Tenu suit suit nahi karta!

Hello Ladies and Gents,

I hope you all are fit and fine; I’m sailing in the same boat too. Please allow me to take you into a hypothetical situation (that’s the best where we can go). Now imagine, you have come back home after an enervating day at work and just started watching T.V. You decide to keep up with the current happenings around you and thus, navigate to a ‘NEWS’ channel to watch intellectuals ‘DEBATING’ on ‘ISSUES’ that matter.

Abruptly, out of Pandora’s box our honourable Gobhi Ji suddenly crops up and starts his charismatic bhaiyo bheno …aap sab ke a/c m 15 lakh aane chahiye ke nahi?. And you're like …. Can I say ‘yes’ in 1000 languages? Guess what people! ‘Aaj ratri 12 bje se 2,000 & 500 ke note aapki sewa m haazir honge! Sidha aapke bank a/c mein.’ (digital India of course!) but here’s the deal dreamers, all the money that Gobhi Ji gives us has to be spent on buying clothes. Clothes and accessories, till the last rupee. Sounds absurd right? Indeed. But at least we are getting something right? So let’s enjoy that.

Now, you call a family cabinet meeting at a very minuscule notice to discuss what and from where to buy. Let’s make a quick list of clothes that we would usually buy. But before that, the following factors are to be kept in mind:

1. Brands from which you will buy now will obviously have jaw-dropping prices.

2.Quality and fit will matter to us but the brand tag supersedes everything.

3. #Fashion is our top priority.

4.This list is inspired by the top 10 global brand’s sales report as well as most searched keywords for clothing on Amazon.com (this is serious, btw)

5. This is just a general view, so don’t come rushing with expert fashion sense and acumen.

Clothing styles are as varied as there are people and purposes. Let’s jot down some common things we usually buy.

1. Professional attire: Suit, Necktie.

2. Formal occasions: From glamorous women's cocktail dresses and ball gowns to men's tuxedos, this can be countless.

3. Trendy styles: From street style to punk looks, as well as other popular teenage fashions, this list is surely endless.

4. Clothing for travel: for an example  Hawaiian shirts for beachwear and ski clothing for the slopes.

5. Undergarments

6. Exercise wear: From leotards and sweatshirts to sports shoes and sneakers.

7. Sports: Here too the choices are many like, for specific sporting activities, such as bicycle clothing and golf wear.

8. Traditional wear: anything that the store puts on display and is hell expensive, just for the reason that it is taken out only for a day around the year.

So far everything seems perfect, but now come out of the hypothetical world and let’s be all ears to science uncle for a while.

There are 5 reasons why we wear clothing.

1. Adornment: Added decoration or ornamentation.

2. Protection: Clothing that provides physical safeguards to the body, preventing harm from climate and environment.

3. Identification: Establishing who someone is or what they do.

4. Modesty: Covering the body according to the code of decency established by society.

5. Status: One's position or rank in comparison to others.

The science of clothing.

What makes us buy a particular garment?

Buying a certain piece of garment can be influenced by many factors like need, aesthetics, and comfort. Whether the reason for wearing a certain garment is due to basic necessity, to impress someone, or to protect, comfort is a must. With the progress of science, there is a big improvement in the quality of life, which has increased the expectations of users in terms of comfort in clothing, with respect to the activities they are involved in, and the ever-changing environment.

These demands have led researchers to explore the science behind clothing comfort and find out what parameters are involved when it comes to achieving the comfort fit. Generally, clothing depends on age, health, environment, weather, occasion, social status, economic background, profession, religion, and territory broadly. Judging comfort is a matter of great complexity because what is comfortable to one may or may not be comfortable to another. This makes it difficult to define clothing comfort.

Do we always buy clothes that are comfortable?

In simple words, clothing comfort is a state of mind when it is at its lowest. According to Prof. Lubos Hes, author of Thermal comfort properties of textile fabric, "Comfort is defined as the absence of perceived pain and discomfort". Clothing comfort is a state of satisfaction indicating physiological, psychological, and physical balance among the person.

So, what exactly is being comfortable at clothing?

There are two main factors that determine comfort clothing: External factors like the environmental temperature, moisture, wind, cultural and social influences which affect the comfort in clothing; Internal factors such as an individual's metabolic rate, level of activities, economic and health position, social experiences, and psychological situations are instrumental in establishing the level of comfort in clothing.

From all the above content it can be said, in a nutshell, clothing comfort is a result of a network of different physiological, psychological, and sensorial activities and feelings. For instance, a bed sheet is more comfortable when the atmospheric temperature is between 20-25°C, any rise or fall in it, will cause a certain amount of discomfort. Hence, a human body reacts to any rise or fall in temperature and other environmental factors that cause discomfort and thermophysiological comfort are vital for being comfortable in a piece of garment.

Science Oversimplified….

Thermophysiology involves the movement of heat and moisture through a fabric. When the weather is cold, a human body loses heat to keep it warm, and which is why we cover our body with a layer of clothes, while in summer wearing light clothes, enables the body to reduce the heat. To maintain the thermal balance, body losses heat through four main mechanisms: conduction, convection, radiation, and evaporation. Fabrics need to be able to protect from wind and water, ensure moisture permeability, and insulate in order to provide thermal comfort.

Now, scroll up and take a close look at the list we made. Yes, the choices may have varied somewhere, but, didn’t a lot of it matched? Do you think all those clothes you were gonna buy would give you comfort? Some may argue that if wearing high heels and neckties causes physical discomfort, it also boosts confidence or maybe mental satisfaction if not the physical. My view to that thought would be: would you be peaceful inside your skull,  if your ankle yells at you to remove particular footwear? So, I think if one is physically comfortable with the piece of cloth he/she is putting on their body, it would make the majority of the population more comfortable mentally as well.

Dressing up in India

In order to achieve a wide range of adaptability by buffering the effects of variations of the surroundings, man adopts and modifies the available choices of the pattern of clothing. In India, climatic variations are wide between different parts of the country and, obviously, the patterns of clothing or garments are also different. The eastern, southern and western zone climates are similar and can be recognised as hot-humid tropics. Garments with a loose covering of the body are the special features of these zones and this type of garment is essential to obtain a maximum convective and evaporative heat loss with the available air movement across the clothing worn. Northern zone people usually wear a long type of dress, such as the “pyjama” or “salwar” and long “kurta”. Some form of head cover, which is especially common in the north zone, is possibly meant for protecting the head from solar radiation while working outdoors. Obviously, the people of the hilly region wear a long dress which covers the ankles, wrists and neck, meant only for protection against cold. Thus, the concept of textile development influences the clothing fashion, and the basic designs and patterns of clothing in different parts of the country could possibly be due to adaptation for the environmental variation.

Wondering how many unwanted clothes (as per body’s comfort) were in your list? Well, I would say more than you would have imagined. If you are living in the most polluted capital of the world; believe me, a pair of tight denim is the last thing you would need to cover your body. The reason? The air is already no less than solarwinds near the sun, AQI (Air Quality Index) makes it worse and upsurges the temperature. Amidst all this, your body is constantly begging you to let it breathe.

A brief history in denim time.

In the late 1800s, denim trousers, typically worn by male workers and originally referred to as “waist overalls,” were fairly commonplace as rough and tumble work wear. In the 1920s and 1930s, jeans became popular Western wear in the United States, worn by miners, cowboys and other male workers who needed sturdy clothing that could withstand heavy wear and tear. Teenagers embraced blue jeans in the 1950s when Hollywood movies used jeans as a fashionable symbol of rebellion against the status quo. Pop culture "bad boys" such as James Dean and Marlon Brando popularized jeans in their films, wearing denim as they shook up the squares. This led to blue jeans being banned in some public schools in America, for being too provocative. Contrary to what you might think, women rarely wore denim during the 1950s — that change in women's fashion history was still to come, in the turbulent 1960s. However, when you are reading these jeans have already taken up a sizeable amount of space in your wardrobe.

Albeit, I have no personal vendetta against Denim clothes but it just amuses me, that we made an American workman’s cloth so popular and expensive. The compressing effect of the tight denim can inhibit blood circulation, trigger swelling and numbness, and cause muscle and nerve damage. Also, that we absolutely did not need such tight and heavy fabric in India were major parts experience hot and humid climate very well.

Jeans’ cousin yoga pants can prevent your sweat glands from draining properly, which causes rashes, butt and leg acne, and fungal infections. Holding a heavy bag on one shoulder throws the body's natural sway off balance, putting more pressure on one side. At the very least, you'll feel neck and shoulder pain. But at its worst, the bag can pinch nerves and alter your spine, leading to carpal tunnel or arthritis. High heels can shorten muscles and cause headaches, but flats can trigger sharp foot pains. Winter coats, scarves, and gloves that are washed only once per season are teeming with viruses and bacteria that can make you sick. Wearing neckties may increase your risk for glaucoma.

The use of large and heavy earrings often cause damaged earlobes, a problem that requires plastic surgery to be fixed. Pencil skirts, or pipe skirts, bring your legs too close to each other, so there’s always a possibility of losing your balance and falling. They limit all your movements, from walking to getting into the car, but the worst thing is that such skirts can cause muscle strains and knee malformations. GOD! I don’t know where this list ends. Bless us Lord!

The solution- GO Naturally LOCAL!

Benefits:

1. Economically- A land of variety in every sense—India has so much to offer, it might just take you by surprise. Did you know that not just the outfits, but even the fabric used to make them are unique to each state of India? Yes, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, every region has its own handloom techniques that are used to weave many unique fabrics. The Khadi sector employs 80 lakh people and government assistance and promotions can provide a once-in-a-while push, but long-term sustainability requires inherent demand. The railways on a daily basis require four lakh bedrolls and would be willing to partner with local readers in developing a strategy to provide disposable khadi bedrolls and towels at economical rates. There is a huge opportunity for the Indian fashion industry in the textile sector, both in the domestic and international market, and Khadi needs to create demand.

Environmentally- Synthetic polymers can come in a variety of forms, such as common plastics, the nylon of a jacket, or the surface of a non-stick frying pan, but these human-made materials have a detrimental impact on ecosystems which is a rapidly increasing, long-term threat. Natural fibres are categorised as an environmentally friendly material, which contains good properties, compared to synthetic fibres. Natural fibres contain low cost, density and weight, less pollution during production resulting in minimal health hazards.

Fabulous fibre features- Popular with moms and their babies, organic cotton is grown without pesticides, growth regulators and synthetic chemical fertilizers. It’s ideal for those with sensitive skin, and it’s grown with the utmost respect for the planet. Here natural fibres contain low cost, density and weight, less pollution during production resulting in minimal health hazards and eco-friendly nature. Composites reinforced with natural fibres also have a short life when it comes to degradation with limited environmental damage whereas synthetic fibres have a negative impact due to degradation pollution.

I hope, now you know what to wear for being comfortable and save a lot of important things for a sustainable future. Spend your 15 lakhs wisely and don’t forget to thank Gobhi Ji! Happy shopping ;)