Mass fashion

With the onset of summer, youngsters’ hunt for apparel begin. As it is difficult for many of them to afford designer clothes, these new, highly informed consumers bank upon street malls to satisfy their fashion needs.
"Although I would like to buy designer dresses, I cannot, as they are too expensive. But, at the same time I cannot afford to be estranged from the trend, and hence, I buy from street vendors, in fact, 80 per cent of my clothes and accessories are sourced from Janpath and Palika Bazaar," says Aruna Rawat, a student of Dayal Singh College.
For the knick-knacks, a majority of students scour Sarojini Nagar export market, Dilli Haat, Khadi Gram Udyog outlets, Lajpat Nagar, Kamala Nagar, Janpath and Palika Bazaar."These places are not only inexpensive, but hip and happening as well," says Nusrat, a student of Miranda House. "A T-shirt or a top at any shop in Janpath and Sarojini Nagar export market is priced between Rs 25 and Rs 350," she adds.
An IP University student Gaurav Arora says, "The fun of shopping is, when the prices are low and scope exists for bargaining." He is a Kamala Nagar market freak. "The market offers a variety of clothes with costs ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000."
To him, it was all comfortability that mattered. "One should wear what suits one the most. For instance, an arty ''kurta'' that Shahrukh Khan wears, might not suit everybody," he remarks.
Besides adhering to the prevailing trends, today’s generation wants to be ''self-styled'' when it comes to apparel, hair-do, footwear or accessories. Although, the current general look is light, loose, tailored and sleek, and ranges from traditional to hi-tech style, apparently, every youngster reflects a kind of difference in the way he or she carries himself or herself. Rumpa, a Gargi College student, loves to wear a vibrant ''khadi churidar kurta'' with boot cut jeans and a heavy ''dupatta''. Given her short hair, danglers or earrings added a certain vibrancy and colour to her face, she felt. But, where does she source her accessories from? "Sarojini Nagar," she exclaims, and adds, "As here one can get good quality stuff at lower rates. But, for footwear, I prefer going to Palika Bazaar or Janpath."
According to most of the girls that this reporter spoke to, ''Dilli Haat'' and Sarojini Nagar offered a multitude of junk jewellery with a whole lot of variety and quality at low prices. At these places, one can source all kinds of accessories ranging from bangles, earrings, necklaces, rings to armlets and anklets.
However, kurtas bearing an ethnic facet with jeans was cushy and comfortable for girls as well as for boys. According to most of the girls, ''filmy'' kurtas with inners inside were a hot favourite. Further, cargoes in tune with loose short t-shirts and sports shoes were extremely popular too. In footwear, girls preferred rectangular flat ''chappals'' and for boys simple flat footwears were in vogue. While in hair-do, open long hair for girls and short hair for boys were the in-thing nowadays.