This article is an op-ed about the statement dressing observed across the Delhi university, what it essentially symbolizes and potentially offers to the society in general.
The unanimous euphoria every girl felt in the washroom of the Barbie movie premiere over pink couldn’t help but make me think about this one another symbolic yet statement dressing unifying a large cohort ,that being the “DU dress code”.
What feels like being in the bluepilled matrix of the “bonkers-ification” of college outfits, the raging monopoly of H&M and Zara with their Sarojini Dupes, or the razzmatazz of fast fashion outlets in Kamala Nagar or Janpath, essentially paints a larger picture of what happens to be the “DU-fied rizz”, it’s not about how many times your typical slogan printed tote bag slides off your shoulder, it’s about pulling it back up. It’s about the constant euphoria-esque serve with the statement face paint art at Fests. It’s about finding the perfect faux Pas between upper east side vogue and the fawning desi attires. It’s oxidised Janpath earrings, artsy witch core septum piercings, chikankari kurta slay, MKT thrifts and what not.
It portrays itself with a certain sense of irony how you can easily identify the DU brigade dressed in the spectrum ranging from fab India khaki kurta simpletons to lulu & sky corsets bearing baddies, right from the oversized shirt over tanks and wide legged trousers to the artisanal bangle clad kurti endowed individuals.
More than a sense of fashion, it’s a statement, one that brings together chic with sustainability. Sarojini becomes a high fashion substitute, thrifting becomes the new currency and locally grown businesses the warble call for styling enthusiasts. At the risk of generalizing the human experience curve we have achieved what appears to be a unified assertion of what fashion doesn’t necessarily have to be, it remains to be an inclusive domain for expression of identities. Ofcourse the situation Is far from ideal, arguments in favour of elitist bias, bullying and harassment claims and the general lack of tolerance for the “chalk and cheese” fashion statements continue to exist but from the standpoint of observing the bigger picture it does feel like that Delhi University as an institution offers space to harbour the fraternity of the fashion diaspora that seems to have become a hallmark in identifying the university’s culture by and large.
Featured Image credits: DU Updates
Priya Shandilya