I pondered over that TV advert for quite a while as it just did not sit right with me....
opinion
A few days ago, as I idly scrolled through TV channels, a commercial caught my attention. It was an advertisement for one of the leading clothing brands of Pakistan implying that the only way a woman can make a style statement is by not repeating her outfit. I pondered over that TV advert for quite a while as it just did not sit right with me.
Do clothes, particularly designer clothes, determine whether a man or a woman is worthy enough to make a style statement? Is repeating an outfit still considered stereotypical in our society?
We are living in the Year 2022, where people are thinking beyond boundaries. They are openly talking about issues which were once considered taboo to talk about and here in our society the biggest ‘issue’ being promoted is ‘never repeat an outfit’. The virtual world and its fame has given people unnecessary power. We are getting materialistic day by day. Whenever any event or function is around the corner, our biggest concern is what to wear or the desire to look different.
Many people around us are compromising their peace of mind and self-satisfaction just for the sake of being in the limelight by flaunting their designer dresses. The brands promoting this culture should be more cautious and prudent about their content and what kind of message they are delivering to their audience, especially the youth. Such a mind-set in a poverty-stricken country plagued by inflation and corruption is the cause of the population’s growing inferiority complex.
Repeating your outfit is nothing to be ashamed of. There’s a simple solution to expertly reiterating your clothes and the key is to style the pieces differently. This is where fashion becomes truly enjoyable and interesting. You get to use your imagination and come up with different ways to wear your outfits. Talking about re-wearing the same outfit on a different occasion, we have the perfect example of Kate Middleton – Duchess of Cambridge known as the ‘outfit recycling queen’ who’s unafraid to re-wear her fashion favourites on special occasions. Just when you think the princess has retired an outfit for good, she puts it on casually and makes it seem ten times better. Our brands and celebrities should take some notes and remove the stigma around repeating an outfit without any shame.
The only thing you need to learn is; how you can pull off the same outfit with a different yet classy look. The way you style your outfit is very important. For instance, you want to repeat your favourite blacktop and you have already worn it with a pair of jeans; next time around, replace it with a skirt and a different pair of shoes. Tada! You are now repeating in style.
When you’re trying to duplicate a dress but don’t want to add any outerwear, you can opt to wear a different necklace or skip the necklace entirely and go for statement earrings instead. Also, keep in mind that scarves, hats, and shoes are all accessories, so swapping them around will make a tremendous impact. A black maxi dress complemented by loose hair once and later an intricate up-do with red lipstick will feel and look different. Even though the change is minor, these details are important. Solid colours, obviously, can be repeated more frequently and easily than prints and statement pieces. So remember to make sure there’s a decent break between your printed outfits before repeating them.
There are a lot of garments that are versatile enough to be worn on different occasions. A shirt that works at work, may also work for the evening meet up with friends. It’s all about how you carry the same shirt with a pinch of different style.
As we all know that no get-together is complete without a social media post. Once it’s been Instagrammed, its history. But that doesn’t mean you can’t recycle your clothes. Just space out your posts a bit and post that picture.
Instead of being stuck in this toxic mentality, these brands can take initiative to shed light on more serious problems going on around the world. There’s no need to fill your closet with single-use clothing. It’s quite natural to repeat outfits, and you shouldn’t feel compelled to trivialise the maximum potential of your clothes. Furthermore, clothes hoarding has a harmful impact on our environment. There is, however, one rule you need to follow: Feel free to repeat your outfit and slay your favourite look without feeling ashamed.
And the most important thing is that our brands should be held accountable for promoting such irresponsible and careless content and giving the impression that not repeating designer outfits and purchasing endless designer clothes for every occasion is something to be proud of. This blatant and rampant consumerism must be stifled before it alters our society and culture beyond recognition.
Let’s abandon the idea that repeating clothes should be something to be ashamed of. They’re made to be washed and re-worn, anyway. You wouldn’t purchase an article of clothing only to waste its cost-per-wear value, right? Keep wearing what you love. Besides, there’s always this boost of confidence we get whenever we wear an outfit that we already know works for us. And that, ladies, is the most important thing!
