Skip to main content

Summer wear and diet


Does the topic sound clichéd but being a ‘concerned’ woman of ‘some substance’, I do feel people are wrongly attired in summer?

What irks me is the 5 ½ metre long saree that is wrapped for elegance does portend to be quite irksome. Be it at home or office or outdoor work. Oh, yes! We have cotton sarees that need to be pampered a lot before wear. Starched and ironed, I mean. The product has undergone a change these days. More and more women use netted fabric for letting in air to get easy movement of limbs. Then there is the silk and cotton blended fabric that looks crispy and glossy available in delightful shades.

Loin fabric always

So much for sarees but not to forget the less privileged women who have to make do with a make do fabric. Generally ‘loin’ with close knit prints to eliminate the translucent effect. The length and breadth too is reduced to give enough scope for limb movements.

The best state in India to offer summer clothing is Kerala. They have a white or off-white ‘Settu  Mundu’ which divides a saree into two parts. The portion meant for the lower part of the body is more like a dhoti and the upper half has thick and coloured or zari stripes to make it attractive. This garment is adapted by all communities – Hindu, Christian and Muslim. The Muslims generally opt for long-sleeved blouses for modesty.This doesn't mean the other two communities are immodest!

Other garments

Women: they are generally shorts (long and mini), skirts/frocks or long-pleated petticoats in colourful prints, harem pants or Patiala salwar and palazzos. The top garments are chosen depending on the fashion conscious women from teenage to grandmas.  Kaftans and sleeveless tops are always in vogue.

Men: they are conscious these days of formal and informal looks. The informal wear starts from Bermudas, cargos, dungarees or pajamas as made of thin fabric. A strict no-no to tights, jeans or corduroys – nothing to beat Lungis or Dhotis, that is convenient and classy. Also shirts or tops for men and women should be invariably in pastel shades only. The bright shades must be avoided for protecting the eyes of the wearer.

Diet.....Eats and drinks

First, the eats should be discretely chosen between digestible food like a daily dose of grain with fleshy vegetables that can be quickly cooked.

Eggs and non-vegetarian food must be avoided as they generate a lot of heat and tax the sweat gland which can result in prickly heat problems.

Lots of fruits and fruit juices are recommended. Better to avoid aerated drinks. Ice creams and jellies from regular shops recommended.

Please cut down on sugar and calories in summer as they invariably thwart the air conditioning of the body.

Choice of fabric

The right fabric will eventually makes one feel cooler in summer. The males can opt for short trousers or pyjamas, loose and convenient. The trendy jogging pants available in synthetic material should be a No-No for those who have a tendency to sweat from the hips down to the feet. Lungis are best for home-wear or a white dhoti for the refined man.

Women can wear clothes in light shades preferably not sticking to the legs as the skin does breathe with the body. However, culottes in Khadi, Muslin or light cotton material or in organdy would be ideal for outdoor wear or get togethers during summer.

Hobbies like swimming and wearing trendy sunglasses for walks are a must. Tops with or without sleeves, halter-necked tops for kids are ideal wear.

In the good old days, young girls (kids) used to wear a half-sleeved cotton dress in white under a formal frock. It used to be called ‘chemise’; today, chemise refers to tops worn on skirts or pants.

Frills, heavy buttons and showy buckles must be avoided as summer wear for kids.

Footwear can be slippers or light sandals or dainty shoes covering heels and toes are available in floral prints and are colourful and attractive. The same applies for boys (kids) without floral prints for those who prefer canvas shoes or slippers.

Stay cool, stay trendy.


Enjoy the summer. 

Happy summer do not simmer!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Short and sweaty visit to a beautiful city , a passing image!

Bengaluru or Bangalore is no longer a city one longs to visit for the simple reason it can hardly qualify to be a Garden City. A ‘concrete’ city that is just booming the mortar business and also the daily wager’s fortune but drawing the Bangalorean to an unforeseen doom. Of what avail! It has squashed all the meticulous planning a city needs to preserve its past history. Even the city’s scientist who has left us, Mr C V Raman, who owns a piece of land there which is being hawked upon by the government. Electric supply, is erratic and water ‘supply’ is stolen (via tankers) and supplied, Lakes keep frothing when elections are not due, Vehicular traffic is infested with App-based taxes during peak hours. Eateries are doing good business except the menu has shifted from 'Bisi-bele bath' (rice delicacy) to Biryani . Lost city A ‘lost’ city where human interaction has virtually come to a halt. Is it because of the IT industry spreading its silent shadow over people, inf...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dividing line that blurs and shines

A thin line that surfaces between ‘inevitability’ and ‘death’ is sometimes bright and visible to the pragmatic or brave. But one cannot justify it by sounding logical. It does give a jerk to the senses but somehow the emotional binding keeps tugging at the conscience. Yet that fluke decision is quick and necessary. We nowadays call it ‘passive’ death that permits the body cells to die a natural death. If imposed on oneself it is called suicide –Not a brave act though. A few such cases of ‘passive ‘deaths were witnessed by me does call for a debate from both the medical side and the layman’s. Views on life differ. Life’s ‘inevitable’ connect with death is mysterious . A recent news item when parents opined, almost implored to the authorities to allow ‘passive’ death for their eight month old baby who suffers from a liver disorder almost incurable. Not so long ago the natural death of a nurse who unfortunately was brutally raped, fell into a coma for almost two decades or more ma...
Post a Comment
Read more

Interior decor for different rooms

      Chandeliers no longer a living room luxury While chandeliers certainly upgrade the quality of lighting in a living room, There may be a drab and dull corner that can add up to the elegant quotient with a mini chandelier to enliven the room. The brass based ones in cup shapes  are suitable for the living room and the dining hall. Despite all the modern day developments in lighting technology with fluorescent tubes and CFLs, the allure of a chandelier is unmatched and that is why the rich and famous prefer chandeliers in their homes. They have the unique style and classical touch to charm the people living in and those visiting these tasteful homes. So whatever be one’s budget, there are chandeliers to fit every pocket size.  The awe of grandeur and luxury tags  are attached to chandeliers even today, there are affordable options.  Some rooms which may not require the chandeliers for instance, the children’s study room should have bright...
Post a Comment
Read more