Are You What You Wear??, Q Street
Thursday, August 30, 2007
I stopped Aditi in Dupont Circle yesterday. She just looked so colorful and languid walking down the street.
She explained that she wears both traditional Indian clothing and Western clothes to work. That idea of her transitioning between two very different styles (worlds, really) strikes me as I look at this shot. It’s interesting especially in light of all the talk the other day about what clothes say about a person, or what their look implies. How do we view her in her salwar (pants), kamwz (blouse) and dupatta (scarf) versus how we’d view her in regular DC workwear? Does she feel that Western clothes are just as much “her” as her Indian clothing?
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I think Indian clothing is lovely. It’s elegant, tasteful, colorful, comfortable-looking, and it flatters every body type.
When I was a kid visiting New Hope, PA, my parents took me into an Indian clothing store and said I could pick out one item for myself. I was in there for hours. Everything was just so beautiful.
Now that I’m older, I’d feel awkward wearing an outfit that’s part of a culture I obviously don’t belong to. A had a yoga teacher in college who wore saris every day, and she did look kinda silly in them. But I keep hoping that it will someday become a mainstream look for non-Indians.
Where’s a good place to get nice work clothes (pants, blazers, etc) that won’t cost an arm and a leg? Some place that offers petite sizes as well…
Shorty,
What first comes to mind is (I know, I know) Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft for some work basics that won’t be too pricey. Loehmann’s also has a petites section, and you might also hit up Macy’s or, if you’re looking to invest a little more cash, Saks. Maybe the BP at Nordstrom for cute small sweaters and jackets. After you’ve gotten some basics, give vintage and thrift shops a whirl to personalize your stuff. Vintage items often seem to be on the tiny side, so you might have some luck (Annie Creamcheese is right down the street from Ann Taylor Loft in Georgetown…). I was just at a thrift store in Wheaton and I tried on three very adorable little-boy’s jackets. All but one was too narrow in the shoulders for me (and the one that did fit barely did), so items like that would be great for you, and bracelet-sleeved jackets are great for fall.
Any petites out there with ideas?
I don’t know why everyone mentions Ann Taylor Loft for inexpensive work clothes. They are nice, but still very pricey. I was in there trying to find a suit jacket the other day and they were all $140 or more. I guess there are sales sometimes but I don’t shop often enough to know about them. I’m going to hit up the outlet on my way up north this weekend– hopefully I’ll have better luck there.
she’s beautiful. i’m pretty sure she’ll look good in western workwear too, and just about anything else she puts on. an interesting study would be to get a picture of her in western clothing and see if her attitude changes, if her posture becomes stiffer, more formal. i suspect the loose flowing clothes not only allow but encourage the languid contrapposto she’s sporting in this picture. i’d love to see a followup with her in western clothes. can you get it?
I really like how she has pride in her culture. She looks lovely
-h
Aditi does look beautiful and kudos to you for getting such a great photo of her. However, did you mean to call her languid? Relaxed and comfortable, yes. But lazy?
Looking at this pic, I view her as a very pretty, comfortably-and-smartly-dressed Indian young lady.
I honestly don’t see what is so “foreign” or “ethnic” about this particular salwar kameez. It looks quite contemporary to me. I see tons of Western women’s outfits, whether the pieces are sold together OR separate, that look almost identical to what she’s wearing.
Because of this, as a non-Indian I have no qualms about wearing salwar kameez sometimes. I usually wear my sarees inside my home, but I did wear one when I went out to dinner for our wedding anniversary.
I tend to keep a “Western-ish” touch with my outfits…say, regular round gold thin hoops, hair in a bob or whatever, and a couple of bracelets instead of the bindis/bangles most Indian women might wear.
I also choose salwar kameez styles and colors much like what this young lady is wearing, although I now venture into the more “ethnic” type prints and salwar cuts like patiala.
I’ve also mixed patiala salwar with a fitted t-shirt and boho messenger bag.
I’d say she probably looks just as good in Western clothing, but I think she looks very nice in what she’s wearing here. The world needs more beads, colors and sparkle IMO anyway…..but maybe I’m just saying this because I’m a kooky artist-type.