You won’t believe what I heard about myself a couple of days ago.
You know, if you wanna know thoughts people have ever had about you, wait until you’ve grown a bit.
They’ll say everything to your face, not minding if you’ll feel bad or not.
Like when I changed my phone in 2020, and a friend of mine said:
“Finally you’ve gotten rid of that embarrassing palasan.”
Most times, you won’t even feel bad.
You’ll just smile like I did when my ex-roommates revealed how they used to see me back then in school.
I’ll try to rephrase their words without diluting the main idea:
“If you knew Victoria before ehn. Victoria used to look homeless. She’ll attend classes with one pair of shoes every day with her hair always looking like a house girl’s own. She was so lean. Now see Ria Kosher na.”
Sure, they exaggerated but I got their drift.
I’ve grown or should I say, transformed.
In my mind, I was like, “So this is what these people taught about me?’
But I didn’t say that. Instead, I told them life is all about time and priorities.
In my finals, when I was their roommate, I was juggling writing my project, seminar, and that of my coursemates.
I had to write for others to make some money.
I was still ghostwriting for a couple of freelancers I knew.
I was running Ria Kosher.
I was writing for Svelte Magazine.
And amid all of these, my parents would send me paltry sums once or twice in the semester.
My boyfriend then was a student of another school. I couldn’t bug him with my problems.
How would I even bug him when I couldn’t even disturb my father?
And so I resorted to denying myself many things knowing full well that the phase I was in wouldn’t last forever.
The money I got from writing projects and seminars, I put into Ria Kosher and used the rest to feed.
Svelte Magazine wasn’t even paying then.
It was that bad and as expected, I looked homeless while in the hostel but managed to package the homelessness small when outside.
Three years down the line and things are getting better.
I still look like a house girl though (my WhatsApp contacts can testify).
My signature hairdo is cornrows. I like them for their simplicity especially because I’m a fan of wigs.
But, I’m no longer the skinny, black girl who couldn’t afford to flaunt the fashionista in her.
I’m growing.
I am.
And whenever I sit back to reminisce on the days my visible clavicle was the only jewel that adorned my neck, I get teary.
This story is supposed to come later on in my life but I decided to share it with you today for two reasons:
Time and priorities.
Do whatever you have to do now. Don’t mind what people say.
Up till now, I still get stupid questions from people who ask me why I’m walking about with acne scars. Some even ask if I can’t afford a skincare product.
Some tell me to buy this or that for myself as though they’re the ones feeding me.
Some even advise me and I just laugh in my heart because they seem to forget everything has its time.
If you have to, deny yourself SOME things now.
Let people say shit.
When the time comes, you’ll have those things in abundance and enjoy your life.
Set your priorities right too.
If those pair of shoes you wanna get won’t particularly serve you, by all means, push it down your wishlist.
You’ll buy it another day.
Time and priorities rule this world.
Every darn thing we experience is a phase. One day it’ll pass.
It’s the same thing with fashion trends.
AMA KIPKIP trended around the 2010s. Today who wears them?
Set your priorities right knowing full well time always rules.
Do the same for every style tip you get from me.
If you can’t afford to buy that fashion item now, store the lesson at the back of your mind.
When the time is right, you’ll buy whatever you need and use the tips I share to rock them well.
Do this and enjoy a have life(style).
The Writer who knows how to do Fashion,
Victoria Willie
Creative Director, Ria Kosher
P.S: I brought a motivational speech today. No vex. Next Friday it won’t happen. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading a bit of my story?
By the way, you don’t have to wait until you’ve got a particular amount in your bank account before you showcase your inner fashionista.
You can look great and stylish on a budget without harming your pocket.