Blondes- to dye or not to dye? & women's wear, women's safety etc

the opoponax · Nov 25th, 2007, 21:00

Hm. I didn't think the first one looked particularly "clownish". It's rather a loud print, though. I think this is simply a matter of shopping wisely and remembering that you're going to look good in the same colors, prints, and cuts in India as you would at home. Though I've seen lots of photos of western tourists in really ugly SK's...

Aishah · Nov 25th, 2007, 21:49

"Clownish"? Not at all - but then my eyes are so used to bright block print patterns which i find very attractive in comparison to the dull ordinariness of greys, blacks, browns, navy in clothes back in my former home countries. Give me the bright colours and exuberance of clothes here anyday!!!

PeakXV · Nov 25th, 2007, 22:11

Subdued colors can be very pleasent on a lady .... they don't necessarily have to be classified as "gulag drab" should they lack any bright colours with geometric/floral design.

On the other hand some of the synthetic dyes used in India these days can be sunglassingly garish. The old days (pre-aniline/chemical) with fast natural, creative colors are gone unfortunately.

Nick-H · Nov 25th, 2007, 22:22

Ah... cheap synthetic greens and pinks...

Only in India!

And yet...

But, perhaps the women that look wonderful in them would look wonderful in anything!

Sama · Nov 25th, 2007, 22:23

I think that first pic in the article is just a crappy photo in general -- forget the clothes! I'm sure every one of us has more than a few photos of ourselves that we want to burn! I know I do!

Nick-H · Nov 25th, 2007, 22:32

I agree.

Poor woman. Err.. women. It is hardly complimentary to either of them.

Nick's Fashion Corner... This year, I have mostly been wearing: Kurtas from FabIndia and Vestis from Kerala.

the opoponax · Nov 25th, 2007, 22:49

Is there a FabIndia in Mumbai?

Almost anytime I see a salwar kameez I really adore, the wearer tells me they got it at FabIndia...

Nick-H · Nov 25th, 2007, 22:53

Quite likely. Check their website!

capt_mahajan · Nov 25th, 2007, 22:55

http://www.fabindia.com/storesfrontd...ores=13:Mumbai

the opoponax · Nov 25th, 2007, 22:57

Just checked, thanks. They all seem to be way far away from where I'll be staying, unfortunately. Perhaps I'll run into one somewhere else. Or run into a Salwar Kameez I like somewhere else.

Aishah · Nov 26th, 2007, 08:31

Plenty salwar kameezes all over India to be bought readymade or suit pieces!!
I can see we're not going to agree on the colour thing PeakXV! I think the colourful clothes are part of India - why do people's photographs look so great even if the colours are chemical, women in brilliant pink saris etc, against a stony background?? or the desert sands??
You know, you could wear anything so long as it is modestly covering, here, and no one could care less! The beauty of living here is there is no obsessing about colours, fashions etc. and what is in and what is out. You can look what will be considered by your friends back 'home' as frumpy, old fashioned, too bright,
clothes you should have given to St Vincent de Paul's years ago, and no one is going to comment. The only places where you would be 'sticking out' if dressed like a tramp will be posh hotels and inner city good restaurants etc.
This is what I like about here - you, yourself, are going to be the only one concerned about your wearing apparel. Friends will comment if they think you look nice but mostly out in the street
nobody is going to care what your clothes are like.

the opoponax · Nov 26th, 2007, 08:40

I agree with you, but there's something jarring about that extremely bright neon lime green shade. You know the one. Surely if ever a color was not meant to be worn by humans, it's that one...

kristinm · Nov 26th, 2007, 08:47

I've been looking closely at the tourists here from India and doing a little SK style survey as I plan to wear them in India too & those 2 photos seem to support my conclusions!. I think its to do with the length of the top - the longer one defniitely looks frumpier unless you are very tall, I definitely think just above or just below the knee is best..

and the style of pant - wide but not flappy and definitely NOT tapered or bunching up around the ankles - so cut straight and ending AT the ankle.

I have a (ahem) generous bosom - so things with buttons always pull backwards and gape apart unless they are ginormous. Things with high necks are awful on me - so a kurta or SK top suits me perfectly, especially with a bit of a scoopier neck - which I guess you cover up with the dupatta??

Just to pick up on an earlier point (and while we are kind of OT) what is the situation with women wearing men's clothing, some of the men's traditional shirts and kurtas are great for me and I love wearing them over jeans or pants... and will certainly bring some back (I love them in that heavier cotton). But can I wear them around in Rajasthan - or will it be like wearing a sari petticoat (which I do here too!).

Quote:

Originally Posted by the opoponax

I agree with you, but there's something jarring about that extremely bright neon lime green shade. You know the one. Surely if ever a color was not meant to be worn by humans, it's that one...

Unless you're either African or Indian - certainly not by poor old pale whiteys like me. I always feel sorry for the pasty red-headed Irish soccer team in their bright green shirts, they could not choose a worse colour for the Irish complexion - and now I'm COMPLETELY OT .. SORRY!!!!

Nick-H · Nov 26th, 2007, 08:56

I think it is called parrot green. Or something.

I was asked to bring back to UK a churidar of specifically this colour for an Indian friend in London a couple of years ago.

Generally those neon colours do look good on dark skin --- to my eye, at least!

Aishah · Nov 26th, 2007, 21:21

Kristin - wearing the men's pyjama kurta is quite a fashion statement in Western countries, but if you wear it here, going by my young nephews and a situation we had last year, I think the males particularly will laugh at you. We had staying with us a fashion business women from Italy - she was having these p.k.'s made up for her boutiques in Milan and Paris for women to buy. She herself was wearing them. My nephews never stopped telling me how funny they thought she looked. I thought, what a good idea, and as she said you could accessorize them with scarves, jewellery etc. I remember quite a few years back seeing men's kurtas being worn by models in Vogue and some celebrities. But... not here. There's a thread here on salwar kameez and kurtas and where to buy them etc. Modern ones are shorter, around or just below knee level (kurtas)
and the pants straight cut. I also like the salwar style where they are made of a soft draping material, come into the ankles and from the hip area are well pleated onto a yoke to the waist.
These hang like swathed pleats across your legs and I think that looks pretty good too. You can always have a tailor very quickly make yours to your own design if you choose what they call a 'suit piece' - this is material for pants, top and dupatta in one package.

I wear: Salwar Kameez - designed by Aishah; stitched by Aishah
on her imported Toyota sewing machine!!!!

Nov 25th, 2007, 21:49	#137
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 4,955	"Clownish"? Not at all - but then my eyes are so used to bright block print patterns which i find very attractive in comparison to the dull ordinariness of greys, blacks, browns, navy in clothes back in my former home countries. Give me the bright colours and exuberance of clothes here anyday!!! __________________ "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

Nov 25th, 2007, 22:11	#138
PeakXV Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap Posts: 4,187	Subdued colors can be very pleasent on a lady .... they don't necessarily have to be classified as "gulag drab" should they lack any bright colours with geometric/floral design. On the other hand some of the synthetic dyes used in India these days can be sunglassingly garish. The old days (pre-aniline/chemical) with fast natural, creative colors are gone unfortunately. __________________ We shall not cease from exploration and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started ...and know the place for the first time. T.S. Eliot Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

Nov 25th, 2007, 22:22	#139
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,749	Ah... cheap synthetic greens and pinks... Only in India! And yet... But, perhaps the women that look wonderful in them would look wonderful in anything! __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Nov 25th, 2007, 22:23	#140
Sama a pain in the asana Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: the India inside my heart Posts: 5,346	I think that first pic in the article is just a crappy photo in general -- forget the clothes! I'm sure every one of us has more than a few photos of ourselves that we want to burn! I know I do! __________________ *My India, 2005-2008* BE THE REVOLUTION

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Nov 25th, 2007, 21:00	#136
the opoponax Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brooklyn, via New Orleans Posts: 1,054	Hm. I didn't think the first one looked particularly "clownish". It's rather a loud print, though. I think this is simply a matter of shopping wisely and remembering that you're going to look good in the same colors, prints, and cuts in India as you would at home. Though I've seen lots of photos of western tourists in really ugly SK's...

Nov 25th, 2007, 22:32	#141
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,749	I agree. Poor woman. Err.. women. It is hardly complimentary to either of them. Nick's Fashion Corner... This year, I have mostly been wearing: Kurtas from FabIndia and Vestis from Kerala.

Nov 25th, 2007, 22:49	#142
the opoponax Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brooklyn, via New Orleans Posts: 1,054	Is there a FabIndia in Mumbai? Almost anytime I see a salwar kameez I really adore, the wearer tells me they got it at FabIndia...

Nov 25th, 2007, 22:53	#143
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,749	Quite likely. Check their website!

Nov 25th, 2007, 22:55	#144
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,097	http://www.fabindia.com/storesfrontd...ores=13:Mumbai

Nov 25th, 2007, 22:57	#145
the opoponax Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brooklyn, via New Orleans Posts: 1,054	Just checked, thanks. They all seem to be way far away from where I'll be staying, unfortunately. Perhaps I'll run into one somewhere else. Or run into a Salwar Kameez I like somewhere else.

Nov 26th, 2007, 08:31	#146
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 4,955	Plenty salwar kameezes all over India to be bought readymade or suit pieces!! I can see we're not going to agree on the colour thing PeakXV! I think the colourful clothes are part of India - why do people's photographs look so great even if the colours are chemical, women in brilliant pink saris etc, against a stony background?? or the desert sands?? You know, you could wear anything so long as it is modestly covering, here, and no one could care less! The beauty of living here is there is no obsessing about colours, fashions etc. and what is in and what is out. You can look what will be considered by your friends back 'home' as frumpy, old fashioned, too bright, clothes you should have given to St Vincent de Paul's years ago, and no one is going to comment. The only places where you would be 'sticking out' if dressed like a tramp will be posh hotels and inner city good restaurants etc. This is what I like about here - you, yourself, are going to be the only one concerned about your wearing apparel. Friends will comment if they think you look nice but mostly out in the street nobody is going to care what your clothes are like.

Nov 26th, 2007, 08:40	#147
the opoponax Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brooklyn, via New Orleans Posts: 1,054	I agree with you, but there's something jarring about that extremely bright neon lime green shade. You know the one. Surely if ever a color was not meant to be worn by humans, it's that one...

Nov 26th, 2007, 08:56	#149
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,749	I think it is called parrot green. Or something. I was asked to bring back to UK a churidar of specifically this colour for an Indian friend in London a couple of years ago. Generally those neon colours do look good on dark skin --- to my eye, at least!

Nov 26th, 2007, 21:21	#150
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 4,955	Kristin - wearing the men's pyjama kurta is quite a fashion statement in Western countries, but if you wear it here, going by my young nephews and a situation we had last year, I think the males particularly will laugh at you. We had staying with us a fashion business women from Italy - she was having these p.k.'s made up for her boutiques in Milan and Paris for women to buy. She herself was wearing them. My nephews never stopped telling me how funny they thought she looked. I thought, what a good idea, and as she said you could accessorize them with scarves, jewellery etc. I remember quite a few years back seeing men's kurtas being worn by models in Vogue and some celebrities. But... not here. There's a thread here on salwar kameez and kurtas and where to buy them etc. Modern ones are shorter, around or just below knee level (kurtas) and the pants straight cut. I also like the salwar style where they are made of a soft draping material, come into the ankles and from the hip area are well pleated onto a yoke to the waist. These hang like swathed pleats across your legs and I think that looks pretty good too. You can always have a tailor very quickly make yours to your own design if you choose what they call a 'suit piece' - this is material for pants, top and dupatta in one package. I wear: Salwar Kameez - designed by Aishah; stitched by Aishah on her imported Toyota sewing machine!!!!

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