Retail tales

I am no bra burning feminist. Actually this bra burning is a western concept. In India, lot of places  the Saree was a complete garment, not worn with blouse or petticoat. Why am I talking all this is because I went to some undergarments shops in my area. When I was in my teens, my mother and Aunt used to buy undergarments for me in Jharia and Dhanbad. I was not taken to the store and neither did I want to go to buy it. My Aunt chose the size and pattern and that was the best. The shops had no trial rooms. If you did not like the stuff, you had to go back again to return it. I do not know if they asked for any explanations for the return of the undergarment. In south Mumbai, where my college and hostels were, it was very easy to go and buy. Salesmen showed you and there was a trial room. The bras were cotton . We only wore white. Black were few and considered sexy but did not match with most clothes. Black was not so much in fashion back then in India. We never wore matching sets of undergarments. Those were for the brides is what I thought. Then started the trend of having friends travelling abroad and they always got you undergarments. It was the best gift one could receive in India. The quality and the comfort were unbeatable. I had never stepped out of India except to Nepal. I was quite proud of the fact that I had been to Nepal. I used to proudly announce to all when asked if I have ever been out of the country. The world other than that was in Yash Chopra movies. There were no skin coloured or beige undergarments. Lace was all rough and scratchy so no one in the hostel ever bought it. I don't remember if the under wire variety existed. Later we discovered some stores which sold the imported variety. They did brisk business. They knew which was more worn with Sarees and what went well with western dresses. The salesmen knew your size by just looking at you. They were really decent and quick in showing stuff and selling too. The undergarment stores were very small. They wanted customers to make a quick choice so they could sell to other customers. We usually went in pairs to buy them as the shops were small.

Life continued comfortably and then the best  thing happened. No, I did not win a lottery but Marks & Spencer opened their stores in India. All my undergarments woes were sorted forever. Needless to say, some over aggressive sales girls always wants to sell me another size because she did not have the one I asked for. They have tried to tell me to buy a bigger size as the fit is the same in all. The problem with foreign stores is they see you and suggest a big size in clothes and undergarments. Don't know if this is their training. It is like if you went to a make up store abroad, they always suggest a maroon colour in lipsticks for Indians. These undergarment salesgirls have no clue of sizes of ladies or what is available but a good display makes it easy for me to choose. I still thought that they sent their old stock to India, but my friend who flies to London every week on work, convinced me that it is fresh stock. Old stock or last season stock was only in garments.

The other day I had to buy some stuff urgently. Since I did not know which shops to go to in my area, I asked a friend who guided me. I was aghast at all that is available in the market. The colours and the quality were atrocious and so were the prices. The sizes were beyond me. People were really buying and the two shops I went to were buzzing with shy ladies customers. These shops do not have any lace or sexy undergarments. The salesmen looked so scared and embarrassed to show the stuff. On the shop window were packets of nighties, very decent and full length ones. The bras were all kept in different plastic or cardboard boxes. No designs were on display. When you walked in, the men did not look up. I had to muster some courage and ask for stuff. One shop had a lady salesgirl. She said all undergarments have elastic and one size fits all. One lady was buying infant s clothes. Infant wear and ladies wear together. One lady was buying an underwear which looked like she was going to get pregnant and wear it. The owner was a woman in her fifties and the salesman was her son. He did not even look up when he took the money from me. The shop was clean but that is all I can say about it. For every item, the sales man climbed up on the table and pulled out a box. He never tried to up sell or show me anything other than what I asked for. The lady in jeans who was shopping was quite a surprise to me. She looked well dressed professional and then I saw her buying really ugly bright printed undergarments and I almost choked. I could not believe than beneath her nice office wear, she wears such garish stuff. She was buying a nightie which was like a pinafore. I saw the picture on the packaging. A ghastly pink and black striped thing. I know everyone has different tastes. But the market offering this kind of local stuff is just not fair. Am sure people do not know what else is available worldwide. Some local Indian company needs to look at urban women's basic necessity carefully.