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

federica

Oh, that's not a problem. Even when I said something like that in German the guys looked puzzled and stopped their behaviour

On the other hand, it happenend from time to time that not so educated South (?) Indians asked me whether I speak Hindi... for being an Indian I am too fair

Haylo

Haha, that is exactly the point I was going to make.

While basic Hindi is one of my goals, I'm sure that in certain situations, your tone of voice and facial expression will communicate in your own language what foreign words stumbled over slowly could never do.

bianca_mihaela

i think badtamiz and pagal are the first words i learnt here...aa and bakshish- that was easy cause its same as in my language...afterwards i picked the word chai... back to the story...i also noticed throughout the time that dressing like the locals does the trick and i pass almost invisible...ah but few years ago i dyed the red hair...not 'cause i was harrassed or such stuff but 'cause i got sick being charged 10 times more in the vegetable market (

dzibead

Yes, all dogs understand tone of voice and body language better than actual words.

PeakXV

Actually the one syllable or 'dog' commands(uhtt, no, bad, heel, sit, down) work extremely well in neutralizing touts & hawkers .... especially while waving your index finger in a side to side (headwobble-esque) manner.

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Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

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capt_mahajan

Damn, these women can be so emasculating

federica

Depends on the situation... we can be sweeter as sugar, too

Haylo

You're quite safe, I store it up to unleash on the deserving few.

platys

Hi!

I'm traveling to Bangalore for business this coming Friday. I've read the entire thread, and quizzed all of my coworkers who have gone, but I have one big problem - I'm the only woman in my office. So, they can't give me much advice about clothes.

We dress super casual in our office output of our Indian company, and the guys just told me that its casual, but more business casual there. Oh, and that the women often wear "traditional indian dress". If I show up on the first day with long cotton pants, and a nice short sleeve cotton shirt, would I be okay? I have bought some more tunic like tops. Should I take my Sunday I arrive to go shopping for different shirts? Get a scarf in case things are too low cut?

grikoo

I wouldn't worry about it. In a city like bangalore, no one is going to expect a western businesswoman to dress traditionally.

Could be fun though.......

Welcome to IndiaMike!

platys

Thanks.

I'm just worried I'll show up and be too casual or look odd or goodness knows what else.

Edit: Which might be hard to avoid anyways, given that I'm a "curvy" 4'10 curly redhead. I get second looks here in the US as it is.

dzibead

I doubt that it's possible for us to give you a reliable answer to your question, which strikes me as having to do more with what's OK at this particular company than it does with what's OK in a business setting "in India." You're probably better off showing up in your ordinary Western business attire than trying to figure out some "local" angle. And in a business setting, whether in India or elsewhere, it's probably better to err on the side of "more formal" than "too casual" if you aren't sure of the level of formality. If you wear something like an ordinary Western pantsuit of the type you would wear to the office in the U.S., no one is going to think you look "odd", particularly if the office style is "business casual".

luv2go

I used this technique combined with the occasional headwobbel. It worked like a charm to send them scampering.

Cayle

At my company's office, most of the Indian women wear jeans and a T-Shirt, or that long tunic thing (I keep forgetting what it is called) with cotton trousers or jeans. My wife wears the same things. The only sarees you will see on campus are worn by the groundskeepers.

Edit: Just wear what you would normally wear to your office back home.

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