*** Except Men.
The psychology department in our university has a film club that screens movies every Friday. Today, we watched Persepolis. During the discussion that followed the movie, one thing that was talked about with undue fervor was the way the headscarf and the whole you-better-cover-your-body kind of clothes were forced to be worn by women. We empathized quite deeply. After all, we knew what it was like to follow a dress code.
I absolutely have no complaints whatsoever about the university's dress code. I have absolute conviction that they only mean the best for us. I rather think the dress code is like a corset for our developing personalities- it makes us learn how to carry ourselves elegantly and restores lady-like body language (MUCH needed, in my case). My university means well. But you see, there is this really tiny dissonance between what is expected and what is executed. Here's how-
What the Uni thinks we'll look like:
What we really look like:
Whether we want to or not, all of us conform to the dress code. There is, of course, a lot of futile arguing about the expression of one's individuality and creativity, to which we are told that if we are truly creative and individualistic, we should be able to express ourselves in spite of the constraints. It is not up to me to go into the rights/wrongs and advantages/disadvantages of a dress code. Most of all, the case of Student Convenience versus Administrative Convenience is something that has strained my mind enough, so I won't go into that either.
But I agree with one thing. The real challenge lies in being creative within constraints. It's a lot like copywriting. Much like how Bill Bernbach said- Make it half a line shorter; I can almost hear the administrative voice of Daddy V in my ear- Think Bigger.
This was coupled by a discussion on women's fashion in the Media and Society class today. My classmate Salome asked "How many of you think you're fashionable?"
Not too many hands went up. Then she said "Whether or not we think of ourselves as fashionable, we dress up every morning and design ourselves to look good"
Maybe it was because of the whole series of feminist debates that have been going on in this particular class- I finally became aware that my mind had gone into "Design" mode, and I kept thinking of how I'd get my new salwars stitched like this and that and what not to look gorgeous.
I wasn't born to be a designer. But I was perhaps born to blog. And I cross my fingers and squeeze my eyes shut as I wait for Naaila Khan's approval of my thoughts on "Creative-Fashion-Within-The-Constraints-Of-Dress-Code".
Here goes-
Ethno-Goth:
Ever considered straight cut, sharp looking chudidar and kurtas that are black as hell, have skull prints at appropriate places and are made of a clingy but not flowing kind of cloth?
Hoortas:
Why is it that I either have to wrap myself in never-ending dupattas to keep myself warm or wear unflattering hoodies? Why can't kurtas be made of corduroy or wool or something thick with pockets that I can slip my hands into, and a hood (with drawstrings and all)?
Academic Spirituality (because work is worship and worship is not work at our Uni):
Remember those yellow/saffron kurtas with "Hare Krishna" written all over it? Why not have the same font but have the names of scientists, formulae and theories all over, instead? Imagine one with "Freud" all over!
Desi Biker Chick attire:
I'd like a kurta that zips up on the front. A plain, dark coloured one with a HUGE zip that looks like it came off a leather jacket. With full sleeves (little zips to keep it clinched at the wrist). If it's a black kurta, maybe I'll add leather or rexin at the hem? I'd also wear chudi pants and wear ankle length boots.
OH, I SHOULD TOTALLY DO THAT!
Alright, fine, Naaila! I can see you shaking your head and laughing like there is no tomorrow. I know Vogue won't hire me. But honestly! I can no longer wear flower-printed, mango shaped, anarkali umbrellas with those AWFUL, AWFUL, Fuck-My-Life dupattas.
Seriously, people come up with ready made sarees! They figure out a way to keep all six yards of cloth in one shape and size and they didn't have the brains to stitch the damn dupatta onto the salwar kameez? WHY?
*sigh*
The existence of women is complicated. Mostly because we HAVE too much. We have way too many choices. AND we have room for MORE.
The men do not have this privilege. Firstly, it's the double standard: They get to wear western formals, not proper ethnic wear. They should be made to wear dhotis or something. But that's alright. Let them stuff their trousers in comfort. Not all of them can pull it off, those poor sods.
Today, I realized that there was a lot that could be done with the dress code for girls. I don't deny that the dress code is a bit of a pain- but it's a small price to pay for grabbing the number of eyeballs that can be grabbed on our campus.
