Indian Clothing: What should I wear?

Nick-H

Certainly you will stand out, yes.

You left out the flourescent green!

Add that to the mix, and you'll blend in nicely.

__________________
.


Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

singsub

another place to hunt for cheap garments is the makeshift market on the opposite footpath to the McDonalds in Conaught Place.

shashank.aggarwal

You know what it is called ...its JANPATH...

we dare not identify Janpath by McDonalds or other places, as Janpath is what provides identity to all..

__________________
Travelogue - Around India
Random Reviews

Haylo

Thought you said not many people go by street names?

Joking apart, there's obviously some reference here that I'm missing, can you explain?

shashank.aggarwal

Thats more than a Street name...its the name of an Entire Market..one of the most famous ones in Delhi..

Haylo

Oops... See how much I have to learn?

Thanks for the explanation (It's still a street though )

Sama

two words: you won't.

whether you wear western clothes or Indian clothes, you'll still look like a foreigner.

I was in an off the beaten path temple town in January, and I saw a group of foreigners at the shoe stand. one man was quite large -- tall and of ample size -- and he had the Indian-style pants on with the long shirt, like a tunic, below his knees (sorry, can't remember what that's called), but he was wearing his Nikes and a baseball cap. while I'm sure he wanted to "blend in", I saw more than a few people snickering behind his back.

I would say just be yourself, wear what you normally wear. the fact that you want to respect the culture is enough.

but I think you've been to India before?

I thought it was a compliment that on my third trip, people asked me "do you live here?" instead of "what country, madam?" only took me three trips!

__________________
My India, 2005-2008

spicetrekker

So are Bond Street and Champs Elysses

puchoo

Yep...only recognizable to some thanks to the market and the proximity to CP.

__________________
Cheers!

Sidharth

puchoo.wordpress.com

felonious_monk

May I suggest one of these colorful pagdis. Locals will immediately recognize you as someone not to be trifled with. A mustache is also a good idea.

puchoo

Right , wear this and walk around and they will think you are a circus act and ask you where the monkey is..

Aishah

Felonius is joking I think! You could wear a turban for a camel safari - that seems to be the standard item for foreigners here. But nowhere else...
Just wear your normal clothes - t-shirts, jeans etc. are all very acceptable anywhere in India these days - if hot then loose salwar kameez fine for women, light cotton pants with loose cotton shirt for men. And look at the other threads on the subject, as has been suggested previously.

__________________
"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

raj_s

Outcome of the 'blend-in' is more beneficial if you start thinking on the same wave-length as the locals and for that you need to understand the environmental circumstances they have been exposed to. Physical appearances can only contribute upto maybe 10 percent.
But for the rest effective communication skills are necessary.
I wonder nobody talked about that?

triliana

Don't be so concerned about blending in. It only happens over time. No way it's gonna happen if you're a tourist.

The most touristy of outfits is Janpath wear - thin cotton short kurtas for both sexes and long flowy skirts for girls/light blue American jeans for men. If you don't want to look like a tourist, avoid this.

I'd say just dress like the locals. T-shirt or polo and jeans for guys, short top (what you call a tunic top or kurti) and jeans or skirt, or salwar kurta for girls. A really trendy look for girls right now is a shorter kurta cutting right above the knees paired with a churidar (long, legging-style pant that bunches at the ankles.)

Most men these days wear Western clothes. Sherwanis are right out unless you're going to a wedding and you're the groom.

And if you really want to dress local, go to one of the local malls and stop by some of the stores there. Big baggy t-shirts are not really popular in India - they tend to be more fitted (for girls and guys). Check out Levi's, Lee Cooper, Spykar or even Benetton, as they are all popular with Indians of middle or upper middle class standing. And Fabindia is also a great place to shop. (am actually wearing a Fab kurta, jeans and heels today to work!) If you can fit in Indian jeans, buy yourself a pair of those with a little funky wash or some ornamentation - it's a great memory of your trip

Blending in requires a lot more than how you dress. I have lived here a year now and people still look at me funny, but people in my local market recognize me and speak to me in Hindi. Don't try to blend in; just don't make yourself a target. That takes a lot more than kurta and a pair of chappals.

Nick-H

Spot on! Absolutely.

Even before you actually speak to anybody, the body language is there, and the stuff you carry around with you.

A london-resident Tamil friend of mine had an argument over fares with an auto driver here a few years ago. She said, "I speak your language, I'm wearing a sari, my skin is the same colour as yours: how are you so certain I'm foreign?". He told her that her handbag gave her away.