“Money can’t buy you class”

DURING my first year of varsity, we all seemed to be at the same level, wardrobe wise.

Of course we’d all just come fresh out of high school and school uniforms – we didn’t really have much to go by. Most of us had to deal with our parents’ non-trending wardrobe choices, most of which we didn’t like. But in their minds, they thought they were doing you a favour because they bought the clothes in “reputable” shops and they cost them quite a lot of money. With time, some of us would save pocket money just to buy that one pair of skinny jeans, a cooler pair of shoes and one funky top. By the time the second year was over, the wardrobe was competitive, maybe not filled with quality clothing but at least it exuded some sense of style. Most of us looked forward to work-related learning because we’d get the opportunity to earn some real money.

In most instances though, it wouldn’t be much but it would certainly go a long way in pimping up that all important wardrobe which contributed much to your image on campus. Once we came back for the final year, the transformations were unbelievable!

Some girls went from not wearing pants at all to wearing ripped jeans and asymmetrical tops. They went from no make-up at all to the whole nine yards – eye-liner, mascara and bright red lipstick! I remember this one girl in my class – for three years I didn’t know her, we never spoke, maybe I was snobbish or I just couldn’t be bothered. Until final year when she rocked up in big hair, elaborate make-up, skinny jeans and six inch high heels and bam, she was in my face and everybody else’s!

It was quite some transformation but something just wasn’t right. She had the money and the clothes but it just wasn’t coming together quite right. We had a debate about this on Twitter the other day. Someone was saying times are tough and people can’t afford to look good. I was saying looking classy isn’t about wearing expensive clothes. It’s about having an eye for fashion and knowing what looks good on your body. Every other day, I meet people who seem to think they can’t afford to look good. But I I’ll tell you now – looking good isn’t about the price tag on a garment. You can buy fashion but you can never buy style. When you go shopping, even if it’s once a year, think very carefully about what you want to buy and make sure you don’t spend on rubbish.

Make sure you don’t buy colourful, floral or printed garments if it’s the only one of its kind you have. Instead of buying a yellow blazer, buy a black or a navy blue one because you won’t be able to wear yellow every other day – people will know it’s the only one you have. Because you can only get so many outfits from purple shoes, rather buy black, nude or brown ones. These can be easily rotated and no one will notice they’re the only ones you have. Make sure you get the basics – white shirt, clean wash denims, black suit and black shoes – these can always be pimped up with accessories.

Every woman should own a little black dress and every man a dark coloured suit. A little black dress is timeless. It’ll go to the club, to a wedding or a cocktail effortlessly.

Your accessories are what will make it relevant for the different spaces.

Same as a well-fitted black suit – your shirt, pocket square and buttonhole are what will set you apart. And to be frank, these are once off purchases – you don’t go around buying pocket squares every day! Rotation is a key component to keeping your wardrobe vibrant without spending an extra dollar. Don’t wear the same pants with the same shirt and shoes. Mix it up a little bit and trust me, you’ll get more out of your lean wardrobe. Ever seen some rich people you’d expect can afford “looking good” but they just don’t? It’s because money can’t buy you class. You can be in an Armani suit and no one will look at you twice yet the person in a no name number will turn the most heads.