A season of desi poll-itical chic
general election season in India has been in peak summer since 1991, when temperatures soar so much that it's possible to fry an egg on an SUV bonnet. While some may glean schadenfreude (pleasure derived from another person's misfortune) in the Election Commission making cossetted politicians sweat it out for their place in the 18th Lok Sabha, summer polls provide the perfect opportunity to observe their election fashion statements and understand the timeless logic of Indianwear.
The appropriateness of traditional desi garments becomes most blindingly evident in summer. A woman parliamentarian, who is the darling of the cosmopolitan set for her chic urban style and cutting articulation, becomes a cotton-encased Bharatiya Nari on the election trail. Handloom saree draped loosely and demurely covering her head, full-sleeved blouse encasing arms and midriff, only her outsized designer sunglasses set her apart from the similarly cocooned women listening to her campaign spiel. They are united in their battle against the unrelenting sun.
Ditto for her male counterparts who tend to ditch their international fashion brands at election time to make common cause with the more vernacular style of hinterland habitues. Their sartorial preference veers towards long-sleeved, billowing cotton kurta-pajamas and, in many cases, voluminous headgear that serves both as insulation from the searing sun as well as a shade for the eyes. Even their footwear is focused on keeping toes cool and free from gravel.
Judging from the
