The Clothes We Wear
Jeans, shorts, tops, kurta or dress, I wonder which would look nice. Shorts? But would they be
appropriate? It is a dilemma I along with the majority of girls face daily. Modern clothes,
western or traditional, long or short, society always somehow finds a way to judge you. If I wear
a kurta, I fear my batchmates might judge me taking me to be conservative and of backward
thinking but if I wear shorts, doesn’t society say wearing revealing entices men and makes you
prone to sexual assault even rape? Sweatpants are comfortable and even in trend but again they
make you look unpresentable in professional settings, and you obviously can’t even think of
wearing them to parties. Different outfits for different occasions but what if I don’t have enough
money for it? People will make fun again if they see someone repeating but will judge another
for spending irrationally on clothes unless they are from an upper class and economically strong
background. Guys would be called “gay” or “feminine” if they wear pink but bland if they wear
basics. How can you even dress appropriately according to society when it finds a way to judge
how you look at every chance they get?
Previously, Japan had sumptuary laws which dictated what materials and colors individuals
could wear based on their social class. People from lower class were prohibited from wearing
luxurious fabrics or bright colors that signified higher status. This was to make sure the
distinctions between classes remain highlighted. Similarly, in India, British in reign of colonial
period, introduced western clothing that led to debate between western wear and traditional for
years. clothing has historically symbolized and reinforced power dynamics, including colonial,
caste, and gender hierarchies. During colonial rule in India, wearing certain styles was a form of
resistance against imposed identities (Nair, 2016). Ambedkar talks about the norms caste creates
to distinguish between one another and how traditional clothing functions as a marker of identity
and status (Ambedkar 1916). For instance, pagri and hijab are both significant forms of headwear
that carry cultural, social, and religious meanings, yet they originate from different traditions.
Hijab is worn by Muslim women and pagri is associated with Punjab and Sikh. Many
movements and protests have been carried out against the inequalities made by clothing, but I
fear that even though practices such as sumptuary laws are banned legally, the eradication of
these won’t be completely possible as society seems to uphold the distinctions between caste and
gender through clothing.
I once had a conversation with my mom when she asked me to maintain distance with a friend of
mine as she dressed very modernly causing her to be disliked by the elder women of our society.
My mom was worried she’ll have a negative influence on me and my reputation if I was
continued seeing with her. The policing of women’s clothing is not a new phenomenon.
Throughout history, societies have imposed strict guidelines on how women should dress, using
modesty as a benchmark for “appropriate” attire. While modernity has introduced a broader array
of choices, judgment has not disappeared; it has merely transformed. Western clothing is
frequently associated with liberation and independence, while traditional attire is often linked to
cultural pride and respectability. But these categories can be confining, forcing women to
constantly weigh their choices against the backdrop of societal approval or disapproval. I, too,
find myself caught in this web, where my desire for comfort and self-expression clashes with
external expectations. This struggle reflects the ongoing influence of gendered expectations on
women’s appearance, where clothing choices are often seen as markers of morality, cultural
allegiance, and personal character (Caldwell 1991).
The double standards that define appropriate clothing for men and women are evident in
everyday experiences which creates deep sense of inequality in women. For instance, if a man
wears shorts, it is generally viewed as an unremarkable choice; however, when a woman does
the same, it can trigger a debate on morality and “decency.” In rape cases, the victim is asked
what she was wearing during the felony. For centuries, women have been blamed for attempting
to entice men by showing skin and are asked to cover up to prevent such instances. It doesn’t
matter the women was wearing saree or kurta, the society would find another thing to question
the women. Rubin argues that sexuality and expressions of the body are politicized, regulated by
social norms that dictate acceptable behaviors (Rubin 1992). The way women’s clothing is
scrutinized echoes this regulation of the body, where the choice to wear shorts or a traditional
outfit is seen not merely as a personal preference but as a moral and cultural statement. This
moral regulation, in turn, affects my sense of freedom and autonomy in expressing my identity
through clothing.
In conclusion, societal expectations embedded in clothing norms reveal a lot about how gender,
culture, and power interact to influence individual choices. The debate over whether to wear
shorts or a kurta is about more than just fashion; it is about balancing personal autonomy and
societal control, the desire for self-expression and the fear of being judged. Clothing is used not
only to make a personal or cultural statement, but also to navigate social spaces with power
dynamics (Sharma 2016). The act of dressing, therefore, is more than an aesthetic choice; it
becomes a strategy for navigating a world where women are constantly negotiating visibility,
safety, and respectability. When I consider wearing shorts, I am not only choosing comfort over
tradition; I am also thinking about the social implications of visibility—how this decision may
affect my ability to move safely and comfortably in public places. As I move through public
spaces, I am aware of lingering stares and the occasional disapproving remarks. It's as if my
clothing choices invite unwelcome commentary on my character and values. Despite this, I
recognize the importance of pushing against these limitations. The discomfort I feel when
wearing shorts in certain situations is not a sign that I am doing something wrong, but rather that
these societal norms need to be challenged and redefined, as I recognize that every decision I
make, no matter how insignificant, contributes to a larger movement toward redefining what it
means to dress, express, and be seen as a woman in today's world.
References
Rubin, G. (1992) “Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality.”
Pleasure and Danger: Exploring Female Sexuality. Ed. Carole S. Vance, London Pandora. (pp.
267-293)
Sonal Sharma, (2016) ‘Of Rasoi Ka Kaam/ Bathroom Ka Kaam’, Economic and Political
Weekly, Vol. pp. 52-61.
Ambedkar, B. R. (1916, May 9). Castes in India; Their Mechanisms, Genesis and Development.
Lecture presented at An Anthropology Seminar taught by Dr. A. A. Goldenweizer in Columbia
University. http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/txt_ambedkar_castes.html
Caldwell, PM. (1991) A Hair Piece: Perspectives on the Intersection of Race and Gender,
1991 Duke Law Journal 365-396
Nair, Janaki. “Textbook Controversies and the Demand for a Past: Public Lives of Indian
History.” History Workshop Journal, no. 82, 2016, pp. 235–54.
