Attire and appetite in India - questions

dzibead

Is this a "British" thing? In the U.S., I can easily find lightweight cotton pants, sometimes with a drawstring or elastic waist, and pockets! Extremely comfortable. And if you know how to sew even a little, it's easy to make yourself perfect pants for India.

I'm with Nick on the jeans issue: for me, even the lightest ones are usually too hot and heavy to be really comfortable. It's not just the cut or fit of jeans, it also has to do with how dense and non-breathable the fabric is.

puchoo

Fancy place or not, the beggar remark was uncalled for....i have not heard that happen to anyone else but anyhow yes this is what i said in my previous post as well...in fancy places you might not want to wear them...but at the same time i cannot think of 1 single place in Delhi , other than my club, which i have not been to in a t-shirt at some point..from pubs and fast food joints to the Bhukara's of the world..

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shashank.aggarwal

Well to be very frank, a common person like me is even not aware of the difference, on where we should wear a shirt OR a t-shirt. I cannot imagine a place in Delhi not allowing people in because they are wearing a t-shirt.

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puchoo

Most clubs by default - be it the Def Col one, Delhi Gymkhana, Flying club where Vinay took us out will have a dress code.

If you are going to a fancy place and want to be sure just call them once and ask. Takes less than a minute and at the end of it you are sure!

Nattusbs

Puchoo

I agree with you - the beggar comment was totally uncalled for.

It is amazing that we Indians are probably the most discriminatory people - we love the labeling of folks.

Last month when I was in Hyderabad, I wore my "Big Dog" Tee-shirts all the time (no collar) with jeans - especially when I as walking Nattu- to hell with people who thought I am a beggar

Cheers

Nattusbs

capt_mahajan

Is it time for a favourite rant?- who the #$%% invented neckties anyway.

I dress for comfort. I have walked out of clubs who insisted on a collar or tie in India- or those which offer you those to wear during your time there. I have gone to a fancy Japanese resteraunt in Singapore in my greasy overalls (they put newspapers on my chair), and also to the office there(temporarily called to sort out a problem) in shorts and a tshirt.

Were people happy? No. Was I? Hell, yes.

When they pay me for coming to their resteraunt, I will wear a tuxedo. Till then, this is me

nayan

Comments from an Indian woman.... who works in a corporate setting (so I guess that makes me knowledgeable to answer this question )
1. trousers and a formal shirt/top would be the proper dress for a woman(MBA etc - Indian - young) in a corporate setting. salwar kameez or Kurta with trousers is also popular.

2. An older woman(40+)in the same setting will usually be dreassed in salwar kameez/sari

3. An expat woman on a business visit will be expected to dress for business ie trousers/shirt/top(not low cut). If she appears (when on a short visit)in a salwar kamaaz it will be considered strange because everyone knows that is not the normal business dress for her and may be considered patronizing.... as if she thinks India is a backward place. The case would be different if she is in for a longer stint and after she has made the initial contacts .... she wears a salwar/sari one fine day, then its ok. I am not arguing the right or wrong of it.... this is how it is.

4. for any non official purpose jeans/capri/t-shirt/kurta is perfectly ok for women for any occasion (other than religious or large social celebrations like weddings etc). I have worn a jeans/t-shirt to all kinds of places - posh restaurants, nice clubs, pubs, shopping, college, friends home, trips to rural areas.

Nick-H

Commonly? May be regional variation, but I don't think there are any pockets in any of Mrs N's salwars! You wouldn't expect to see a woman hiking up her top to get to the pockets either!

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shashank.aggarwal

I agree, I guess makes sense to have pockets on Kameez rather than Salwars. And somehow most women do not have the pockets in Kameez also, I guess it spoils the 'shape'

dzibead

Not in my "ready-mades", either - and also none in my kameez.

nayan

Salwar pants never come with pockets. This is true all over India whether readymade or stiched.

Unless you specially instruct the tailor to stitch a pocket...

maybe they sell this article in heavily touristed areas like pahargang etc.

I have seen some strange looking pants sold in hampi/kovalam etc which are sold as Indian attire.... but no Indian will wear something like that.

Not kameez(they never have pockets)... but Kurtas sometimes have pockets. A fine distinction....

Nick-H

Pockets; spoiling the line --- mens' business suits come with copious pockets, that one is not supposed to fill up because of spoiling the shape. I always filled the pockets and spoilt the shape!

I always specify two side pockets and a breast pocket (for the phone and a couple of Rs10 notes) for my kurtas, and try to avoid ready-mades that lack them.

wonderwomanusa

I have pockets sewn into my salwars (and Velcro closings for them), and slits deep enough in the kameez that I can get to the pockets without embarassing anyone.

Nattusbs

This discussion reminds me of the saying:

To each his own (or her)

One can have a variety of options, depending on your tailor. A good example is the Parsi Undershirt that had a pocket on the inside - I remember that from many years ago.

And Nick-H - please don't go searching around for your wife's pockets - you may be surprised what she keeps there

Cheers

Nattusbs

brownboy66

amen brother! I'm somewhat the same - primarily because I have the metabolism of a runaway freight train and feel the heat very easily - so I live in shorts (even in the snow).

Here in Delhi - haven't found any problems wearing either shorts or a t-shirt to most places. Having said that if I'm going out to an evening meal at a restaurant than yes, its trousers and a collared shirt but otherwise have had the occasional lunch at a hotel cafe in shorts with no problems what so ever.

I think some of it just different fashion perceptions out of context. I've been out to clubs wearing what could be called a t-shirt underneath a jacket with dress pants (instead of a collard shirt)- which is something you'll see all over the world - and there were no problem with it here in Delhi either.

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