Monday, July 27, 2009

Carefully Casual


I am always for substance over style but I cringed when I saw Aamir Khan in jeans on a public platform with Ms Clinton. It’s another thing that Madam was dreALL red – I mean, the only thing missing was red hair. But then Hillary Clinton is not Michelle Obama. Though I admire both for different reasons. It would be nice to see style and substance meet in one person. Now Aamir Khan according to me made a real faux pas. It wasn't just about showing respect towards a State Guest but towards a lady. And to say later that he doesn’t EVER dress formally isn’t correct. Here, at the premier of Jaane tu…
To me clothes and dressing ARE about showing respect.
When we invite people home and sit in our pajamas, it tells them we don’t care enough. Same when we go out with others. We convey that they are not important enough for us to be dressed up for the occasion or for their company (I see sister # 2 nodding approvingly).
We lose a lot of sleep (and waking time too) thinking of what to wear and still  end up in a bright orange shirt for an animal safari!!
I remember meeting a friend's wife for a Sunday lunch. I dressd up nicely only to find her track pants with haldi stains and oiled hair – the former perhaps to let me know how busy she’d been cooking for me and the latter so I remember she’s waiting for me to leave so she can leisurely shampoo her hair. Point noted.
Another incident that stays stuck in my heart for the anxiety it created for some time (for like 20 years?) was when a friend and I, as students went to Bharat Bhawan to see a French play (Antigone?) dressed in formal tussar sarees. We were dismayed to see that almost everyone else was in jeans. We got by telling ourselves that WE were the ones appropriately dressed.

4 comments:

  1. While I agree with most of this (yes, Mrs Clinton's RED screams "look at me" and Aamir's jeans say "I'm a superstar and I don't give a #@%$!), agonizing over what to wear to go aloo shopping is something only a woman would do! There, I said it. :P
    Flame away!

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  2. It is distressing but many people are opting for casual looks, whatever they understand by that.

    At a recent International conference some of the Indian delegates wore sports shoes. Even if the conference was just an excuse for a holiday abroad, still wearing sports shoes with salwars, saris and trousers to formal functions was too much and that too in a hotel that had floors one could check mascara smudges in.

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  3. I do agree with you. My daughters hate me when i force them to dress for the occassion and give me all the nasty looks when they have their friends turn up in jeans & tees.
    uma

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  4. Well I agree that dressing aptly for the occasion reflects the persona of one. Just make sure the lady with haldi stains and oiled hair is not reading this otherwise next time no lunch invitations
    :-)!

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