We were invited to the wedding of Govind's sister today. I was planning to go there in the normal clothes that I was wearing the whole day. However Yashendu and Ramona brought something new for me to wear. For me it did not make much difference if I go in old clothes or new clothes. But as they had bought it especially for that I decided to wear it.
The others went to buy clothes today because it will still take some time until our suitcases will be here. When they came home they showed me the Dhoti that they bought for me. I do not wear any sewn clothes. In 1988 I stopped wearing sewn clothes. I had been wearing Kurtas and all normal Indian clothes. On the day that I decided not to wear this anymore I was in Bombay to give a lecture. It should start soon and I wanted to get ready but my silk Kurta was not ironed. There was nobody around who could do it and I myself have never ironed. I thought "How can I go to give a lecture now without my Kurta?" And I realized that I do not want to depend on a piece of cloth and if it is ironed or not. So I left the Kurta and went with two Dhoti. Since that time this is my clothing. I gave away all my Kurtas and sewn clothes and did not wear any until this winter. At that time of the year I am normally in Vrindavan, in India where the temperature is never in minus. However this year I was in Germany and at a temperature of minus five degrees I thought it would be better to wear a pullover underneath. I have worn this for the first time since 20 years. I even bought snow shoes. This kind of shoes I have never had on my feet before! I just want to say I do not stick to this kind of 'rules'. I have said this many times: Daily break one rule. After 20 years in loose Dhoti I can still wear sewn clothes. However it is nice that I do not need a pullover in India.
I liked the essence of the traditional ceremony but not much all the showing off that is around it. However I love to share and celebrate people's happiness because this makes them even more happy.
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Many people are very serious about wearing the “appropriate” clothing. Why? A mother may tell her daughter that she must change her cloths in order to go to school. The kids at school may tell this girl that her clothing is very foolish and that she cannot be friends with them until she wears the more fashionable clothing that her mother will not allow her to wear. This girl suffers. She cannot win. She is not being loved by her mother or her peers. Both wish to define themselves through her.
I advise my daughter on how to dress only when her choices would be offensive to the people around her. I want her to be respectful and sensitive to other peoples comfort.
I’m studying graphic design. I love fashion. I love to turn myself into a piece of art. I don’t know if I’m attached to my clothing. It is something to think about. I love putting together interesting new combinations of things and decorating myself. If all of my creations burned up in a fire I don’t know how I’d feel about it.
If you wear nice cloths so be it. If you wear rags so be it. If you are attached to nice cloths maybe it will be helpful to try to wear something more simple. If you fear dressing up it may be helpful to try that. If you do not care what you wear and are not attached to appearing to be one thing or another, you have gained insight.
Meh, I wear pretty much the same thing everyday.
I like to wear unsewn cloth too. it doesn’t fly too well in my culture but, sometimes I just think I can’t take the threads anymore! so I wear whatever sheet I want and people will just have to deal with it. Not my fault they looked at me, right? Sheet power! Woooo