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

Sama · Nov 28th, 2007, 06:46

I always drop lots of rupees at Anokhi in Chennai. I LOVE their clothes. I have found the prices to be very reasonable for what I would pay for the same stuff in Chicago. for example, I have a beautiful, well-made kurta that I know by the material would be app. $50-$100 in Chicago, and it was about $20 (after converting the rupees!) at Anokhi. also have a beautiful kimono-style robe -- cotton, sky blue, hand-stamped with pink lotuses -- for less than $20.

go for it.

also, I wear sleeveless kurtas with dupattas in chennai and am not hassled.

the opoponax · Nov 28th, 2007, 06:55

Cool!

machadinha · Nov 28th, 2007, 06:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by the opoponax

Noticing, however, that they show lots of short skirts and sleeveless tops, the very items sometimes declared to be verboten in the luggage of Western women who want to avoid harrassment.

Actually y'r average choli would be pretty risqué in those terms.

Maybe it's just a matter of do you know how to wear it and get away with it. Something your Indian sisters will have had a lot more practice at, and no one would expect it any differently.

All a matter of level of comfort and composure in the end, I guess. I've seen very light-skinned women going around in saris, so elegantly and naturally that I couldn't tell if they were natives or not (there are, of course, fair-skinned people there), nor did they draw any unwarranted looks from others, except out of appreciation, maybe. I've seen many who tried but were still just tourists in saris.

(Reminded now, too, of a white guy in sadhu attire on a train from the airport here at home, in Europe. While you might normally think what a hippie freak who got stuck in India, with this guy there was something so completely natural about it though. I think what did it was his absolute lack of self-consciousness about it all. That was just who he was, or so it seemed.)

Aishah · Nov 28th, 2007, 07:59

'total lack of self-consciousness' - there's the key Machadinha!
And i bet he's having an enjoyable life for himself too! There's such a lack of obsessing about looks here, it makes life so much simpler. If you look at what locals are wearing as you travel around you will see all sorts of strange attire - and they are perfectly contented and nobody gives them a second look!

Nick-H · Nov 28th, 2007, 11:09

The girls who dress like they just walked out of a bollywood movie... Be assured that they do get a second look. And a third!

mani · Nov 28th, 2007, 13:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by the opoponax

Mani, I'm staying somewhere in the Fort or Colaba area (

drama best not talked about here). From FabIndia's website, they don't seem to have one around there (unless, of course, I"m just being dense about orienting things in Mumbai, which is entirely possible considering I've never been there).

Their website only lists outlets in mall sounding places in Bandra and the like.

the good captn beat me to that one.

if you are staying at fort or colaba just ask anybody to direct you to the museum, jahangir art galery or even better Khyber restaurant. Fab india is just there. you cant miss it. also on the same main street are Westside & Globus two other stores which carry nice shalwar kurtas.

Tailor - I stay at colaba and can direct you to a good tailor who normally made my SK's . The problem with him is that he seems to be very busy recently and has messed one of my sk's. Another friend has recommended a tailor will try him in a few days and let you know.

mani

capt_mahajan · Nov 28th, 2007, 13:50

Offtopic, mani's post reminded me that I am out of touch with Mumbai

I spent half my life in the Museum area!

nayan · Nov 28th, 2007, 14:05

Just listing some ethnic womens wear good brands available in India and approx prices of a cotton kurta in each
1. FabIndia - rs 350 to 600
2. Anokhi - Rs 500 to 900 (Usually the sizes are large)
3. khaadi (not the actual khadi shops - just a brand name - they used to have a shop in bangalore forum) - Rs 400 to 600
4. seasons - Rs 350 to 600
5. W - this is more for office goers, looks very smart and good cuts and tailoring - Rs 500 to rs 700
6. BIBA - very ornate and usually not in cotton - the kind worn for parties/celebrations - the cotton ones cost around 500 to 1000
Other than these, all the department stores like shopper stop, Central, Pantaloons, Globus, Lifestyle, Westside usually have a good stock of smart salwar suits or mix n match (you can buy separates in kurtas, bottoms and dupattas)

Aishah · Nov 28th, 2007, 16:58

This thread and discussion of clothes has spurred me to think I should vamp up and modernize my wardrobe in a minor way so this morning when I heard about a good place for clothes, materials etc. went and checked it out. I'd never heard of it before mainly because it's off my beaten track of market shopping. Well.. what a revelation. There are cottons as good a quality as Anokhi here - so chose an indigo handprinted one and having it made in a shorter version than what I usually wear for the kurta with a modern cut. The whole thing is going to cost me 700 rupees, including the tailoring charge, but this is for a local price. It will be the equivalent of around 850 one in Anokhi.

No Bollywood types here Nick!!

shashank.aggarwal · Nov 28th, 2007, 17:13

Okay while still on clothes, can anyone tell me where can a Decent Morning gown for men can be purchased in Delhi/Gurgaon..

Are they available at stores like Shoppers stop, Lifestyle etc..

vdvoort · Nov 28th, 2007, 18:12

I'm a white, blonde, 6ft. tall woman: help....do I need an operation before going back to India again? Would 5ft. be more appropriate? Like the others say: don't worry about your hair colour, you'll be stared at anyway. Have a nice holiday.

Enjoy!

Aishah · Nov 28th, 2007, 20:32

Plenty of very tall women out this way vdvoort - including myself at nearly 5ft 9"! Many of the village women are tall here.
Don't worry about any of this sort of stuff and i detect by your post that you don't!
Shashank - what is a Decent Morning gown? Is this a dressing-gown for when you get out of bed, or do you mean Mourning gown - which men wear in bereavement??

burf · Nov 28th, 2007, 20:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by vdvoort

I'm a white, blonde, 6ft. tall woman: help....do I need an operation before going back to India again? Would 5ft. be more appropriate? Like the others say: don't worry about your hair colour, you'll be stared at anyway. Have a nice holiday.

Enjoy!

how much did you manage to discount from your height the last time?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aishah

Shashank - what is a Decent Morning gown? Is this a dressing-gown for when you get out of bed, or do you mean Mourning gown - which men wear in bereavement??

shashank - googly