Things are different now, mummy. All my friends wear this kind of stuff to college.’’ Eighteen-year-old Sainali was holding on tight to a lime green shirt like material. Her mother stared at the shirt disapprovingly; but it was clear that this was one battle she was destined to lose.
‘’Why can’t you wear a sober salwar suit instead-suggested mummy. ‘’ eeks salwar suits are so behenji,’’ came the response. As the two women made for the cash counter, the elder raised one last feeble voice of protest; ‘’ I don’t understand why going to college is now like walking down the ramp.’’
Yes, it’s true. Colleges are no longer just places where young people work hard for a ‘bright’ future. They are also destinations where it is important to look hip and glamorous to fit in with your peer group. And accordingly, after years of wearing school uniforms which impose a kind of anonymity on the students, there is a strong urge to express their individuality through their attire. In fact almost every college these days has a clear divide between the jeans – clad and the salwar kameez clad groups. ‘’ western wear is mostly restricted to jeans and more and more students are opting for it. In fact it has almost become a uniform for college students in the metros.
The shop is loaded with a wide variety of clothes that appeal to young people, the very ‘ in’ short kurtas in endless ethnic prints, embroidery and tie’ n dye patterns, more conservative long sleeved cotton shirts, tank tops and spaghetti straps, cutsleeve tops in pastel shades for the summer, short skirts, wrap arounds and hipsters to name just a few. Young men with studs and trendy hair styles with fresh from the gym physiques in muscle- t’s and crotch hugging jeans or loose cargos, women in short skirts and tank tops, khaki shorts and strappy tops, body piercing, tattoos, streaked hair you name it, they have it. Infact, this divide between the ‘indian’ and the ‘western’ crowd is obvious in almost any college campus in the country. However while most young students tend to follow trends set by music channels and bollywood stars, few of them stand out for being individualistic and innovative. But you need to be really smart to be able to carry off something that’s completely different and even outrageous.
Whether it is innovative or mindless aping, the underlying factor here is awareness about fashion and style. This awareness has been sparked off by the easy accessibility of trendy clothes and accessories. Besides the constant media hype over the hottest ‘ looks’, branded clothes are quite reasonably priced as well, keeping in mind the budget of most college students. Moreover shopping is no longer a seasonal affair with the cosmopolitan crowd.
Whatever may be the individual styles the college dress codes or the absence of them it is clear that campuses today are more colourful and trendy than ever before. So, if college is where you’re headed make sure you have the right look- and jeans in just the right shade of colour.
THE WRITER IS A FASHIONDESIGNER AND CHOREOGRAPHER AND CAN BE CONTACTED AT dkreativepeople@gmail.com / www.prasanttghosh.org
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