If it were socially acceptable, I’d wear nothing but sari or salwar kameez. Those look like the most comfy clothes on the face of the planet–and Indian jewelry is unbelievably gorgeous. I’m not sure I could ever work up the nerve to wear the garb of another culture though.
Aw, man, you gotta come shopping with me! We have so many Indian stores just down the street - and the women’s clothes come in every color of the rainbow and then some! You’d be surprised at some of the roses and yellows and blues they have…from pastel to neon to jewel tones and everything in between.
Yes, well, next time I’m in Chicago I’ll drop by! (I’ve never been anywhere in the East but NYC, so don’t hold your breath.) We do actually have some small shops in Yuba City a little south of here–there’s a sizeable Sikh community that’s been there for about 100 years–but they haven’t got the kind of selection I’d need. Oh well.
Actually, I have fairly broad shoulders and I think the clothes look good on me. Saris particularly fall much nicer if you have nice, well-formed shoulders to show them off.
Salwar kameez are comfortable but hot, since they cover so much. But I do have several sets of cotton salwar kameez to wear at home and such, and then of course the fancy ones.
My favorite color is magenta (in Indian clothes ONLY) and looks lovely on me. I also have a lovely hunter green lengha-choli, also a brown lengha with a black blouse, and two dark green salwar kameez and a very gorgeous shiny brown.
Other than that most of my colors are fairly bright, yes, but that’s because I have dark hair and dark eyes and specifically look for those. There are plenty of dark colors.
Shopping for Indian clothes in America is expensive, though.
Can any of you who buy Indian clothes regularly suggest an online vendor?
I’m a 16, and just about everything I see is more petite than that; I guess I’m a little more corn-fed than most Indian women. And I have big bones. No really, I do!
I actually bought my little girl a raspberry-colored salwar kameez that was on a bargain rack–she looks gorgeous in it. We have different coloring; I can’t wear any pink at all, much less raspberry or magenta.
Maybe someday I’ll get to go to India. I’d love that. My old friend K gets to go sometimes, but I’m not in a position to do that.
Unfortunately I just don’t have the loose finances to buy them locally, since someone is always going to India. I just get them made from there. The tailors there are phenomenal.