Men: What Pants/ Trousers do you wear in South?

gautam

Dhoti is good only for indoors specially for someone like you or me who does not have DHOTI experience just like work ex

Comfortable jeans (light weight) and a t-shirt should be sufficient.
Can also try cargos

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Kerela backwaters - by beach

SitaParityaga

We should start a poll.

No shorts.

Linen/light weight cotton trousers.

Dhotis are hot.

PeakXV

In India? To whom? .... Certainly not the Naga Babas(photo courtesy of seventies'hippy)?

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

Nick-H

Nothing low-status about a dhoti or vesti here; quite the opposite.

A lunghi, however, would not be worn outside the house by higher-class people.

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IndiaMike Mod Team (The Grumpy One)

dzibead

Which. let's face it, are not most places in India. Apart from resort-type places or certain trendy metro areas, you rarely see adult men wearing shorts in India (except foreigners). I don't get the impression that people find them so much offensive as slightly silly on grown men - they're generally thought of as boys' clothing.

Actually, I find it amusing that Peak, of all people, is arguing that grown men wearing shorts don't "stick out" or aren't considered sort of funny by Indians when there's plenty of evidence that that is, in fact, the case, since he's the one who's always saying that Western women wearing salwar kameez are considered sort of funny by Indians - when I don't think there's any evidence for that at all!

Nick-H

Shorts, say knee-length, are fine here, although not common. I think full-length is probably better for temples and stuff, though.

What does it matter if it is only the foreigners that are wearing them? It is probably also only the foreigners that will wear a sun hat; it makes me feel out of place when I do it, but still occasionally do in the hotter months.

Showing the bottom half of the leg is not going to result in moral shock to anyone. Nor (sorry) is it going to result in being mobbed by a hoard of girls who are all convinced that foreign men are all 'up for it' especially when showing their knees off!

Sun hat is advised. Shorts is OK.

How about those light-weight trousers with zip-on legs?

dzibead

I think pants (er ... trousers) like some of the ones on the page below would work well. Personally, I think shorts are over-rated as hot-weather-wear because what I find important for comfort is less the length of the trouser leg than the weight of the fabric and the fit, with lighter and looser being better - which is why I find jeans to be totally hideous in hot weather.

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/sto...Id=1&langId=-1

Nick-H

Very true about the weight of the fabric being more important. Breathability counts too.

Also it is good to keep the direct tropical sunshine off as much of your skin as possible.

This item from the site dzibead suggests looks ideal, being SPF40 fabric. It is, apparently, also optionally available for the one-legged

Thanks for the cross-cultural understanding of a trouser wearer, there

dzibead

That's why I think longer legs can actually be preferable to shorts (that goes for sleeves, too!) Nothing to do with "modesty" - it's all about keeping the radiant heat from the sun from baking you! Breathability - yes! Not just a lightweight fabric but a loose weave (and light color) is the best for hot-weather-wear.

Nick-H

Yep... agree on the long sleeves too

But the great thing about a vesti is that you can hike it up to knee length for 'a breather' and then let it down again!

PeakXV

a very 'Silly' Post indeed dzibead.

Yes location location location!!! Would I wear them on an Indian train - yes, would I wear them on Safari- yes!, would I wear them playing Tennis or at the club - Yes!, would I wear them on a trek - yes! Would I wear them at the Ashram(if I went), or to a religious temple/church/mosque(if I went), or to dinner - no ...... same rules as at home really.

Are they silly looking - well just like an SK there are some ridiculous looking styles/colors and some very nice cuts and the tone of the body is always a factor too.

But I don't think I ever said shorts don't go unnoticed there - Indians are very observant and anything slightly off the norm, be it a western woman in Indian dress or those ridiculous-silly-stupid non-practical for the Indian climate shorts on a gora - most likely will not go 'unnoticed".

<btw Indians have great sense of humours and can laugh equally as hard at a sikh in an odd shaped/colored turban - as a western in a purple poka-dotted SK or odd fitting/holely shorts.>

..... at the end of the day however a nice pair of shorts might well be an intelligent alternative/supplement to trousers - to those who are from a colder climate and appreciate the full effects of a cool breeze on a warm day or are of the athletic type and partake in daily fitness routine - that's all.

Leith

A friend of mine who was holidaying in Malaysia recently found that his Levi's were too heavy for the climate. He took them to a local tailor and had a couple of identical copies made in lighter material.

Leith

mairangi_vice

I usually stick with the trusty old jeans and t-shirt, I wouldnt generally wear shorts unless I was goin to the beach, you just dont see many ppl wearing them here.

Nick-H

If we're talking "silly" then a suit and tie takes the biscuit!

But I see local business men wearing them

mairangi_vice

yeah, Ive had to wear a suit a couple of times. The only one I had was one designed for NZ winters. It was unpleasant.