It was a packed India trip. First we attended 4 wedding in a week, and then I was travelling on work, and when I came back to Chennai, there was barely enough time to visit relatives, be visited by relatives, a quick trip to the beach, the second hand bookstore, and packing. However, the trip was defined by wedding outfit planning before I left.
It has been 4 years since I went to India. And, maybe 15 years since I really bought any Indian clothes (no time for shopping this visit either). Since I have still not figured out what "classic" and "timeless" clothes are in India, I had a little that I could wear in India without looking like a clown who had time travelled.
I consulted friends and cousins. I was not going to buy anything expensive, but was happy to stitch new blouses for my sarees, buy a couple of casual clothes, and borrow jewelry, to update my wardrobe. The first thing I heard was that Kancheepuram sarees are no longer the vogue. They are not out of fashion, unless you are wearing those grandma styles. Well, as it happened, most of my mom's hand me downs, were grandma styles, but we cherry picked a few that would do with the "right" blouse.
Since I would have no time to shop or get anything stitched, my mom was entrusted with getting updated blouses for my sarees. Many phone calls were made. She needed color samples from my sarees to buy the material. Next, she needed measurements. Then she, as clueless as me on the latest trends, needed info on what I wanted stitched.
There was the search for the right tailor. Many trips to different tailors and much time and money spent both on transportation and phone. A lot more than the blouses were probably worth. When I reached India, some blouses fit, and some didn't. In addition, after the first day or two, I realized that I really couldn't wear heavy silk even in Chennai winter, what with the heat and humidity. So, ensued the search through my mom's wardrobe for cotton sarees to go with the few blouses that fit.
If any of you know how to update your India wardrobes with less stress, do drop a line. No, buying all new fancy ensembles works for some, but not for me. The cost per wear is still too high for my lifestyle.
In the meanwhile, I appreciate all invitations to saree wearing parties, so I can get to wear my new outfits before they are outdated!
It has been 4 years since I went to India. And, maybe 15 years since I really bought any Indian clothes (no time for shopping this visit either). Since I have still not figured out what "classic" and "timeless" clothes are in India, I had a little that I could wear in India without looking like a clown who had time travelled.
I consulted friends and cousins. I was not going to buy anything expensive, but was happy to stitch new blouses for my sarees, buy a couple of casual clothes, and borrow jewelry, to update my wardrobe. The first thing I heard was that Kancheepuram sarees are no longer the vogue. They are not out of fashion, unless you are wearing those grandma styles. Well, as it happened, most of my mom's hand me downs, were grandma styles, but we cherry picked a few that would do with the "right" blouse.
Since I would have no time to shop or get anything stitched, my mom was entrusted with getting updated blouses for my sarees. Many phone calls were made. She needed color samples from my sarees to buy the material. Next, she needed measurements. Then she, as clueless as me on the latest trends, needed info on what I wanted stitched.
There was the search for the right tailor. Many trips to different tailors and much time and money spent both on transportation and phone. A lot more than the blouses were probably worth. When I reached India, some blouses fit, and some didn't. In addition, after the first day or two, I realized that I really couldn't wear heavy silk even in Chennai winter, what with the heat and humidity. So, ensued the search through my mom's wardrobe for cotton sarees to go with the few blouses that fit.
If any of you know how to update your India wardrobes with less stress, do drop a line. No, buying all new fancy ensembles works for some, but not for me. The cost per wear is still too high for my lifestyle.
In the meanwhile, I appreciate all invitations to saree wearing parties, so I can get to wear my new outfits before they are outdated!
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