COLLEGE FASHION –prasantt ghosh
Things are different now, mummy. All
my friends wear this kind of stuff to college.’’ Eighteen year old Sainali was
holding on tight to a lime green shirt like material. Her mother stared at the shirt
disapprovingly; but it was clear that this was one battle she was destined to
lose.
‘’Why can’t you wear a sober salwar suit
instead-suggested mummy. ‘’ eeks salwar suits are so behenji,’’ came the
response. As the two women made for the cash counter, the elder raised one last
feeble voice of protest; ‘’ I don’t understand why going to college is now like
walking down the ramp.’’ says Prasantt Ghosh
Yes, it’s true. Colleges are
no longer just places where young people work hard for a ‘bright’ future. They
are also destinations where it is important to look hip and glamorous to fit in
with your peer group. And accordingly, after years of wearing school uniforms
which impose a kind of anonymity on the students, there is a strong urge to
express their individuality through their attire. In fact almost every college
these days has a clear divide between the jeans – clad and the salwar kameez
clad groups. ‘’ western wear is mostly restricted to jeans and more and more
students are opting for it. In fact it has almost become a uniform for college
students in the metros.
The shop is loaded with a
wide variety of clothes that appeal to young people, the very ‘ in’ short
kurtas in endless ethnic prints, embroidery and tie’ n dye patterns, more
conservative long sleeved cotton shirts, tank tops and spaghetti straps,
cutsleeve tops in pastel shades for the summer, short skirts, wrap arounds and
hipsters to name just a few. Young men with studs and trendy hair styles with
fresh from the gym physiques in muscle- t’s and crotch hugging jeans or loose
cargos, women in short skirts and tank tops, khaki shorts and strappy tops,
body piercing, tattoos, streaked hair you name it, they have it. Infact, this
divide between the ‘indian’ and the ‘western’ crowd is obvious in almost any
college campus in the country. However while most young students tend to follow
trends set by music channels and bollywood stars, few of them stand out for
being individualistic and innovative. But you need to be really smart to be
able to carry off something that’s completely different and even outrageous.
Whether it is innovative or
mindless aping, the underlying factor here is awareness about fashion and style.
This awareness has been sparked off by the easy accessibility of trendy clothes
and accessories. Besides the constant media hype over the hottest ‘ looks’,
branded clothes are quite reasonably priced as well, keeping in mind the budget
of most college students. Moreover shopping is no longer a seasonal affair with
the cosmopolitan crowd.
Whatever may be the
individual styles the college dress codes or the absence of them it is clear
that campuses today are more colourful and trendy than ever before. So, if
college is where you’re headed make sure you have the right look- and jeans in
just the right shade of colour.
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