Sartorial Splendour.
By Rummuser. Filed in People |Tags: Indian dress
Conrad in his latest blog post has asked me one, oops two questions and instead of providing him with a photograph of me in a suit, I have offered to share a photograph of me in our native costume. This is the one that I am most comfortable in, and in which most people who call on us see me.
What I am wearing on top is called a kurta which is a loose fitting shirt with half collar and instead of trousers, I am wearing a lungi. The lungi is just a long piece of cloth stitched in the middle to form a cylinder. I alternate between a coloured lungi and a pure white one. The kurta is also white or coloured but most of mine are white.
The question/s that Conrad asked:
“One question I have for you. Do you think that India will now drop its American imitation and return to more Indian tradition? Or do you see instead a very different cultural alloy in the Indian future?
Wait, does that count as two questions?”
No, India will not drop the western style clothing in the foreseeable future. By Western I mean, predominantly trousers/jeans/slacks and shirts/t-shirts, jerkins etc. You will come across in cities most men in such clothes as they are functional and easily maintained. Women too increasingly are wearing slacks, jeans etc though mostly they wear what are called salwar kameez combinations. These are loose or close fitting trouser like bottoms and long kurta like tops. These choices however or in the cities and particularly in the Northern parts of the country where the winters are extremely cold.
Rural India though is predominantly still wearing traditional clothes which will be either dhoties, which are long pieces of cloth worn round the waist or passed between the legs to form a kind of trouser effect. Change towards trousers is taking place quite rapidly there too. For the top, a long collared shirt worn outside or a kurta is still favoured. The colour is almost always white.
In cities, in certain professions and positions people wear suits and ties though they are much less in number. This is a growing trend particularly with organiztions with international dealings.
The Nehru jacket as Conrad calls them, are still favoured by some and almost all our political bigwigs wear them for formal occasions. I used to, but gave them up because I could not easily access my upper inner pockets like I could using jackets.
Ladies still wear saris in various ways. These are increasingly for formal wear and the switch to the more convenient salwar kameez is quite rapid.
Change is taking place but I expect that all the traditional and modern styles will continue to co-exist.
India is a land of contrasts and you will see a wide variety of choices of personal clothing and styles as well as the way of wearing of them. To change the whole 1.3+ billion of us completely to some kind of a uniform dress will take a couple of centuries, I should imagine.
Thursday, February 5th 2009 at 00:35 |
Marvelous! Might I say that you look as comfortably dressed as any clothing combination I can imagine would offer. I also notice that you have retained the devilish good looks of your youth, but ripened as does a fine wine. I am certain the attraction of women continuously to you is an annoyance, but all of us have problems in life.
I now transport you across the pond to my blog and the first real extension of my post. And I thank you for doing this. I don’t know about you, but this adds to the enjoyment – and I will find a way to return the favor so you have an image of me in my environs.
Conrad´s last blog post..An Archaeological Dig in the Garage
Rummuser Reply:
February 5th, 2009 at 18:57
@Conrad, Āpkey Moohn Mein Bhi Ghee Shakkar! If you had been reading my responses to the other comments you will understand that one. The “Bhi” added just means “also”. Just for that great vote of confidence and hoping that I continue to have such ‘problems’, my next post will be dedicated to you.
Thursday, February 5th 2009 at 01:59 |
I loved this post. I was never a dedicated follower of fashion but preferred to make my own style. I enjoyed particularly the information on women’s clothing. I am always fascinated with the fabric colours for Saris.
I think I have been misinformed in the past, as I thought that white was the colour of mourning in India. Please correct me.
Grannymar´s last blog post..Handy Hints for Wednesday ~ 13
Rummuser Reply:
February 5th, 2009 at 18:39
@Grannymar, Yes, white is the colour of mourning for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains. It is also the colour that signifies purity and so for all our rites good or bad, we use white. For festivals however, we do wear colours, brighter the better, particularly our women.
Thursday, February 5th 2009 at 02:26 |
Thank you!
Jean Browman–Cheerful Monk´s last blog post..Taking Delight in Little Things
Rummuser Reply:
February 5th, 2009 at 18:36
@Jean Browman–Cheerful Monk, That smiley says more than the comment. You are most welcome. Do challenge me on things like this now and then. It is difficult to come up with ideas for posts all the time!
Thursday, February 5th 2009 at 03:59 |
Looks comfortable.
I don’t think I’d be comfortable in it, though, after all these years of jeans and a tee-shirt. 
Mike Goad´s last blog post..Wednesday Weigh-In and another new look
Rummuser Reply:
February 5th, 2009 at 18:34
@Mike Goad, Every man to his own poison!
Thursday, February 5th 2009 at 08:51 |
Thank for you for the fashion education.
I’ve always loved the look of saris and would love to wear one some day. One of my aunts used to sew her own and wear them on cruises for formal nights. They are very elegant.
Linda Abbit´s last blog post..Inspiring Quotes for Caregivers — 2/4/09
Rummuser Reply:
February 5th, 2009 at 18:34
@Linda Abbit, you bet. I love our women in saris. Conrad, if you are reading this, do not get any funny ideas!
Thursday, February 5th 2009 at 15:33 |
To answer Conrad’s question- I am Ramana’s nephew and have been to visit India (from the UK)periodically for the last 20 years or so. On my first visit, around 1990, I observed most people wearing traditional indian dress, but some western influence. Ever since then I have seen a gradual move towards more a western style, especially in the younger generations.
I expect this trend will continue and western (american, british and other) dress will become more common for the forseeable future. Wealthy sports stars and bollywood stars seem to set the fashion for younger generations and these stars are heavily influenced by western styles.
Thats my opinion anyway!
Rummuser Reply:
February 5th, 2009 at 18:29
@Beardeye, Wow! Simon, I am glad that you are making this a habit. Your opinion is as valid as mine is. So, fire away. Your way of looking at things may be with less prejudiced than mine.
Your insight about people following the Bollywood role models is something that I should have thought about. Yes you are bang on target there.
Get Gordon and Craig also to join in. We can have a Indo-Scottish debate going here!
Friday, February 6th 2009 at 03:37 |
It was fun to see you in your everyday clothes…When we lived in the Philippines
(74′-76′) we enjoyed adding their native clothing to ours…So comfortable. This looks very comfortable too and that is certainly my goal in life now…being comfy in my sofa sanctuary.
Renee´s last blog post..Judas Priest! ~~ Foiled Again
Rummuser Reply:
February 6th, 2009 at 11:13
@Renee, Renee, just shout if you would like Lungis and tops to be sent to you. It will give me great pleasure to send pure cotton jazzily coloured ones.
Friday, February 6th 2009 at 13:00 |
Indians are quite adoptive to other cultures. But they do not copy things blindly.we readily took to wearing shirts and trousers but stopped there. wearing a jacket and tie is very uncomfortable. Tie especially is a wasted piece of cloth to wear. People working in multinational companies, carry their ties in their pockets, wear them inside the office and promptly remove them when they leave the office. Indians do not like to wear a dress more than once without washing it. So wearing a jeans is a very inconvenient thing. But the younsters wear it since it is fashionable. Women find wearing a salwar and kameez more convenient, when they commute, or at their work site. But formal wear is still a sari. young girls wear modern dresses, but once they get married, they wear the traditional dresses.
Friday, February 6th 2009 at 13:26 |
Seriously for a moment – it is so nice when people can come together without judgment or prejudice and enjoy how we got here, lay our cultures out for examination and know that at the end of the day we will salute each other’s validity. What makes us unique in no way threatens everything we have in common.
I enjoy coming here with all these friends. Maybe THIS is how peace starts.
Conrad´s last blog post..Reasons Why College Students Aren’t Like the Rest of the World
Rummuser Reply:
February 6th, 2009 at 15:27
@Conrad, Yes, very true. This is peace.
Saturday, February 7th 2009 at 02:42 |
This is the most interesting post, especially on your picture.
Indeed, India has many native culture that is unique and very interesting. In Indonesia, there is a typical cultural art which less attractive to young generation, that is “Wayang Kulit” (puppets that played behind the shadow screen by a narrator and puppeteer of traditional). Maybe the young generation more oriented to modern culture. I worry that unique culture will disappear by the time.
Smile for you.
tikno´s last blog post..Chinese New Year 2560 – Gong Xi Fa Cai
Rummuser Reply:
February 9th, 2009 at 23:18
@tikno, Yes, part of the price that we pay for changing over to a westernized life style is that our traditional arts and crafts tend to disappear into small niches.
Friday, February 13th 2009 at 21:30 |
I think you will see a lot more casual relaxed styles in clothing in the future. While there is still a place for formal wear, I feel like casual is in right now.
Tuesday, February 17th 2009 at 04:48 |
I hope India never has any sort of uniform dress code for all its citizens – ever. India is an amalgamation of various cultures, religion and ethnic groups. I know that the term “unity in diversity” is a much-abused and exploited one, but it works in India.
Our clothes express how varied and interesting we can be, as a nation, and I hope that never goes away.
I also do not think we are slavishly imitating anybody if we choose to wear jeans and a t-shirt. That attire is comfortable!
Rummuser Reply:
February 19th, 2009 at 13:26
@Sandeep Gupta, Each man to his poison Sandeep. I like to see you guys in your shorts in the mornings! Hairy legs and all!!
Sunday, June 7th 2009 at 16:24 |
My trainer is from India, and everytime we discussed our traditional or everyday clothes we always got into conclusion that we should exchange clothing — well, not to exchange clothing literally but to buy the clothing itself.
Rummuser Reply:
June 7th, 2009 at 16:35
I don’t really understand what you are saying, but any kind of exchange where you are learning about another culture is welcome.
Wednesday, July 29th 2009 at 20:05 |
This post is indeed interesting. Although Indian Women are transforming themselves to Western attires there are still many of them who look good in Sarees!
Rummuser Reply:
July 29th, 2009 at 20:23
Thank you.
Monday, October 12th 2009 at 10:06 |
One of the most expressive clothes of woman’s femininity and accepted attire is sari.
Rummuser Reply:
October 12th, 2009 at 16:49
You can say that again and I endorse it one hundred percent.
Thursday, October 29th 2009 at 15:33 |
thanks for this useful information its very comfortable and mostly indians like to wear it my gradfather used to wear it well i like to wear t shirts,jeans and sarees. thanks for sharing.keep posting.
Rummuser Reply:
October 29th, 2009 at 17:57
Come again Monkia and comment on the newer posts. Thanks.