In Lagos, outfits don’t simply make impressions. They determine outcomes. Whether or not it’s a rooftop party in Victoria Island, a festival in Lekki, or a soft-life brunch in Ikoyi, what you wear determines how the evening goes.
We requested 25 Lagosians — the OGs “outdoors gang,” frequent partygoers, and occasional occasion hoppers — to share their experiences of displaying up underdressed. The solutions? Brutally trustworthy and painfully humorous.
1. ‘The Bouncer Didn’t Even See My Identify’
Over half of our respondents stated they’ve been side-eyed or flat-out bounced from an occasion due to how they regarded.
“I RSVP’d twice and even knew the organizer,” one in every of them stated, laughing. “However the bouncer regarded me up and down and stated, ‘Oga, are you certain you’re on the listing?’”
In Lagos, bouncers are unofficial gatekeepers of aesthetics. You can be finest associates with the host, but when your match screams office casual as an alternative of weekend premium, you may immediately grow to be invisible.
At many unique Lagos occasions, trying the half is the precise entry card. You may even be refused entry since you put on shorts as a man or flat footwear as a girl.
2. ‘I Vanished from All of the Photos’
Each Lagos occasion is secretly a photoshoot. From 360 cams and drones to random street-style photographers, the digicam finds those that costume to impress.
“I used to be proper beside the individuals who made it to the occasion carousel,” one lady confessed. “However in each single image, I used to be conveniently cropped out.”
Over a dozen respondents admitted they barely appeared in occasion images. Not as a result of they weren’t there, however as a result of their outfits didn’t move the vibe verify. In Lagos, in case your drip doesn’t ship, the digicam will respectfully blur you out.
3. ‘Everybody Thought I Got here With Somebody’
13 individuals stated that the second they stepped in underdressed, they turned “plus-one coded.”
“Somebody actually requested, ‘Who invited you?’” one respondent laughed. “I regarded so common that folks assumed I used to be the DJ’s buddy’s buddy.”
In Lagos, outfits create hierarchy. For those who don’t look costly, individuals assume you don’t belong. A weak match immediately reduces your social credibility, even when you paid to your ticket.
4. ‘No one Seen Me; Till the Invoice Got here’
Eight respondents described feeling fully invisible throughout an evening out.
“Nobody made eye contact all evening,” one man stated. “However when the invoice dropped, immediately everybody remembered me.”
Whenever you’re out in Lagos, your outfit often determines how seen you’re. You don’t have to put on a designer piece to be seen. Nonetheless, on this metropolis, confidence typically comes within the type of cloth.
5. ‘That Night time Modified How I Gown Ceaselessly’
For nearly each respondent, one unhealthy outfit expertise triggered a lifelong style awakening.
“After that evening, I began planning my matches like job interviews,” one respondent admitted. “Lagos humbled me.”
Nothing motivates a Lagosian like being outdressed or wrongly wearing public. It is style trauma that breeds evolution. Personally, I began stitching native put on after sporting a blazer at a conventional wedding ceremony and felt misplaced. (preserve this between us)
Why Did You Get That Response?
Just a few causes got here up repeatedly:
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Bouncers and photographers are visible curators. They decide primarily based on picture, not invitation.
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Model equals social capital. Lagosians use look to gauge class, standing, and community.
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There’s silent peer stress. Everybody attire to be seen, not simply to attend.
However past the jokes, these experiences reveal a broader reality about Lagos: town, like another, runs on aesthetics as a lot as entry.
So, What’s the Repair?
Lagos occasions don’t forgive style errors. However they do train classes. The excellent news? You don’t need to be taught the arduous manner.
For those who’re uninterested in dressing regrets, take a look at our earlier guides:
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What Not to Wear to Certain Events According to a Fashion Stylist
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9 Common Fashion Mistakes Partygoers Make (and How to Fix Them)
We do not need to preserve having disagreeable experiences when ‘outsideing’ now, will we?
