Attire and appetite in India - questions

LizzieInNewEngland

Hi guys! I'm new to the forums, and I'm sure I'll have a ton of questions, but my boss and I are going to Bangalore and Pune on business in early-ish June (we're making our travel arrangements today), and I am just not sure what is acceptable to wear in India.

For example, I have several capri-type pants that are travel friendly and light, but my ankles do show; should I look for full-length pants instead? Are short-sleeve shirts/blouses OK? I want to dress respectfully.

Should I invest in some rain boots or something, since we'll be there right at the start of monsoon?

Also, I'm wondering about whether I can pack and bring in dried fruits in my suitcase - will that be allowed? I know fresh fruit wouldn't work, but hopefully dried fruit will.

Gosh, I have so many questions, I barely know where to start...

I am hoping to go to Barnes and Noble today to pick up Culture Shock to start reading up more - any other recommendations?

Thanks for your help!

capt_mahajan

Toffler won't do it. This is bigger

You need to browse indiamike a bit, would be my suggestion. There are a few hundred threads (or maybe it just seems that way) on women's attire.

Dried fruits are easily available in India, btw, along with most everything else.

You could bring some waterproof shoes, or buy them here.

Indiamike.

Browse, and ask

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amarama

I have found Indiamike to have more useful info than any travel book.

traveller.1

If your ankles are good looking I dont see a problem with your clothes. capris, skirts(except the really short ones) sleeveless shirts are fine in India. Lots of people wear them. Just dont wear short shorts, low cut cleavage revealing shirts and that sort of thing.
Dry fruits are Ok to bring although not necessary. Some duty free scotch would probably be more desirable as it is terribly expensive in India.

have great time in india and flow with it. Dont compare everything to the states, the food, the markets, the houses, the shops the offices etc. Realise that you are in a foreign country and things are different in India. You will learn to love it. It grows on you. And the food, why it tastes just like chicken!

Inua

To addresss your questions directly, you don't have to worry about capri pants or the short sleeve blouses/shirts. Its not Saudi Arabia here and what you've described is all very acceptable work wear in India.

Dried fruits is not an issue either. I've brought smelly french cheese in my suitcase without anyone getting the slightest whiff of it

Socially you can wear what you want but I personally avoid wearing spaghetti straps, short shorts (long shorts are not a problem) and mini skirts to the markets.

Haylo

After being victim to an extremely unlikely set of circumstances where no food was available to us for two days (would you believe in France of all places!) and being determined never to put myself in that position again, I always travel with a day's "emergency rations", usually in the form of dried fruit and nuts. It may sound a bit over the top, but it's surprising how often I have been grateful of having something.

Anyway, coming to India I expect I would do the same, so I too would be interested to know whether bringing some in is actually permitted.

breeze

Hi Lizzie! Welcome...

As the others have already told you, capris and 3/4 pants are perfectly fine.
So are short-sleeved and sleeveless tops.

Once you're here, do study the weather and local culture of each place you're planning on visting, and adapt your clothing to your comfort.

Also, India has an abundant stock of delicious dried fruits. So save yourself that extra baggage! You can also experience a variety of fresh fruit here...

crvlvr

In addition to the suggestiopns above, avoid tight fitting attire also.

Nick-H

I'm baffled about why anyone should worry about showing their ankles!

I saw a woman with quite a low-cut top today.

But she adjusted her dupatta the moment she noticed that I had noticed!

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Haylo

Perhaps she has unfeasibly sexy ankles

Not that I should be laughing, I've not yet got completely to grips with the whole clothing thing myself, but was pleased to see there's plenty on IM to about this.

capt_mahajan

err, in which direction?

LizzieInNewEngland

Thank you so much for the very warm welcome and the many replies. Somehow I missed the Search option, which I'm now using to search through earlier threads. Several women in my company have gone to India, and I could've sworn that they said capris weren't appropriate, so I wanted to check with the experts.

I've never traveled outside of the US and Caribbean (which is criminal at my age - 46), so I'm way more excited about the trip than apprehensive, but I do have some apprehensions, because I want to truly enjoy the experience (even if I'm in meetings most of the time), and I don't want to be one of "those" US tourists who go to a country and expect it to be like the US, or for everyone to cater to me.

I want to be a respectful and interested visitor. This site really helps - thank you, thank you, thank you!

LizzieInNewEngland

That's exactly it! I *wish*!

LilyB

Entering India, New Zealand (where agricultural restrictions are extremely tight) or any other country, I've never found packaged foods to be a problem. I've been in similar circumstances as you and always travel with "rations" too. I took a small jar of peanut butter to India with so that I would always have a little protein when I needed it.

It would probably be best to have unopened packages of dried fruit rather than bags from the bulk food section and after it's gone, you can fill the empty space in your luggage with wonderful spices to bring home!

LizzieInNewEngland

That's exactly what I was thinking! I plan to buy pre-packaged dried fruit and nuts, and bring peanut butter and some chocolate as well, so that I can refill that space with cardamom and other lovely spices. Mmmmmmmmm