There I stood on aisle four (4) with my ushering tag around my neck on that Tuesday morning, a little nervous I must confess, since I was dwarfed in the middle of Daniel hall and John hall boys. Not just that sef, I was right there in front and hence had to keep trying to side-step the babe behind the camera so that I wouldn’t come up on the projector.
I was silently praying that nothing embarrassing would happen to me amidst all these 300, 400, 500level boys, who would most definitely laugh mercilessly at the faintest show of embarrassment.
So there I stood, conscious of my surrounding, conscious of myself, and therefore looking at everybody but not quite looking at them, but beyond them. I was trying so hard to make as minimal eye contact as possible when it dawned on me- Where Did All The Slim Ties Go?
The era of slim ties was gladly accepted by boys of all ages, class, and stance. It wasn’t welcomed, or bargained for it just sort of happened. It just suddenly happened on them, us. One minutes boys had fat ties, the next minute even CST/CHD/CBS college ties were being slim fitted to the thin-ness requirement of slim tie (I swear I'm not lying).
The era of slim ties was admirable though--because apart from looking fashionable boys still looked responsible #MyOpinion. And because, well, the ties weren't fat. Simple.
I liked spotting slim ties; leather ones, cotton ones, patterned ones, plain ones, colorful ones, dull ones, ties with pointy tips and even ties with a straight cut/no tip.
Slim ties were practically everywhere: In school -- On students, and even on the café guys, At home--On bankers and even the security guy at the bank. They were EVERYWHERE!
There were Cedarwood ties, T.M Lewin ties, Thomas Pink Ties, Tim Burton ties, H&M ties, George ties, and loads more that I obviously don’t know because a.) I am a girl, and b.) I even had to ask a friend for the labels I just stated.
Simple truth is slim ties became part of an era of fashion, they became THE era.
So you can imagine my surprise on that Tuesday morning chapel service when I looked up from the floor, and looked up from staring at the tip of my cute black flat shoes, to realize that I could only sight fat ties. Huge ties. Enormous ties.
I was seeing fat ties of different patterns, on row 1, on row 2 row 3, row 4, row 5, row 6, row 7, row 8, row 9, and row 10--All the rows that were under my wing for that Tuesday service.
I was seeing floral ties, dotted ties, plaid ties, Ankara ties print ties, abstract print ties, horizontal stripped ties, vertical stripped ties, and even Mickey mouse ties (I honestly am not lying).
Okay, the thing is I am just using ties as a basic example of the circular merry-go-round that fashion puts us on. We are constantly chasing after some sort of quota. Slim ties are in, then they are out. Fat ties are in then they are out, then in. Geek glasses are in, then out, then in. Big tummy belts are in then slim belts are in. Big bags are in, then slim bags are in.
*dramatic pause*
Boot-cuts are in, then skinnies are in, Pantyhose is in, then showing skin is in. the list is endless, knowing fully well that in the next couple of days, months, years, or decades, the trend WILL change, and yet again we will have to adjust our life to fit the "accepted fashion".
Do you want to know why? It's because we are enslaved to the ideas of fashion.
So do you want to know where all the slim ties went? They are in hiding, along with the mini skirts and the afro weaves, patiently waiting to spring back up when we least expect.
