The Dress Coda

WHEN it comes to effortless style, no one can match the choices that India's youth today have. From their campus canteens and classrooms to their evening and night outs, they know how to dress up in style. And guess what, the entire look they carry is pocket-friendly as they mostly shop with limited budgets. They seem to move more to­wards comfortable styles than mere looks that give no comfort. When it comes to effortless style, Gen Z (or the Zoomers as they are popularly known), are well versed with the kind of choices available in the market today. Compared with the millennials, Gen Z are absolutely clear when it comes to their preferences. When they want some­thing, some style, that's the only thing they want and nothing else.

It is interesting to note that they are eager to learn the latest trends whether or not they can afford to buy some of those looks. On college campuses, in between their sessions, discus­sions on campus fashion start. Curiosity generated from these con­versations is what takes them to the doorsteps of Instagram and Facebook. Further analysis and investigations are done with the help of Google. So, curiosity takes them to technology and the information gathered there takes them further to the shopping side.

Curiosity

They are curious to know what happens in fashion around the world, including India. Access to social media gives them the kind of information they want in terms of trends, what to buy or not to buy, what all are the celebrities' choices, etc. Study time or leisure, they browse through these news nug­gets vigorously, making sure that they are not left behind when it comes to matching the looks of their peers. That's why Gen Z is well versed with the environment-con­scious fashion products using sustainable fabrics, recycling, upcycling, etc. Thanks to the wealth of information available at their fingertips, they are also aware of the importance of sustainable clothing, including the pre-owned and vintage segments.

Technology

Curiosity has no meaning unless it takes them to places where they are exposed to the hot trends happening all over. Technology does just that. Social and electronic me­dia give these youngsters the ability to understand the power of choice and offer them hundreds to choose from on different online platforms. Search engines provide them with in-depth informa­tion from rookies, experts, and also research findings done by prestigious universities. The advent of AI made things even easier to access. Hence, they are well informed of the choices and prefer­ences, often influenced by what they see and read on social media posts and reels and go for the final kill after careful consid­eration of the price tags. Limited budgets may be, but meticulous research results in a wide variety of choices fitting into their scheme of things.

Choice

So, what do they like? Well, when it comes to the overall look, Gen Z knows how to balance their cultural identity and their Western preferences. For both sides, the inspirations mainly come from plat­forms such as Instagram and Facebook. They are inspired both by what is seen on celebrities and other fashion influencers and what they see on red carpets and social gather­ings. Some even say they are interested in seeing what celebrities wore at airports (while travelling). So 'airport fashion' is converted into campus fashion effortlessly. Armed with all these, they make their informed choices as to what should be their day wear or evening wear. Retro looks are a big hit among them like cat eye­glasses and boot-cut jeans. So are athleisures—a hybrid style of athletic and daily wear which are comfortable and easy. A pair of jeans, high on the waist for some while some prefer a more tapered and low-rise appearance. Add to this a loose-fitting knotted blouse and a pair of sneakers and they are good to go. College campuses are buzzing with style statements of different kinds. Most feel that oversized, printed, graphic tees with slogans and a pair of baggy jeans are best suited for college campuses and evening outings while black seems to be the favourite colour for night outs for both girls and boys, with LBDs still dominating the wardrobe choices for girls. When it comes to their personal style preferences and their executions, girls fare far better than boys as the former have a wider vari­ety to choose from and a higher level of interest to source what they like and wear the same.

Tradition

India's Gen Z loves to experiment with Western silhouettes while keeping its cultural lineage intact. They may not want to go all out on traditional outfits all the time but fusion garments are something they are not averse to wearing even on a daily basis. Traditional Indian textiles in Western sil­houettes are fast gaining popularity among the youth. T-shirts and tops with Indian motifs, embroidered pair of den­ims, etc are part of that package. For festive and traditional occasions, and sometimes for campus appearances on special occasions as well, tradi­tional Indian garments, such as kurta-pajamas, salwar-kameezzes/saris, with a pair of sneakers or Indo-Westerns like a pair of Levi's with a short kurta come into play.

Coordinated Looks

Whether it's contempo­rary or traditional wear, Gen Z makes it look even more appealing with the coordinating knowledge they gain from social media. For instance, the choice of wearing a pair of sneakers with saris or salwars, a pair of ta­pered jeans worn with a traditional Indian blouse with matching fashion jewellery or just a bunch of jasmine flowers in the hair while in occidental attire, these are a few tricks that make them stand apart in their sartorial world. Choices and preferences also are regional. When it comes to traditional attire choic­es, perhaps the south scores more, but when it comes to the overall appearances and style statements the Northeast makes an impact beyond expectations when it comes to the overall looks in Western attire.

In affordable fashion, Gen Z's choice is very clear. They know what to buy, where to buy and how to coordinate their outfits with the right accessories. And they are constantly updat­ing themselves using various tech platforms to stay ahead of the curve. When they look at global fashion trends, the names of trend setters from the world of luxury, celebrity dressings, red-carpet appearances, etc also be­come visible. The brands seen there are out of reach for most of Gen Z but some of them find their solace in shopping from the pre-owned segment (which again isn't cheap). But for most that too is out of reach. Of course, they are also influenced by luxury brands and their immense brand appeals, but for now they have decided to keep them at bay owing to budget constraints. For now, with their limited budgets and unlimited choices/ inspirations that social media provides them with, they are hap­py where they are, what they wear, and where they are headed next.