The pastel prejudice

My desiwear wardrobe, for most part, is controlled by my kid sister! On the rare occasions that I go to India, I take my previous collection, add it to her already-vast-bulging closet and try to build a new one. I dont have a problem with this, though I end up spending a lot of time in this process. Added to the fact that at times I dont get the shades I am looking for or the patterns and that I have to make multiple trips to the tailor to get the stitching done before I leave.

Now the second route is that sometimes I ask Chiclet out there to buy clothes and send it through someone thats coming here. Thats when I run into this issue time and again. So this is how it works. When I see some new trend in a recent hindi movie or someone else sporting a fashionable garb, I immediately call her and describe in great detail the design that my mind has conjured up (in a valiant effort to be unconventional, remember?). She listens to this in entirety, agrees to putting it into action immediately, hangs up and lets it out of her other ear. The lack of interest and enthusiasm also stems from the fact that we are poles apart as far as color preferences go. Honestly speaking, we are poles apart in every way possible. Sometimes I wonder how we could be flesh and blood. When we walk together we have a hard time convincing strangers that we are related.

To quote her "You are an earth sign, you love the "earth" tones and prefer the brilliant reds, yellows, blues and greens" she says of me. All of this is true, I dont deny it. She , on the other hand, is the afore mentioned "pastel" princess. She goes for the lilacs and mauves and sea greens and such. On one trip(on every trip, actually) it so happens that both my suitcases are so full of gifts for this creature(thats one suitcase-fyi) and the rest of the family(suitcase #2) that I dont get to take a lot of my clothes. And no, just to clarify, I dont believe in nudity. I reason out that I could always survive on her wardrobe for the entire stay.

Anyway going back to my trip, when I stand in front of her closet to find something to wear for the day, I am immediately depressed. From the hangers stare a wide range of this "pastel" apparel. Honestly, I am disspirited already. Somehow I cant sport a radiant-sunshine-smile if I am wearing a mauve salwar with twigs printed all over them. "Uggggggggggh" I shudder. "Well if it upsets you so much, you dont HAVE to borrow my clothes!" she barks. "Chiclet, be nice and let her wear something she likes" chimes my mother. I'm sure my mother has resigned and reasoned as thus- "After all, its only for 3 weeks that I have to bear with this offspring at home."

After much debate, I settle for a soft pink "jute" salwar. Thats another thing, my sister is a stickler for new age material-like jute! and khaadi!

So coming back to getting her to pick clothes for me. I send innumerable emails and make multiple phone calls to describe in detail what colors I need("What colors would that be?" you ask?. Naturally its either red, yellow, green or blue, sometimes different combinations of all of them with bold prints.). "And oh yes, please dont send me cotton kurtis and salwars" I quip. You know how difficult it is to starch and iron them here. For me laundry includes dumping the clothes in the basket to the machine and the dryer and out. I stick to wrinkle-resistant, iron-free clothing-thank you!

"Can you get me something in georgette or chiffon with good prints and a lot of sequin work or something fancy?" I add. "No one wears those nowadays." she yells. Here's my reasoning for this request. I only get to wear Indian clothes when I go to desi functions and parties. If all I collected was pastel shades with simple prints and arrive at one of these parties they'd probably think I just got off the illegal-immigrants-boat or ran away from the refugee camp!!! Right or wrong? Of course, I am right!!!! Its not the same for her, she has such a wide window of opportunity to wear desi garb that naturally she can afford to experiment with lavendar.

"Alright, alright I got the specifications" she grunts. I heave a sigh of relief, glad that my sister(my soulmate and confidante) understands me, even if she doesnt agree with me. I perk up with excitement and anticipation for the next few days. When the next consignment of clothing arrives from India I open the parcel excitedly. Its usually well packed with my name splashed in bold letters all over with a black "sharpie" in my mother's familiar writing. Out springs multiple salwars and kurtis most of them with full-sleeves, in cotton and in black or grey or brown hues! Go pastel!!!!!

Once again....I rest my case!