Two days ago, my cousin was complaining bitterly about a friend. She always does. The dynamics of that particular friendship has always amazed me. I mean…, how do you remain friends with someone you always have something bitter to say about?
One of the things she has always complained about is the fact that the friend in question, whenever she buys a new item of clothing, is always reluctant to say where she got it from and at how much. And curiously enough, this is a complaint I have gotten from many ladies about some of their friends who seemingly do not want the others in their social grouping to outshine them. So they always tell lies about how much and where they bought so-and-so clothing or so-and-so place where they got their nails done.
That is why Jessyka Fon’s Fcbk post in the days following the “Broken” premiere was a rather welcome sight. Jessyka Fon looked dashing. To borrow the words of the poet, Lord Byron “she walked in beauty like the night.” She was the one person that caught my eye from the bevy that night and I am this close to leaving my imaginary girlfriend for her.
Cough* Cough*
But to get back to her post. Jessica shared it all, and with a fresh honesty. She shared how much she bought and sewed her skirt. She said her blouse was from an old dress of which she had ripped the bottom. She shared that she had neither bought new shoes for the premiere nor new earrings. She also shared that the gloves she wore were from an Okrika pair of socks she got for 200frs. She even gave the location of the Aunty in Sandpit Junction who sewed her skirt. I’m sure my cousin would like Jessyka.
There are two things involved here...
Numero UNO: Social media is a place where people can be very, very judgemental and everyone is seen to be or is trying to make others think that they are living their best lives. You can be judged for wearing shoes that you bought 8 months ago to a movie premiere (like Jessyka did) for the stupidest reason. For this reason, many people are often afraid (and for good reason) or shy to post things about themselves that they know might warrant such negative commentary.
So for Jessyka to come out and tell you that her skirt that looked like a million bucks actually cost 7,500frs is a big middle finger to social media mentality and a rather refreshing and welcome outing, irrespective of whether her intentions were so, or not.
Numero TWO-O: The satirical and borderline trolling by Jessyka Fon on the illusion of luxury is something that we all need to see. She wrote in her post: “My aim is to make the world and average Cameroonian know that, you don't need to spend a fortune before looking good… I went there simply dressed so my followers will not shy away from red carpets thinking they need to spend too much before attending events/occasions. The only new thing I have on is my skirt.”
The peal of the message is one that should ring loudly every single day we go on social media. We are being fed, constantly, images of the likes of Hushpuppy (or is it Hushpoppi?) whose every attire is some costly brand. We see our own local celebrities follow in this lifestyle of buying luxury items and drinking expensive champagne and what-not.
The pressure on young boys and girls is particularly strong, and somewhere, they feel that validation and acceptance in society rest almost on possession of luxurious and/or expensive items. For the young girls, this pressure is even stronger as many of them attach it to their personal worth.
Like those young women who take selfies with their friends’ iPhone in restaurant bathrooms so they can post on the gram and give off the illusion that they own the smartphone brand with the half-bitten apple.
Like Jessyka has shown us, it is all just an illusion, a smokescreen, a fogged-up glass window. Being true to yourself and owning it is what really matters. It even matters more when we put it out on social media au vu et au su de tous and we are judged like Jesus on his way to Calvary.
And no doubt the most important thing Jessyka has shown us is that style is not price, but combination and the confidence with which you carry it. You can wear 10 million worth of Gucci on your body and still look tacky. If you think I’m lying, look at Hushpoppi. Oops! I just judged him.
- Wandji Wilfred.
Photo: FREDDASH photos.
You can read Jessyka’s post here: https://www.facebook.com/100009689136893/posts/987788568220772?d=n&sfns=mo