Today I saw a very disturbing cover of a Nigerian magazine and I couldn’t understand how it all came to this. Commercial photography will put it down to sales and profit, models and entertainers call it art and promotion. It’s funny how the narrative has moved from stylish fashion to stylish nudity. Growing up if ever I saw a nude cover girl, that magazine was definitely off limits, infact I most likely wouldn’t even see it, trust the aunties and uncles to keep it on lockdown.
Fast forward to the social media age, it seems nudity has been legalized and you’re not even normal if you don’t upload your bikini photos on the gram. For two minutes fame and Instagram followers, Ladies are willing to bare it all, I see it every time, sometimes it takes the form of Maternity shoot, birthday shoot, Magazine cover bla bla bla.. My question is this, ‘who made the rule that art must be naked?’ At a time when it seems Society has made the definition of sexy to begin and end with nudity, I feel the need to remind the girl child that we determine our own sexy and we don’t have to conform to what seem to be the popular definition of ‘Sexy’.
Be your own kind of sexy
Who says sexy is a one way traffic? I’ve seen a lot of photos that scream sexy without skin show. A recent photo of Dija before her delivery is one I still can’t get off my mind. From that shoot I saw a confident woman who didn’t need to reiterate to anyone that she was sexy with a naked maternity shoot. She already knew what she was about and she did great.
Be your own beautiful
The narrative that it has to be naked for it to be beautiful is one I definitely don’t agree with, and I feel its time we change that shallow narrative. One thing is important, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. The fact that some people see nudes as beautiful doesn’t mean everyone else holds the same position. And if you do particularly hold that view, I don’t see the need to bow to social media pressure.
The Real Sexy
In my own view, Sexy goes beyond nudity. In fact it takes a creative person to really look sexy without being nude. Let’s face it anyone can take off clothes to look sexy but only the beauty with brains can go a step further to just tease and leave the rest to imagination. Funny how only a few can actually boast of an attractive head to toe nude body (but that’s a writeup for another day)
I believe ‘All black’ is sexy, ‘Colourful’ is sexy, ‘Props’ make one look sexy, A fashion piece with good fit looks sexy and will ultimately make one look like a work of art with the right styling.
Whenever I remember the iconic styles of Michelle Obama, Kate Middleton, Chimamanda Adichie, I realise we all ultimately define our sexy the way we want and can only be influenced by the world around us if we choose to be. I’ll rather be the girl that is classy and fabulous than being the trashy and naked girl. But then to everyone her own right?
