Leaving the sweltering heat outside, I entered the mall with the focused intention of withdrawing cash for an imminent trip. But as soon as I had walked past the security frisking to the central area, I was disoriented. For a moment I could not remember where I had arrived. Was I in a time and space warp?
Firstly, I wondered why were there so many people. This was a weekday afternoon! Was today a holiday of some kind and I had forgotten to close the office? Since the children have begun their work life, they don’t tire of telling me that for someone who is the boss of her time, I work too much. My explanation that I love what I do does not impress them. I wondered now if I become so accustomed to working that I had forgotten what day it was. The idea that I might be turning into my workaholic husband filled me with horror. It has been bad enough to realize that as I am growing older, I am becoming many of the people I had vowed (as a younger person) never to become.
The other thing that disoriented me was the way people were dressed. Sure, I had come to the mall after a very long time. With the closets overflowing with clothes I neither use nor need, I have been trying to avoid being in places where clothes call out my name. Going to the mall for lunch, dinner, or a movie, has become as streamlined as a surgical strike. Then like one of Gandhi’s monkeys, I see no evil. This time I had no such armour. What I saw stopped me in my tracks. When did we stop dressing in clothes that are neither weather, body, function, or culture, appropriate? I am wondering if the Delhi society just comprises fashion slaves. The co-ord suit – where the top and bottom are made of the same print – looks like a night suit. Sorry ladies, it does. And many of the oh-so-modern tops seemed to have strayed out of a lingerie shoot. Or has a Superman fashion come into town making wearing the inner garments outside a fashion statement? Before the brave call out that epithet called ‘generation gap’ (a polite way of telling you that you are now dated), I would like to mention many attires that made me cringe were worn by contemporaries!
Next time I shall withdraw money at the bank.
Tanu glad you went to the mall and saw what is being worn….night suits and all…it was so refreshing to read your very interesting note…one could easily make out that this was your visit to a mall after a looong time.
love reading your blogs …do keep writing and sharing.
Very well written. I am sure I would have felt the same visiting a mall. I go very rarely too. Interesting way to pen down your thoughts. Loved reading it.
Enjoyed the read! Thanks for sharing your thoughts
A lot of it resonates with me. I like the tinge of humour you bring in your writing Tanu.
how to nice to read your thoughts and views! so well written
Yes Tanu we are outdated whatI call it appropriately dressed.
These days ‘ generation gap’ epithet has indeed become a way of life to tell that cultural decency in all ways is a thing of the past.
I totally agree with you that a visit to the Mall brings us to the present. I don’t understand why the young and all others think that wearing odd dresses make us more modern.( A personal comment here: I have generally always seen you wearing a sari and looking more striking and stylish in it than all the others in their so called modern dresses).
So hey youngsters! there is cool competition for you in traditional attire also!!!
Haven’t visited a mall for quite sometime, but loved reading your blog and can relate to it. Though I need to add that even in my seventies, I neither feel outdated nor old. I am happy with what I wear; like you I love my sarees and suits with flowing dupattas, but at the same time I do appreciate what others think looks good on them. Each to their own!
Bhabhi, you are kinder and calmer than I am; possibly I shall grow to acquire those qualities in time. But at this point in time, i get aggravated too often.