I Wear: The Thakur Stops Traffic!

Shweta is the boy’s cousin, who I had the pleasure of meeting last July. When I called her, she said she needed a haircut and would I mind meeting her at the parlour? I got out of the autorickshaw, wondering what she’d look like. Across the road, a girl was standing in a black tee-shirt with a stole/scarf thrown carelessly around her shoulders. She turned & gave me a brief nod & climbed into the autorickshaw with me. All my worries about awkwardness evaporated. She turned out to be a no-nonsense, regular person, exactly the kind of woman I get along well with. When the boy turned up nearly 2 hours later, we’d been chatting up a storm.

So I was thrilled when we managed to make it down to Bangalore later in the year for a weekend with Shweta and her husband. Sunday flew by in a flurry of good food, pubbing, catching up with old friends, shopping and just being Bangalore. I was charmed by the look she stepped out in – cool, comfortable, smart & individualistic. When I turned around & pointed my camera at her, she froze mid-pose on the divider. Here she is, the traffic-stopper!:

Shoes are easily the first thing you notice about a person’s look and with these, how could I miss? Plain red mojris double up as quirky (if somewhat pointy) ballet flats. A silver anklet on one ankle and a butterfly tattoo on the other, bring the urban desi vibe, a hint of her Delhi days.

Her clothes were relatively simpler, adding that laidback, effortless feel to her look. A black V-neck knit top that would have been too warm for a Mumbai afternoon but was perfect for cool, cool Bangalore. A fitted navy blue denim skirt, a style that’s now distanced enough from its earlier avatar in the early 90s, to count as retro chic.

And then, my favorite focal point: accessories! Any mistaken notions of this being a grab-whatever-I-did look were put to rest with Shweta’s adornments. The bag was a tan leather conducter’s satchel slung across her torso. Against the staid black & blue, it complemented her red shoes without being too matchy-matchy.

The neckpiece was another Delhi artefact and matched the anklet perfectly.

I’m a skirt-wearer myself, I have short hair and I own a lot of Delhi-style accessories. But I’d never have thought to put them together this way. I think that’s why I liked Shweta’s look. Because it’s comprised of items I would see in my own cupboard but ensembled in her own individualistic style.

And now, here’s the lady, taking a bow (or something like it!).

Shweta is wearing:

Black knit V-necked top: ~Rs.500, Lifestyle, Hyderabad (2009)
Denim pencil skirt: ~Rs.250, Fashion Street, Mumbai (2006)
Red mojris: Rs.150, Sarojini Nagar market, New Delhi
Tan leather satchel: A gift from aunt in U.S.
Oxidized metal neckpiece: Rs.120, Janpath, New Delhi
Silver anklet: Rs.90, Janpath, New Delhi

Shweta especially had something to say about her haircut.

“This was from Hakim Aalim, Bangalore. It’s the second time I went to the brand. The first time was in Mumbai in July. Ridhima did my first haircut there. It was an excellent haircut and I would have liked to go back to her but since I didn’t make another Mumbai trip, I went to the Bangalore one. My stylist there was Jerry. I only gave him instructions to cut it short and he did the rest – awesome place!! Much recommended!!”

* Cross-posted to Divadom.