A saree is the staple outfit in every Indian woman’s wardrobe. The five metres of cloth imbibe a heartfelt and loving feeling in most girls’ hearts.
Sarees are simple and have years of nostalgia, love, respect and Indian culture entangled in every single thread. From the Kanjeevarams of Tamil Nadu to the Tants of Bengal, almost every state in India has their own unique take on the cloth.
The traditional form of wearing the outfit has also changed and molded to fit into the contemporary world and their modern thoughts. However, are sarees limited to only one gender?
If women can wear tuxedos and other such ‘male outfits’ then can men not wear clothes that traditionally we are more accustomed to see women wearing? One man from Kolkata answers that for you through the most colourful and beautiful thoughts ever.
Who Is He And What Is He Doing?
Pushpak Sen, who prefers all pronouns, is a 26-year-old from Kolkata who went viral in April after pictures of him donning a green and black saree were posted by him on his Instagram profile.
Sen is a fashion marketing and communications student in Italy and has recently again taken the internet by an uproar by pairing a beautiful black saree and a coat on the streets of Milan.
Sen posted his picture with the caption talking about how people told him that wearing a saree would take him nowhere whereas he is now walking the streets of the biggest fashion capital of the world and might I say, looking absolutely beautiful and mesmerising in the process.
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The pictures show Pushpak wearing a red bindi and a black saree paired with a coat. He is shown frolicking with the people and having fun with his friends. Pushpak’s previous posts show him wearing traditional Indian clothes paired with beautiful ornaments that seem to elevate every outfit a bit more.
In an interview with IndianExpress, Sen said that since he moved to Milan he has made it a point to wear sarees more often than he did before. Sen said that his photoshoot was impromptu but quite fun to participate in. He added that he had to wear a saree to Milan as he loves to represent his traditions and culture in his own style everywhere he goes.
Sen said that he loves to experiment with his style and try out various forms of makeup looks online. He added that it has been a reward to spread the fashion of sarees in European streets and towns.
He has been flaunting his gifted looks and traditional handloom sarees everywhere from Barcelona to Florence encouraging his style of androgynous fashion. He says that he does not want to blend in with the public but to stand out and represent his roots, his clan and his community.
Sen is definitely not new to the limelight of the internet. They also went viral in 2020 when he posted pictures wearing a bold red lip and kohl-lined eyes. Pushpak stood up for his mother who was slut shamed at a family gathering because she was wearing the same shade of lipstick.
The pictures earned him support and love from netizens for taking a stand and showing solidarity with their mother. Sen has shared that wearing sarees makes them feel closer to their mother as they are divided by continents and time zones at the present moment.
Pushpak Sen shared his Indian pride in an Instagram post with the caption “Representing my pride hand-loomed in my culture long after the pride month got over, cause that’s how it’s supposed to be.
Every time I reply to messages in Bengali, the other person expressed their amazement at how well I remember the language. My reason to come here where I am was not to blend in but to REPRESENT my roots, my clan, my community.”
What Is The Impact Of Sen’s Steps?
Being a Bengali myself who was born in Kolkata and lived here her entire life, looking at Sen’s pictures makes me feel like I am witnessing my ancestors in beautiful androgynous clothes while keeping the beauty, grace and nostalgia of the saree alive.
His bold and unapologetic attitude makes me feel a sense of pride and makes me think that maybe I can follow in his footsteps and attempt to wear the saree with as much confidence as them.
For years society has boxed clothes into squares that say that a particular piece of clothing is available to a particular gender. Sen’s steps have been enforcing the thought that clothes actually do not have a gender and every piece of clothing can be worn and enjoyed by everyone.
In fact, everyone can look marvelous if they have confidence and love in what they wear. Pushpak teaches us that the world does not need to be limited to certain boundaries as there are plethoras of situations to explore and mold according to one’s own personal choices.
Image Sources: Google Images
Sources: TimesNowNews, FirstPost, CurlyTales, IndianExpress
Meet The Blogger: Charlotte
This Post is Tagged Under: saree, staple outfit, Indian woman, nostalgia, Indian culture, Kanjeevarams, Tamil Nadu, Tants, Bengal, tradition, contemporary, modern, tuxedos, Pushpak Sen, viral, Instagram, fashion marketing, communications, Italy, Milan, fashion capital, red bindi, IndianExpress, photoshoot, experiment, European streets, Barcelona, Florence, androgynous fashion, netizens, Bengali, Kolkata, ancestors
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In Pics: From A Garment To A Culture: Evolution Of The Saree
