STEREOTYPES.

This photo captures the expression I just might adopt if I ever met a certain commenter on Buzzfeed's Facebook page...let's just call him Mr. Sullivan. The man who isn't very impressed with the Lagos Street Style pictures showcased by Buzzfeed. 

I'm okay for people to constructively critique the blog, in fact I welcome it. For self improvement. However Mr. Sullivan simply scoffs, saying the pictures are just of "the wealthy people in Nigeria". Their sense of style, which was approved of, by every single other commenter (and thank you all very much on behalf of all those featured), was put down by Mr Sullivan as being essentially only down to riches.

Now who's going to help us tell Mr. Sullivan a few things? A few things like...

That there's no denying the existence of poverty here, but you DO NOT have to be rich to be well turned out.

That Lagosians and Nigerians generally, take a lot of self pride in their style.

That fashion is a passion around these parts.

How will we enlighten Mr. Sullivan and elucidate that it's part of our culture to dress up and show up...and sometimes we go over the top but it's our way of life and we love it?

Who's going to whisper in his ear that a lot of us actually get our clothes hand made as there are so many dressmakers with charges ranging from cheap-and-cheerful to you've-got-to-be-kidding-me ... and there's a dressmaker for almost every pocket?

Really, I need someone to tell him that stereotypes lose their power when the world is found to be more complex than the stereotype would suggest. 

Or if he ever reads this, I'd like him to consider expanding his assessment of Lagos street style and his interpreted limitation that it applies to the "wealthy people in Nigeria".

Consider it Mr. Sullivan. Thank you Mr. Sullivan. 

And very quickly, we go back to cheery ways.

Enjoy :)