Monday, April 14, 2008

The Clothes Problem Again

I was late to class today. Not by much (the university clocktower was striking 11:00 as I ran into the building) but late nonetheless.

I was late because I didn't have anything to wear.

I didn't buy spring/summer clothes last year. While I was still in the US, I survived temping by cycling through three pairs of polyester slacks alternated with about five work-appropriate blouses. There was no air-conditioning in my apartment, so I would come home and strip to a pair of gym shorts and a tank top.

In India, I bought seven blue salwars (and one purple one -- and received one orange salwar and one silver salwar as gifts).

Long story short, there's not much in my closet that's appropriate to wear -- especially to teach -- on a warm spring day. All the temp-clothes have long worn thin. I have tried to rock a kurta over jeans, but even that just looks faded and limp, a reminder that all of my India clothes (and, in fact, all of my jeans) spent three months being washed and wrung out in a five-gallon bucket.

When I did slip into the large lecture hall, late and miserably shabby, one of the other TAs leaned over and whispered to me "don't worry, I still think you look hot."

In preparation for the upcoming move, I have started selling off seven years' worth of accumulated textbooks; I went to the theatre building lounge with a few large (and heavy) boxes, set up a makeshift display, and within the first day made $139. If I sell them all I'll have around $220. I had hoped to save the money for the move, but some of it may have to go toward clothes.

We will see.

4 comments:

Never Mind!! said...

Tell me about it! Despite accumulating a closet full of clothes, I can never find something appropriate to wear for an important presentation in class. The lucky thing about being a student is you can wear anything and pass it off as your fashion statement.

Its me ! said...

Hi ! are you still in hyderabad? how can i get in tough with you? you blog is pretty interesting....here is mine:

http://abhishekbagaria.blogspot.com
http://fotosonthemove.blogspot.com

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Tabassum Ansari said...

Nice blog and yes sometimes we feel difficulties in wearing ethnic clothes like Anarkali Salwar Kameez.
Loved your article. Nice one.

Thanks!