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A strange little trend I am noticing among the middle class housewives in the neighborhood where I grew up. Women whom I never imagined stepping out of home in anything except the stoic Garden sarees with matching blouse - they are now more frequently wearing comfy and pretty
Kurtis, with any variety of pants.
In the past I have seen them rather wear an ugly nightie (gown as we prefer to call them) than a practical yet modest salwar kameez.
Go back further in the past and they were wearing sarees during the day and their husband's shirt over their
In the past I have seen them rather wear an ugly nightie (gown as we prefer to call them) than a practical yet modest salwar kameez.
Go back further in the past and they were wearing sarees during the day and their husband's shirt over their
saree petticoats at night.
And here's what I think has really changed - Consumerism!
Let me explain.
I am looking at women who never put themselves first, never spent time or resources on something as trivial as wardrobe.
In the 90s, salwar kameez were usually tailored.
And here's what I think has really changed - Consumerism!
Let me explain.
I am looking at women who never put themselves first, never spent time or resources on something as trivial as wardrobe.
In the 90s, salwar kameez were usually tailored.
This involved finding the right fabric (before the days of mix-n-match it was often the same cloth for salwar & kameez. And regulation was to wear the same top with the same pants every time)... Then finding a dupatta to match from the dupatta shop.
Then submitting the material
Then submitting the material
to a trusted tailor, selecting the right design - length, shape, sleeves, neckline... And then hoping for the best. For any self respecting middle class woman, every stage of the process would involve a lot of browsing, choosing bargaining, fighting for the best deal, because
overspending is a cardinal sin in middle class female ethos.
It was a lot of work.
And many, many of my aunties did not have the time or mindspace for such labor.
So they kept to the safe synthetic saree with a regulation matching blouse from a trusted tailor...
It was a lot of work.
And many, many of my aunties did not have the time or mindspace for such labor.
So they kept to the safe synthetic saree with a regulation matching blouse from a trusted tailor...
And slipped into a cheap polyester gown for a bit of comfort. (That is after gowns became easily available. It was shirts over petticoats before that)
There were readymade kurtas, but not on the scale we see today.
With a boom in *cheap* readymade garments, there are kurtis
There were readymade kurtas, but not on the scale we see today.
With a boom in *cheap* readymade garments, there are kurtis
in every colour, every cut, fit and whimsy in every nook of every town and village. Kurtis fit right into the middle class Indian woman's non-fussy style and minimal demands. They are comfortable, modest, practical and no longer take up any more time than it takes to buy a
commodity from a shop. And there is no more gambling on your tailor's skill/understanding of your vision. What you see is what you get.
So while I personally scorn on the ubiquity of clone Kurtis... wistfully recall the adventure of creating a unique garment out of raw material;
So while I personally scorn on the ubiquity of clone Kurtis... wistfully recall the adventure of creating a unique garment out of raw material;
As much as I wish every woman would give herself the time and love it takes to create bespoke outfits...
I feel happy to see these hard-working, annoyingly affectionate women in some nice and comfy clothes. That they got, no doubt, for a killer bargain.
I feel happy to see these hard-working, annoyingly affectionate women in some nice and comfy clothes. That they got, no doubt, for a killer bargain.
