I spent most of my childhood grappling with a stinky low self-esteem.
It was so bad that I was afraid to mingle with my mates because I felt they were better.
Even though I was one of the smartest kids in class, I still felt inferior.
Maybe it was because I was always chased out of classes for not paying up my school fees.
But that was even better. At least, I still managed to come out tops after every exam.
One of my main reasons for feeling less of myself was an incident that happened when I was in JSS2.
And the memory stalked me up until I gained admission into the university.
It was the usual end-of-the-year party secondary schools held.
As the good child that I’ve always been, I wore what I had without pressuring my parents to buy me a new Christmas dress.
But if I had known that decision would cost me my fragile self-esteem, I wouldn’t have attended the party.
Perhaps, I’d have asked my dad to save the money and add it to pay my next term’s school fees.
Unfortunately, I wanted to have some fun. And some fun I had indeed.
First, it was the haughty stares of the rich kids in class that made me feel uncomfortable.
Then one of them, in all her snooty glory, walked up to me and asked me why I wore a dress with wool all over to the party.
“I love what I’m wearing,” I responded and swallowed the lump of saliva gathering in my throat.
“How do you love a dress that sheds so much wool? Instead of you saying your daddy and mummy can’t buy you a new one, you’re lying.”
She didn’t even wait for me to answer. She hissed and walked away to meet the rest of her gang.
I just bowed my head and let the tears flow.
If my dad and mom had enough money, this wouldn’t have happened.
They’d have bought me a nice dress for the school party.
I thought so and repeated it to my little diary when I returned home that day.
But what my puerile mind (and that of that silly girl) didn’t know was this:
You can refurbish any of your clothes that sheds wool by shaving it with a razor blade or shaving stick.
So, don’t wear that shirt or dress that’s pilling to an occasion.
Don’t even dump the cloth in the trash can.
Shave the wool off instead.
It’ll give the cloth a fresh look and will save you from any uncomfortable stare or insult that can affect your self-esteem.
But if you don’t want to shave it, there are seven other methods to get rid of those fuzzy balls on your hard-earned clothes.
Read this to see them and revive the life of your pilling clothes.
The Writer who knows how to do Fashion,
Victoria Willie
Creative Director, Ria Kosher