Dr. T. Rama Prasad's Scribblings...: DRESS SENSE

DRESS SENSE on the International Women's Day

Rajyalakshmi, M.Sc. bought this saree for the 'WORLD SAREE DAY' of 2024. She used to go to the Vellalar College for Women only in crisp cotton sarees, earning the nickname "COTTON QUEEN' and also 'TOMATO' given by her students !!!

The most expensive sarees in the world were sold for 40 to 74 lakhs of Indian rupees weaved by 'Indian Weaves' based at Chennai. The Vivaah Pattu saree is silk sari is made up of navratna stones like diamond, emerald, ruby, yellow sapphire, sapphire, topaz, pearl and coral.7 Jun 2024

Dr. T. Rama Prasad

Of DRESSES, DIGNITARIES and DIVERSITIES

“Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.”

― Mark Twain

"Change is the only thing that is constant in dress designing." -- Rama Prasad

It may not be right to judge a book by its cover, but we all do. And a person is judged by the way he/she dresses. But, Mahatma Gandhi proved that Mark Twain was wrong ! And that the chutzpah to stick to a ‘default’ format indicates the tenacity of an individual. Even when he went to meet the Queen of England, Mahatma Gandhi wore his white half dhoti and simple white cotton shawl in contrast to the British leaders clad in Savile Row suits ! And the “half-naked fakir” (as described by Winston Churchill) made the Empire fled India with a tattered Union Jack on its back !!

(http://www.newindianexpress.com/education/student/Public-Figures-Whose-Clothes-Make-a-Statement/2015/02/05/article2652509.ece ).

Once a British man asked Swami Vivekananda: "Why can't you wear pants, shirt, and tie and look like a gentleman ?"

Swami Vivekananda smiled and said: "In your culture, a tailor makes a gentleman; but in our culture character makes a gentleman."

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We mostly dress according to societal expectations. Local people expect me to come in a formal suit to attend their marriage receptions or other ceremonies. If I go dressed in casuals, I look odd to them, as odd as Mahatma Gandhi coming in a suit !

All outstanding persons of success have some indelible optics. They may have come to them naturally or cultivated. They represent them like their images. Here are a few examples.

‘Mahatma Gandhi's round glasses, loin cloth and the stick. Nehru Jacket’ was named after the Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who wore a knee-length ‘bandhgala’ with a rose jauntily in its buttonhole.

The Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi was a sartorial delight displaying a haughty sense of power through her subdued, starched handloom saris, high-necked blouses, a characteristic white streak of hair, a man’s wristwatch and a ‘rudraksha mala’ around her neck.

The Congress President, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi followed the matriarch’s type of saris and blouses. She has a distinctive hair style and a man’s wristwatch too.

Rajiv Gandhi’s long cross shoulder shawl draped across the torso. L.K. Advani’s three-buttoned, long-collared Nehru jacket with a rose in the buttonhole, and A.B. Vajpayee’s round-neck Nehru jacket are a few more examples of characteristic dress wear. Our former Defence Minister, George Fernandes liked to wear simple, long baggy shirts (often not pressed) with hair often not combed. He was said to be twice ‘strip-searched’ at Washington airport while on official business. Mao's tunic. Churchill's bowler hat and cigar. Stalin's moustache.

Political couture with personalised accoutrements identifies personalities across the world. They mostly wear the same format throughout, but Modi is a tad different -- camouflage jacket and aviators at the Ladakh border during the China border conflict (2020), different colourful turbans on a podium on Independence Days, a black bandhgala at the White House, and so on. All with a venerable white beard and hair, and projecting the image of a sage of the yore.

There is a saying in Gujarati – એક નૂર આદમી , હઝાર નૂર કપડા -- which means that “Right clothing can multiply the effect of a person 1000 times.” Perhaps, the world’s new sartorial icon, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi takes a hint from this. The half-sleeved ‘Modi Kurta’ and the 10,000 pounds bespoke gold pin-striped ‘bandhgala’ navy blue suit (stripes consisting of alphabets of his name) which was worn just once during the US president Barack Obama’s visit in January 2015 are just a couple of examples. Even his Anglophile toadies thought that the suit was a tad overdone, but it reflects a remarkable taste. He wore the suit for his ‘Chai Pe Charcha’ with the US President. This monogrammed suit made history when it was auctioned for philanthropy in Surat for a staggering bid of Rs. 4.31 crore, and entered the Guinness World Records as “the most expensive suit sold at auction.”

In a pleasant departure rom the tradition, he displayed his versatility by attiring in a style liked by the Indian diaspora (who may substantially invest in India) and the youngsters at home, as can be seen in the photograph.

The Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal who strode to power (February 2015) through a stunning and historic victory in the Delhi Assembly Elections wore, so far, a casual muffler (prompting him to be called a muffler man), sloppy pants, a simple pullover/shirt and an ordinary simple footwear.

Political couture with personalized accoutrements identifies personalities across the world -- Etonian David Cameron is clad in bespoke Savile Row suits; Barack Obama wears expensive wool-cashmere-blend Hartmarx suits; Enrique Pena Nieto, the President of Mexico sports bespoke pin-stripe suits with colourful striped ties; and so on. Kings of various countries, cadres of numerous religious outfits and godmen of countless cults wear a bewildering variety of apparel. The ‘Maharajas’ of the past were known to be draped in stunningly decorative and luxurious styles with veritable marvels of accoutrements.

BATTLE FOR BODY COVER … August 4, 2018. (reprinted from the Facebook)

There is a war going on between women teachers and school managements over the dress code … the women teachers want to wear ‘churidar / salwar’ and some schools insist on saree dress code … churidar is comfortable, easy to wear and move about; sari takes a long time to drape, difficult to run about and sit astride a bike; sari gives a dignified look and commands respect from the students and is in tune with tradition, provides visual differentiation between teachers and students … so go on the arguments. Both sides have the validity ( http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2018/aug/04/sartorial-policing-in-kerala-schools-students-respect-teachers-only-when-they-wear-sari-1852952.html ).

I have one suggestion. Let there be a uniform dress code of covering whatever the dress they wear by an overcoat / overalls of a particular colour for all the teachers in the country, male or female, school or college, just as doctors wear a white coat.

This gives a dignified professional look and identity. Let them wear whatever decent dress they like inside. This puts an end to the endless war that has been going on for decades throughout the country. For sartorial curiosity, read my ‘scribbling’ titled ‘Dress Sense’: http://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/06/dress-sense.html

Dr. T. Rama Prasad, ‘PAY WHAT YOU CAN’ Clinic, Perundurai. www.rama-scribbles.com

CORONAVIRUS EFFECT
During the 'corona period', 'Work From Home' has become a necessity, not just convenience. What do you think people would wear at home while 'Working From Home' ? Just a dhoti ? Night dress ? A wrinkled nighty ? Stylish sweatpants ? Nice pair of sneakers ? Funky T-shirt ? It's anybody's guess. But experts suggest that we should dress as though we are in the office. They say that this would enhance the productivity of work and as well shield from distractions at home. What you see in the mirror matters. Corona panic need not override panache. In an article (the ladders.com), Veronica Dodson wrote: "If we aren't dressed to face the world, there's little chance that we can actually face the reality of work."

“Dress conveys a sense of self, what a person is about or wants to be perceived as. It can be a sign of defiance, surprise or even reconciliation.” It may even be an obsession as is the case with me who is mostly seen in an elegant formal dress ("Topfull" as in the photo below) ! My better half says to me: “You would sleep better in a full suit !!!”