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July 2015

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Current fashion trends in Delhi University

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A month has elapsed since the session started and campus streets seem to be bustling with enthusiastic and sunny freshers! With fresh blood come fresh trends and this year, the fucchas really seem to be making tons of fancy fashion statements. DUB went on-field to investigate. Here are the findings of our thorough enquiry:

 The NY Tops
These tops have made a huge impact on the dressing choices this semester! Found in almost every corner of campus markets like Kamla Nagar, these tops are sporty. The most popular variants are the black-white and navy blue-white NY tops. These are usually paired with denims including shorts, jeans and skirts.

The Striped Long Skirt
Long skirts have made a comeback in a huge way, especially the long, straight-cut skirts, with slits on either side. What makes these skirts worth wearing? The touch of elegance they bring to the entire look. The ones with stripes are the most common.
The Palazzo
They arrived in the market last year, took a quick sabbatical during the winter months, and returned with a bang this semester. Yes, it’s The Palazzo Pants we’re talking about. The reason for their popularity is multi-pronged- They’re fluid in form and flatter all body types, along with being loose and comfortable.

The Indo-Western Fusion Attire
Boys and girls have been taking to this trend quite effortlessly, batch after batch. Herein, we saw girls looking pretty in long, Pakistani kurtas or short FabIndia style kurtis, often paired with Patiala salwars or Gujarati-style ghagra skirts.  The men, on the other hand, were seen wearing khadi kurtas and when the weather permitted, Nehru jackets.
The Distressed Denim
It’s ironical that a pair of torn denims today costs more than an intact pair of jeans. But fashion itself is a paradox, and defining fashion’s crazy streak are The Distressed Denims. They’re rugged and grungy, yet look fabulous with crop tops, sporty jerseys and fancy party shirts alike. They’re equally flattering on guys and girls. They’re in fact, the much needed change we wanted to see in the usual pair of denims.

Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

 

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DUB News

IIT Kanpur’s eSummit’15 to follow the Harvard ideology for case study competition

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Have you ever wondered how Harvard Business School creates leaders? The case study method takes center stage here. Edwin Gay, first Dean of HBS, called it the “problem method” and foresaw its value in creating leaders who are able to adjust as necessary to ever-changing business climates. Unlike the traditional methods of teaching, Harvard uses case studies as primary teaching vehicle. Though notes and lectures are a part of the courses, it is interesting to note that more than 80 percent of HBS classes are built on the case method.

 

Most people are more inductive than deductive learners. In simple words, they learn concepts better by examples than by the raw definitions. And here, case study method offers a rescue with enhancement. A case study puts one in confrontation with several possible consequences and thus leads to a concrete plan of action. At the same time, it also hones analytical skills and helps to cope up with ambiguities faced in life.

 

E-Cell, IIT Kanpur also believes in the Harvard ideology and ranks cases as one of the topmost methods of learning. The eSummit’15, scheduled from 28th to 30th of August, by the E-Cell in association with News Republic brings is organising grand case study competition – Decrypt, along with events like SoCha, Upstart and Pitch Your Product. Cash prizes worth 50,000 INR can be won from the comforts of your hostel room. All you need to participate in Decrypt is a laptop and an internet connection. So hurry up and get solving!

 

For more details visit http://ecelliitk.com/esummit/decrypt.html

 

DU Beat is the Publicity Partner for eSummit’15.

 

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Spo(r)tlight

“2015 Football World Cup? What World Cup?”: The Plight of Women’s Football

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football for girls

Oh hey, did you catch Japan’s win over Netherlands in the Football World Cup?

Before you scramble to think if it has indeed been four years since 2014, let me confirm that we are still in 2015.

Confused? Well, given the attention (or lack thereof) Women’s Football gets, it’s not surprising that the majority of people, even major football fans, are unaware that there’s knockout stages of a football World Cup going on in Canada right now- the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Today, when the most prevalent ‘F-word’ is probably Feminism and everything’s about equality between sexes, one of the (literal) fields where women substantially lag behind men is football. Mind you, they lag behind not in terms of skill or perseverance but rather in terms of opportunities available and media attention. Though the issues plaguing the game are vast and multi-layered, here are some of the major obstacles women footballers face while pursuing their passion for the beautiful game:

1. Wage Gap:

There is a considerable gap between the wages of men and women footballers. Did you know, for instance, that the five consecutive times winner of the FIFA Women’s player of the year, the Brazilian striker Marta only gets paid (3000 GBP) a fraction of what a good EPL player gets (135,000 GBP)? Let’s not even make comparisons with the four-times Ballon D’Or winner Leo Messi.

The England women’s team recently complained to the FA for their low salaries during the previous world cup- they were apparently paid just 40 GBP per day. This leaves them in a lurch and they often have to juggle other jobs with playing football. Many female footballers also give up on the sport due to financial instability. It’s a shame, considering that many women’s national teams are doing much better than their male counterparts.

2. Lack of Media Attention:

The very fact that practically no one even knows that Women’s Football World Cup is a thing happening right now is proof enough of the fact that no one wants to care about it. Before you go and take a ‘But this is India and no one cares about football, period’ stand, let me present you with some startling facts from countries where football is the major sport.

Georgiana Turner, a sports journalist, found out that there are only 303 articles about women’s football in The Guardian’s archive running back till 1998. In a vivid contrast, Alex Ferguson has about 184 all to himself. The most watched women’s sports event ever had viewership of less than a million people during the 1999 Women’s World Cup, while the men’s games clock in millions of viewers year after year.

In fact, most female players agree on the fact that it’s not the wage gap that worries them more; it’s the lack of fans coming to watch the games and how less their matches are aired on television. It’s their belief that if media supports women’s football more, it will translate into better wages, better sponsors and more appreciation for their game.

3. Sexism:

When EA Sports released FIFA 16 with the new feature of women’s teams, the flood of disgusting sexist comments that flooded the social media were sickening. This and the kind of sexist comments and behaviour that female football professionals- players, referees, other staff- have to go through everyday should probably make everyone claiming Feminism to be a passé issue sit back and rethink their stance.

A recent survey conducted by ‘Women in Football’ revealed that an astonishing 28 per cent of respondents have witnessed female employees being treated unfairly. More worryingly, more than 50 per cent of people surveyed believed their looks to be of greater importance than their ability to do their jobs.

Ever wondered why there aren’t many female football referees? Because they’re greeted to lewd comments by spectators and players alike. There was an entire time a few years ago when Chelsea’s first-team doctor, Eva Carneiro, grabbed attention all over the world through comments on her looks and scepticism on her skills. It’s problematic on so many levels that what she gets to hear isn’t “She must be damn good at her job to be here despite all the obstacles” but rather “Hey, show us your vagina”, thus hyper-sexualising the presence of women in a game that already shuns them.

It’s not just professionals either. Try being a female football fan and you can experience most of it on a first-hand basis. As someone who has been an ardent football fan since 2008 and has been involved with all things football on the social media, I can attest to the fact that female football fans are never taken very seriously in discussions and are assumed to be in it either for the attractive players (which, very honestly, is so untrue because A) we only get to see indistinguishable specks of the so-called attractive players while watching a match which kinda defeats the purpose and B) get over yourself, not a lot of them are as aesthetically pleasing as you’d believe) or for the sake of attention from fellow male fans (which is laughable because no one would be stupid enough to invest time, efforts and emotions in a game for the sake of a person especially if the only reason they give them the time of day is because they like football). It’s after having answered questions about the offside rule and formations that I could argue a stance on discussion boards and be taken seriously, something that disturbs me to no end.

It’s not just women. Football has deep-rooted issues with almost all minority communities. Issues of homophobia, sexism and racism mar the world’s most popular sport. On the occasion of 2015 Women’s World Cup, let’s strive to make football a welcome place for women!

 

Featured Image: Indian women’s football team, zeenews.india.com

 

 

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Biblio

Book Review: The House that BJ Built by Anuja Chauhan

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I have never read an author with such devotion as Anuja Chauhan. Undoubtedly my favourite, I have found myself totally mesmerised by her books. A creator of four stories set in different times and backgrounds, her latest is a sequel to Those Pricey Thakur Girls. A prodigy in the advertisement industry, the lay-man can also remember her for her works like Pepsi’s ‘Oye Bubbly!’ campaign.

Those Pricey Thakur Girls ended with a short paragraph to excite readers about what is coming next. It had been two years since I had read Pricey, and in the period I was waiting, I reread the three books again and Googled the release of this book. Much to my delight, she failed to disappoint me!

The book begins with Samar, the hot-shot new director in Bollywood and quickly leads to the inhabitants of 16, Hailey Road, Delhi- Bonita and her tailors. If you have read the previous book, you would know who BJ and Mamta was, and the ABCDE daughters. Bonu was orphaned at a young age and adopted by her maternal grandparents. She is all grown up now and runs her business.

But BJ’s death turns the story as he leaves asking Samar to divide his house into five hissas for his daughters A,B,C,D, and E. The story cleverly and interestingly revolves around property disputes, family disputes, fake wills, illegal acquisitions, courts, property dealers, and item songs (or, a party song). In between all this drama, bloom two love stories- of the two step-cousins Samar and Bonu, and of childhood friends Steesh and Eshwari. Chases, denials, psycho sisters, pervert friends this book is a complete package.

Not revealing too much of the story, I would recommend it for a good read. Anuja’s USP for me is that she has till now based stories on a variety of backdrops- politics, cricket, media, real estate. Yet, I have enjoyed reading the technicalities with such interest that I might have never read Harry Potter with. However, the fact that her story is based mostly in Delhi makes it more enjoyable, because one can relate it to places one has seen.

Carefully chosen words, not too fancy that I am forced to use a dictionary, anyone can read it. It is one of those books that you just cannot put down. The story has its twists, just when you thought that the kiss means everything is going to be all peaches and cream, the love birds split. She calls out to your imagination, and you realize her stories are so natural and so real! This is one book that provides closure to the story, you are not left with an imagine-yourself ending. Her writing style is what I admire the most- Hindi + English, and my favourite is the funny, but now commonly used obscene words, with utmost causality. Because only in an Anuja Chauhan book will you find, “Tu chutiya hai!” written in a common dialogue.

So, whether you are happy with life or not, read it! I have, and I know what effect her stories can have on the mind. However, be cautious, there is no clue to another book, so you may be left wanting for more. Until then, do it my way, re-read it!

 

Featured Image Credits: goodreads.com

Ayesha Sareen

[email protected]

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DUB Speak

The Death of Fashion: Welcome to the Life of a Second Year Student

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They say that starting something new is easy; sustaining it is where the real challenge resides. These words are golden. I have seen their manifestation in my very own life. And how!

When I joined college a year ago, various aspects of DU life excited me. But one bug that bit me the hardest was the fashion bug. I remember spending the entire month before joining college, trying to put together a look for myself. I would endlessly sit before the computer screen, surfing fashion articles, Google Images and YouTube videos in my hollow pursuit. Finally, when I did settle on something I liked, I remember dragging my mother to the nearest mall and coming home almost penniless!

It was only after I felt that I was fully equipped with a trendsetting wardrobe, did I put an end to my shopping sprees. With bags full of clothes and accessories, I moved into my tiny hostel room. Lack of space was no deterrent. I was determined to be the Sarah Jessica Parker of my college.

Finally, when college began, I started to bring out my outfits one by one. Every night, I’d invest time and effort in trying out different combinations and seeking others’ approval. However, the tedium was both rewarding and unforgiving. Though I’d have a mind-blowing look for the next day, I’d also have a huge pile of clothes on my bed, demanding my attention. The mess used to take so long to tidy, that often, I’d just sleep on the pile!

These amusing tales, however, belong to the pages of my “Fuccha Diary”. Ever since I’ve moved into my second year, my attitude has taken a 360 degree turn. Not only has my dressing sense become sloppy, but my interest in college fashion has also completely paled. Now, looking even remotely presentable seems like the least of my concerns.

I think the cause for this change can be attributed to my second year. When you come back to college as a senior, the excitement that stems from the novelty of DU dies. Also, you have other, more critical things to worry about (e.g.: getting out of bed and actually making it to college!). Fashion takes a back seat and focus shifts to academics, internships, extracurricular activities and coaching for entrances.

In the light of our realistic constraints, it can be said that we, the sophomores of DU, are handing over a massive responsibility to the freshers. We are passing on the baton. It is now up to them to carry forth the legacy and make the streets of DU look fashionable. Let the freshers strut around in their fancy attire. We, on the other hand, are content in walking those same streets in our pyjamas and chappals!

For the more fashion conscious second years, and the enthusiastic fashion loving public in general, there is a solution that exists for all your fashion issues, doubts, problems and queries. It’s called the Wooplr App. It’s fun, funky and extremely helpful! The Wooplr App is easy to use and promises a delightful experience for those with diverse fashion needs. Enjoy the customised services and end up fashion wiser after accessing Wooplr.Make sure you check it out and download it ASAP.

Watch out this space for more fashion gyaan!

xoxo

Featured Image Credits: www.cennamology.com

Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

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