They say “dress how you want to be addressed”, but have you ever wondered why certain clothes make you feel unstoppable, while others make you want to disappear?
Fashion for many is more than a piece of fabric, it’s a silent language, one that speaks before you ever open your mouth.
Last semester, I met Tola, a pharmacy student with a taste for simplicity, always in oversized hoodies, sneakers and a backpack that seemed older than her matric number. She once told me, “fashion is for those who have the time.” Yet, one day, for her faculty dinner, she showed up in a sleek emerald dress that glowed under the hall lights. Heads turned. Even the shyest guys muttered a soft “Wow.”That night, Tola realized something she hadn’t before, she wasn’t just wearing a dress; the dress was wearing her confidence.
Fashion doesn’t start in your wardrobe, it starts in your mind. The moment you decide what to wear, you’re silently telling the world who you are, what you believe in, and where you’re going. Like Oscar Wilde said, “you can never be overdressed or overeducated.”
The truth is, you don’t need to chase trends to be fashionable. Trends fade faster than a Snapchat story, style however, is eternal. Real fashion is not imitation, it is expression. When you understand your body, your vibe and your story, your clothes becomes your narrative. Your white shirt stops being “just a shirt”, it becomes a statement of grace.Your Ankara doesn’t just scream color, it tells your heritage, your pride, your rhythm.
Fashion, at its heart, is identity worn on the skin.When we think of fashion, we often imagine Paris, Milan and New York tall models, high heels and flashing cameras. But true fashion exists everywhere; in the girl who confidently rocks thrifted jeans and handmade jewelry, in the guy who matches his shirt with his pants, in the student who steps out every morning with purpose in his stride.
Fashion isn’t reserved for celebrities or influencers, it’s for the everyday people who use what they wear to write their story. It’s the poetry of appearance, rhythm, rhyme and reason stitched into fabric.
So, the next time you say, “I have nothing to wear,” remember, it’s not about what’s in your closet, it’s about what’s in your confidence.
Fashion has rhythm, the soft sway of a flowing gown, the crisp snap of a well-ironed shirt, the beat of heels echoing in the hallway. It’s music without sound, movement without words.
There’s a little rhyme in every outfit you wear; “dress in haste, regret in taste.
dress with intent and command respect”.
”Your clothes are instruments, your body is the stage.
Every morning, you get to perform, not for the world, but for yourself, because confidence is not built in the mirror, it’s built in the moment you decide you’re enough.
Studies have shown that dressing well can boost your mood, improve performance and even change the way people perceive you. This isn’t vanity, it’s psychology. When you dress sharply, your posture changes. You walk taller, speak clearer, smile wider.
You don’t wear clothes; you wear energy and people can feel it. A neat outfit can open doors that talents alone might struggle to push. In interviews, presentations, or even casual conversations, your appearance often speaks before your words do and like it or not, first impressions rarely come with a second chance. As one designer once said, “style is a way to say who you are without having to speak”.
Fashion empowers, it’s a form of soft rebellion, a quiet revolution. Every time someone steps out in what makes them feel authentic, they’re declaring freedom from judgment, expectation, and insecurity. Tola’s emerald dress didn’t change her personality, it only revealed what was hidden beneath; confidence, elegance, and poise and that’s the secret, fashion doesn’t create confidence, it awakens it.
Whether you’re in a corporate suit, a casual tee, or native attire, what matters most is that it feels you, because the best fashion trend you can ever follow is self-awareness.
Your Wardrobe, Your Voice.
Take a moment today to open your wardrobe , not just to pick an outfit, but to pick a mood. Ask yourself; what do I want to say to the world today? Let your color speak, your fabric whisper, your shoes narrate.
Wear joy. Wear power. Wear purpose.
Remember, fashion fades, but confidence is forever. You’re not dressing for attention, you’re dressing for intention.
The world doesn’t need another copy, it needs your originality, your bold mix of creativity, culture, and courage.
So tomorrow morning, before you rush out, stand before your mirror and smile. Don’t dress to impress, dress to express. Don’t wear trends, wear truth.
Your outfit is not just an arrangement of colors and fabric, it’s a reflection of who you are becoming.
Fashion is not about perfection. It’s about progression, about learning to show up for yourself every single day, one outfit at a time. So go ahead, wear that confidence. Walk that style. Own your space. Because in the end, the best fashion statement is YOU.
Written by,
Al-Ameen Adediran
Intern, OHR Publishing Comms. Unit
