A walk through any urban area or within institutions of higher learning in this country makes one encounter the ever dynamic and evolving mode of dressing among the youth. Gone are the days when formal dressing would be used to accentuate one’s personality; fashion and style now take center-stage in decision of attire by younger people.
Inasmuch as this is a contentious issue that elicits unending dialogue and varied opinions, the question that begs asking is: Who or what primarily determines what today’s young men and women choose to wear, and why?
The media comes out as a major influence on the decisions young people make, especially when it comes to dressing. Under the umbrella term ‘media’, is publications, television, radio, cinema, theatre, the internet and various modes of advertising that relay information to people.
With such universal rights as freedom of expression seemingly in full effect, young people need no prompting to enjoy these rights and exercise the freedoms that go with it. Besides style and fashion, human beings primarily get dressed for protection from the elements and also to safeguard their dignity. The question that arises then is: Why would a young man endure the discomfort of a winter jacket worn in the afternoon heat or teenage girls bear the morning chill in sleeveless tops. Are we more interested in looking and feeling like people in the western world or being dressed comfortably?
Many young people find role models in celebrities, both locally and internationally. Tattoos are acquired simply because a favorite musician, actor or other famous person has one. Accents and choice of words are also determined by these same factors. Little wonder there is prevalence of vulgar language and obscene gestures among the youth.
Young persons living in urban areas are more affected considering their exposure to a more versatile and metropolitan environment. Life in towns is so eventful and communication channels are quite developed.
The warped view that the youth get especially after watching movies and music videos from the developed countries is that the attire worn during performances is every-day wear. Many young people eventually wear shameful skimpy clothing while aping what they have watched. Very tight and close-fitting clothes worn especially by ladies supposedly make them ‘feel more comfortable’.
There was in recent times a launch of a Kenyan national dress that had taken both fashion experts and the public many days to come up with. Since the launch, very few people still remember how those dresses looked like, let alone ever wearing one. Either the dresses are very costly, unavailable or out of taste for the Kenyans they were being made for.
This craving for what is foreign runs deep within all of us but it is more evident in the youth who are more prone to peer influences and impulsive actions by virtue of their age and the circumstances they find themselves in.
Can the young man or woman living today in a world where everyone else seems to be quite busy minding his or her business get direction from these ‘other’ people?
To many an adult, the modern youth have either lost direction or are headed into oblivion, both culturally and morally. And this is happening really fast. At this juncture, we need to pause, take a second look and ask ourselves: Have we failed as a society to take charge of our own, such that our sons and daughters are now seeking direction in other cultures that unrelentingly dish out their own values and cultural practices, however despicable?
How then can the local media outlets which do have such an enormous influence on our youth promote more positive values and thus endear our youth to constructive ways of expression? The programming and content carried by electronic and print media should be aimed at providing the population with information and values that enhance their knowledge and appreciation of their own culture. Surveys should be carried out to find out what the youth really appreciate and without comprising the business reasons for which this industry exists, they should be more involved in propagating their own cultural values.
The youth will therefore enjoy our rich culture, be more dignified and discover in themselves renewed self-worth.
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I was born in Nairobi, Kenya, 25 years ago. The realization that I can write came after I read ‘The River Between’ by Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart’. This was before my 10th birthday. I therefore started contributing to ‘Rainbow’, a Kenyan Children’s Magazine. Later on, I would write for my High School and College Magazines. Currently, I write for Capital FM’s ‘QZ Magazine’. I also e-publish PETSTANMOST, a monthly ezine that profiles my graphic design and writing skills. |
