All in a day’s work

I have yet to see a suit and tie in this town. Granted I live and work in a neighborhood where ties at work might not be expected. Not so fast, because I live in a pretty upscale, middle class neighborhood. It is mostly apartment buildings, but each one has it’s very own guard and the whole place is surrounded by gates that inconveniently close at night making finding one’s way home even more of a challenge. The point is, that on my morning walk to work, (but not on my way home since the day tends to make me oblivious by nightfall), it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect to see a man in a suit and tie on his way to the office. I have not seen one.

In fact, one of the things that came as a bit of a surprise is how many people wear traditional dress as a matter of course. If I have to put a number on it (and I’m an epidemiologist so I feel compelled), I would say that 75-80% of the women and perhaps 40-50% of the men routinely wear some traditional article of clothing—and that’s in the largest urban center in India. Another thing I love? The women wear sensible, yet pretty shoes!!! Let me clarify. Not many women wear heels, but they do wear sandals regardless of the winter weather. They sell mitten socks (big toe and rest of toes) especially so that women can wear sandals year round. I think that’s sensible.

What do people wear to work? As an employee of an action oriented, medical nongovernmental organization, I wear jeans. Pretty much every day. Someone’s got to do it. What do Indian’s wear to work? Let’s just say that it’s got to be handsome, comfortable and functional. I present to you a sampling of workers and their wear. I must confess that the most impressive workers are the wandering brass bands that traverse the neighborhood now that wedding season is in full swing. I’ve seen them as early as 6:30 in the morning from high atop my apartment balcony. This begs the question, where do 28 men wearing white uniforms and bearing large brass instruments go during the night unnoticed? And one further question: how do they keep their whites so white in a city where that is difficult even under the best of circumstances?