PEOPLE ARE judged by the way they dress. The kind of clothes they wear speaks volumes about them as individuals. College-going students are no exception. The first to keep pace with changing trends, most of them love to be caught wearing cool, comfortable and casual outfits.
However, not all colleges allow students to dress up the way they want. Dress codes are in place to ensure some semblance of similarity among students. But, students manage to make a style statement even while sticking to such dress codes.
Not all pick clothes straight off the shelf. Some sit down with designers to work on the patterns and overall finish. "Be it a readymade dress or a tailored one, what students want is a good fit," says Deepak of Brocade on D B Road.
As for colours, he says this generation prefers dark colours. Black is apparently a big hit.
As for kurtas, the argument continues as to which one rules – the regular one or its shorter cousin. However, college students mix and match. While the regular ones are worn the traditional way, short kurtas are teamed with a pair of jeans and a dupatta.
"Rather than experimenting with different `cuts’, college girls try out different neck patterns," says Mumtaz of Mithila Designers on Sambandam Road. They scour through the pattern books to come up with a design that flatters their physique. Evergreen favourites include the boat neck, simple round, oval and square neck. More enterprising ones go beyond printed designs and go on to design their own neck patterns.
Though sequins and embroidery are the rage elsewhere, this segment prefers the minimalist look. Rekha of Impressions, another boutique on T. V. Swamy Road, says that if at all sequins come in, it is to highlight certain patterns. "Rather than going in for extensive embellishment, they like minimal work on the neck, sleeves or the slits. Some substitute embroidery with lace," she adds.
Cost is another criteria. The students have to get work done within their budget. Apart from this, what they look out for is easy-to-maintain clothes, since they need it for daily wear.
Sulochana Malhotra of Pralochna, on Avinashi Road, says most of her college student customers want casuals. Teenagers shop for short kurtas while older ones look out for something simple. "Washability, comfort, maintenance and cost are some aspects they keep in mind while choosing clothes," she observes.
Ask students what they want and their overwhelming vote is for comfort. "Since we are in college all day long, our wardrobes are filled with daily-wear casuals which require little or no maintenance," they say.
However, for any college functions, they choose semi-formal salwar suits.