unbutton his shirt in order to expose his hairy chest, or sag his trousers in order to expose his boxer shorts, it is also for a reason. Whatever we choose to do, there is a purpose for it because human beings are sensible and logical. During the dry and hot season, for instance, people tend to wear few clothes or light fabrics. But in some places, they will be required to put on suits, no matter how hot the weather may be.
The way women dress has turned out to be a breeding ground for many other societal malaises like sexual promiscuity, rape, prostitution and spread of sexually transmitted diseases. The society has been penetrated with a lot of fashions from the western nations and most youths tend to take this as ‘modern’.
Though a girl is at perfect liberty to choose her own mode of dress, the fact remains that indecently revealing dresses instigate the opposite sex and adds fuel to the (already) burning fire. Though there is definitely some logic in the question, “Then, why should men eve-tease and molest even the decently-dressed girls?” a sane girl would ponder the consequences of inviting avoidable trouble on herself by wearing such dresses that border on obscenity by posing herself the counter-question, “When most men cannot behave decently even with decently dressed women, what a more dangerous situation an indecently dressed girl would be inviting upon herself?”
It is the basic desire of every human being to look decent and present able with what he or she wears. In Nigeria today, the old and especially the young ones are fashion enthusiasts. Whatever we decide to wear at every occasion is greatly shaped by fashion. With the inception of western civilisation, which brought in beauty pageants, promo and advertisements of all sorts, fashion and modelling, foreign musical and pornographic films, etc, indecent dressing has become fashionable. There is no respect for our culture any longer. Most people are now blind to the fashion in vogue, such that they have become slaves to the fashion world.
The importance of what we wear cannot be over-emphasised. The dresses we wear have their own advantages and disadvantages on our personality. Most dresses come with different styles, some help to enhance one’s appearance and beef up one’s confidence anywhere she goes. When you are elegantly dressed, it helps to minimise some physical flaws in the structure of the person and also enhances your positive features and personality in the homes, schools and in the community. In the past, our cultural norms and societal values were greatly upheld. The ways of dressing by our different ethnic groups were well laid out to achieve their set objectives. Our moral cultural belief is all embracing, such as in areas of dressing in burials and marriage ceremonies etc, the dresses have decent outlooks to suit each occasion when it arises.
Let us look at what is indecent dressing. Indecent dressing means an improper or unacceptable way of dressing in the society that is exhibiting the areas of the body that should be covered with clothes, for example the thighs, sexual areas, belly, buttocks, breasts etc. The level of indecent dressing particularly among the female members of the society has become a negative trademark. Dressing in extremely shocking dresses without caution, give wrong impression about the person putting them on and these type of ridiculous dresses make the person look shamelessly and immorally inhuman, which brings with them, promiscuity into the society. Unarguably, some of the dressings veer towards semi-nudity, freedom to dress has now become freedom to be half-naked; this can only be regarded as public nuisance and physical assault.
What many people don’t realize when they go shopping for clothes is that the way they dress can determine how they will be treated that day. Everyone knows that during the summer months a lot of women tend to wear less
clothing. Of course there is nothing wrong with this when you are planning go to the beach or just relax around the house. There is however several places that you will not want to wear these types of outfits.
Even if you were to wear a very short skirt or dress to the office and then a revealing shirt, it may cause your co workers to think that you are trying to get something by dressing provocatively. It can also lead people to jump to conclusions about your personality. They may feel that you are trying to show off or be flirtatious in one way or another. If you dress in a very sloppy way then people can think that you are a dirty or unkempt person. It may be easier for teenagers to get away with dressing in a way that is sloppy or showing too much, but when it comes to adults than it is definitely a whole new world of opinions. As an adult it is very important that you take the time to really think about how you are dressed before you leave the house. If you have children then you are also setting an example on how they should dress, both as young adults and adults.
Nothing is more embarrassing and disappointing in Nigeria today than a sight of a young woman who claims to be knowledgeable but abandon her culture for alien value that neither fits nor accords her respect.
A visit to any of the campuses would leave many aghast at what they would find and see. The craze to dress to kill is a common feature in the campuses, their common dress code is called, “bare-as-you-dare”. It is free show of “bums”, “boobs” etc. Lamentably, what does it really profit our womenfolk to dress exposing the sensitive parts of their bodies? Gone are the days when moderation was the watchword of students, particularly the female ones in our nation’s institutions of higher learning; gone are the days when womenfolk made efforts to conceal the sensual parts of their bodies.
The wearing of indecent dresses has become a culture and indeed in vogue especially in the University campuses. Listen to the comments of the students, “Please leave us alone, this is what is in vogue, it is the ultimate”. These modes of dressing are an eyesore and it is unthinkable that they are taken for granted. The University, which is supposed to be a citadel of learning, charged with the responsibility of training in both academics, morals and character has become a theatre of the absurd, where anything goes and scandalous behaviour has become the order of the day. It is a horrible sight to bear and to see our young ladies parading the streets and campuses in assorted seductive dresses exposing the sensual parts of their bodies. In the campuses, you are hit with a spectacle of these dresses, it is endless. These dresses that are madly worn by these students are called flirty dresses, backless tops resting on trousers, ridiculously short skirts that barely cover the essentials of womanhood, also in the fray is hipster trousers designed to reveal a flat tummy and all the woman cleavages, suffocating tight jeans that barely cover the hips and thighs, see through that clearly reveals the anatomy, body hugs, skimpy tops, frontless hot pants, etc. These dresses are so revealing when they are worn, so that the flowing symbol of purity, modesty has been thrown overboard.
In recent times, the womenfolk have thrown caution to the wind when it comes to what some of them wear and their life styles, they have forgotten that their bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. They flaunt their God-given endowment in a way that is shameful, disgraceful and disrespectful. Suffice me to say, that what is happening in our institutions is a clear reflection of the breakdown of morality in the larger society. When a lady dresses outrageously, instead of having an appealing look, her elegant look would be marred and whatever respect she tried to build for herself for years would be jeopardised. What do parents do to curb these ugly trends in the campuses and the society at large? What kind of mothers do they pretend to be if they fold their hands to watch these ugly trends? You will agree with me that the society is sinking into the abyss of immorality.
The most disturbing aspect of it all is the clear fact that the students refuse to accept the devastating effects of wearing the indecent dresses which expose them to object of carnal desires e.g. rape, prostitution, HIV/ Aids, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and unwanted pregnancies which could lead to abortion and eventually sudden death. The student who puts on flirty dresses would face continuous sexual harassment inside and outside the campus. Some students wear it purposely to attract their lectures for favours because they are lazy students and have no time to read, that is they go about wearing these dresses to lectures to attract their lecturers for sex and marks. In such a situation what becomes of our higher educational system? If students seduce the lecturers with flirty outfits, what will the lecturers do? He would react because, “he is not a stone”. It is advisable for students to wear decent dresses to lectures so as to avoid sexual harassment or rape.
Most of them are university students who tend to forget that the university is an academic environment not a fashion parade ground. Because of this indecent dressing some universities and higher institutions placed posters of decent dressing and continuously embarrass, arrest and detain those who dress indecently.
Wearing clothes like mini skirt, show belly and some other crazy tops are highly prohibited. Despite the consistent call by the government, clergies and some academic institutions to dress decently, some ladies have still worn attires that expose their figures. Their dress is a sign of irresponsibility, violation of religious ethics and blatant disregard for values of mother Africa. A lady who patronizes the fashion illusioned herself as lioness in the pursuit of admirers so as to lure them into her trap. The front line weapons commonly used by women to completely disorganise man to parade their victories, among other things, artificial self beautification,
Moreover, both Islam and Christianity teach morality, decency and good conduct. dress code as being defined by some universities as any type of dress worn by students that covers their body from top of the shoulder to midway between the knee and the ankle which must not be tight fitted and transparent, forbids indecent dressing such as: shorts, bare back and clinging dresses, short {except for sporting purpose}, tight fitted dresses e.g jeans and skirts, that reveals the curves of the body under the closing such as singlet, skirts and dresses which have long silt that reveal sensitive apart, dresses with obscene and indecent inscription and pictures. Coat/shirts without button or not properly buttoned, showing bare chest. These are some indecent dresses; students should refrain from them.
A woman is supposed to be light in this world, setting the standards of Godliness. Islam encourages women to dress themselves in decent clothing. There is no sense of bashfulness in the way many young ladies dress today in our campuses. The dignity and good image of any institution depends on the conduct of its members. This is manifested in terms of attitude, conformation with cultural injunctions and the mode of dressing, which depicts the outward composition of the people.
It is expected that our learned Nigerians should utilize their mental alertness, wisdom, knowledge and position to assist the government and the society in eradicating indecent dressing in our society which is already eaten deep into the fabric of our nation. Most importantly, now that the Nigerians are getting prepared for the voyage to the Promised Land in the year 2020, we should try hard to desist from all sorts of evil practices so that Almighty God would lead us safely to the Promise Land even before the appointed date.
Guys also dress indecently when their boxers show above their trousers or there is no underwear and yet their trousers just barely hang on to their waists.
How can one tackle this menace without trampling on the fundamental human rights of the individual? This is because indecent dressing is a relative term subject to several factors such as religion, culture, etc, thus making what is acceptable to you not acceptable to another.
There is also the possibility of law enforcement officers abusing this duty and using it as an opportunity to sexually harass women as exemplified by some universities whose security officers even go as far as physically assaulting girls whose trousers are not full length and wear sleeveless blouses.
This is why so many human rights organisations and civil society groups are resisting the passage of the bill on indecent dressing. It is obvious then that to effectively stem the tide of indecent dressing, a change in the mindset of the individual should be emphasised rather than coercion. The co-operation of all well meaning Nigerians is also necessary.
We must all realise that the seeming moral laxity of the Nigerian youth is simply a reflection of the moral bankruptcy of our various families and the society at large.
If you dress in a very sloppy way, some people will think that you are dirty or unkempt. Teenagers may easily get away with dressing in a way that is sloppy or revealing, but not adults. For the latter, it is definitely a different ball game, since our reputation is in the hands of other people. Even then, we can influence it by cultivating the right habits.
However, as adults, it is important to take a good look at what we wear and how we are dressed before leaving our homes. Clothes that are meant to be worn to the beach or relaxation spots around the house should not be seen in other places. If we have children, then we are indirectly teaching them how they should dress.
Every human being is a living magnet. We have the ability to attract and repel. We have the capacity to earn other people‘s admiration or aversion by the way we dress. The way we dress can determine how we will be treated that day. Like someone said recently, that the type of clothes in vogue now, both for the married and unmarried, young and old, is generally called swagger. “If you don‘t swagger, then you are not in vogue,” she said.
According to the celebrated designer, Gianni Versace, “the key to proper collection of clothing is to be yourself”. In his words, don‘t be into trends and don‘t make fashion own you. But you should decide what you are and what you want to express by the way you dress and the way you live.
Whichever way you choose to act, let it be for a positive purpose. Whatever way you choose to dress, let it be for respect and not disgust. Our clothes must be decent, clean, coordinated and free of wrinkles at all times. It is not only when you want to go out that you should keep your clothes neat. Even when you are indoors, your clothes should be free of wrinkles at all times. One is not considered classy, if she exposes parts of her body that should be kept private all the time. A lady will dress for her body type and not try to get ahead using her physical attributes. Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent, so dress the way you want to be addressed. Freedom to dress is not freedom to be half-naked. All hands must be on deck to proffer lasting solutions to this ugly trend.
Whether you are a man or a woman, you can dress well by following these few simple guidelines:
Dress the way you want to be addressed. Imitating rock/pop stars who are usually half dressed for stage performances and video shoots is not wise.
The celebrities you imitate would never dress half naked to a press conference or a live talk show the way you dress to lectures or even church.
Theirs is a business strategy designed to sell their music. Your nudity can even be interpreted as lack of self confidence and the desire to court attention at all costs.
Wear clothes that suit your body size and not clothes that look good on your friend who is obviously several sizes smaller than you are.
We can’t all be slim, so forcing yourself into a size 4 dress when you are clearly a size 6 would only make you look ridiculous.
Understand that when you keep your sacred parts sacred, you tell the world that you respect yourself and can achieve your dreams through hard work and perseverance and not by flaunting your ‘assets’.
What makes human beings superior to other mammals in the evolution process is our sense of reason. That is what should determine what you put on and not fashion.
-Blessing Sylvanus Ndifreke
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