The Hindu Business Line : Swearing by comfort

If it's in today, it may be passé tomorrow. But then, it may soon make a comeback and be in style. The speed at which it evolves, adding or shedding elements along the way, and the sheer variety, can leave those not clued in on fashion, literally stumped.

But for the teens today, there is never a problem due to plenty. So much to choose from and yet they seem to know what exactly they want. They know what looks good on them and are not intimidated by fashion trends. They do go wild and crazy with colours, experiment with patterns and get as "funky", "cool" and "trendy" as possible, within the rules they still aren't old enough to flout.

To teenagers, style and comfort go hand in hand. But if they have to choose between the two, they will strictly swear by comfort. "I don't believe in sacrificing comfort for making personality statements," emphasises 18-year-old Sowmya Rajendran, a student of English literature in Chennai.

Which explains why the `good old jeans' is still a favourite among teens. Something which guarantees comfort, this is perhaps the garment most experimented upon. Bell-bottoms ("bell botts," as 19-year-old Hannah Joseph calls it), hipsters, printed, embroidered, bulleted, bleached, and sand blasted — the choice is never ending. And, what's more, if your jeans is not faded or torn, you may be considered a bit too prim and old-fashioned!

"Every time I buy a pair of jeans, I wait till it tears and fades a bit before I wear it. Sometimes I tear it up myself," says 16-year-old Tanvi Thakkar, who is just out of school.

While most boys like to sport tees with `funky' words — "nothing vulgar," they scream — ethnic wear like kurtas are in too. "I also love Pathan sets but I think I must wait a couple of more years before I can carry them off in style," says 16-year-old Deepak Rangan, a class XII student in Chennai.

Praveen Khatri, of Rock, a store for clothes and fashion accessories in Chennai, says that boys prefer loose fits, which give them a hip-hop look. Girls, he says, prefer tighter jeans with the flare or boot cut. "Boys generally don't like European style, which is mostly tight-fitting. Since the slim and fit look is not yet in vogue among teenage boys, they prefer to wear baggy, loose fitting jeans or cargoes. But this is changing as more and more boys visit the gym to improve their physique."

Though the party-hopping girls (about 5 per cent to 7 per cent in Chennai, says Praveen) sport crinkled cotton tops, halters, knit tops, singlets and tank tops, others prefer to match their jeans and trousers with smart short kurtas. In fact, kurtas and kurtis are a smash hit among teenage girls, giving the traditional salwar kameez stiff competition.

"Short kurtas look very smart and are so comfortable. I can wear them with just about anything — jeans, trousers, salwar or parallel pants," says 16-year-old Vidhya Kalyanaraman, a class XII student in Chennai, who also wears wraparounds or long tapering skirts "though not very often..." But Hannah Joseph hates wearing skirts, as she does not feel comfortable with her "legs slapping each other".

Fashion among teenage boys is often inspired by the movies. For example 18-year-old Nikhil Sathasivam is taken in by Al Pacino's look in Godfather. "The formal outfit that Al Pacino wears suits his roles and gives him a touch of class. Even Ajay Devgan in Company dressed completely in black — black shoes and sunglasses — cuts a classy figure. So, I go in for classy black mostly," he says. He also loves Anarchy T-shirts as he thinks there's "chaos and disorder in everything in life." Deepak too admits that his dressing sense is sometimes inspired by Michael Jackson and film stars.

When it comes to accessories, there are trinkets and add-ons that range from head to toe — literally. This season, the trend is to "go metallic". Copper, brass and oxidised jewellery inspired by geometric designs is a big hit among girls and guys. While girls prefer jewellery with beads, stones and studs, boys love to flaunt garish metallic motifs conveying Gothic and spiritual themes. "I love to wear wooden or metal chains with a skull or tiger teeth pendant and match it with a bracelet," says 17-year-old G. Kiran, an engineering student, who is also crazy about suede leather shoes in shades of brown. This is something the elders may frown upon but that doesn't stop teenage girls from wearing anklets on just one leg. "I love beaded and silver anklets. My friend and I buy a pair and take one each," says 19-year-old Aishwarya Kumar, a student of Commerce. A mirror work-bag and black slip-ons, "which go with most of my clothes," complete her outfit and she is ready for college.

Sometimes, fashion accessories camouflage errors or divert attention from a not-too-flattering ensemble. For example, when Hannah did not like her new hair-do, she did not fret. Instead, she sported a "cool" bandana and carried on with spunk.

Is branded wear popular among teens? Apparently not. While teenagers do like to flaunt branded garments and accessories — whether it is jeans, watches or sunglasses — they are not too particular about brands. The girls, especially, believe in thrifty shopping. "I am not very brand-conscious. I buy from any place that sells good stuff. Even the roadside rocks," says Sowmya.

Another sign of the changing times is the willingness to be bold and experiment. Although body art such as tattooing and body piercing — something, which is a rage in cities like Pune and Bangalore — is yet to take off in "conservative" cities like Chennai in a big way, interest is definitely picking up.

It is quite common to see teenage girls (and a few boys) wearing multiple earrings. But Tanvi, a Mumbaiite, is a step ahead. She has pierced five holes — but then only on one ear — a trend she thinks will catch on. Tanvi loves wearing tops that stop short at the midriff, "so that people notice my belly button, which I got pierced in Bangalore," she says. And as for the tattoos, the popular motifs are sun signs, barbed wire, Chinese symbols such as dragons and spiritual designs such as Om. While some teens are game for getting tattoos pierced, many others are still circumspect about it. But not Hannah, who, in a "rebellious" mood, decided to throw caution to the wind. And the result? An eagle perched on her right shoulder — ready to swoop.

A. Roy Chowdhury; Courtesy: Villa Marie College, Hyderabad

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