Why do young Indians holidaying abroad feel awkward to wear Indian dresses?

Dressing Style : I differ your opinion on this. Actually western outfits gained its attention more among young Indian girls simply because
1) They give a classy look.
2) They are very comfortable.
3) Quite cheap as compared to ethnic wears.
4) Most importantly, it requires least time to get ready and looks perfect even without any accessories.

I prefer to wear jeans & top both in India as well as on foreign land because i'm a lazy girl I hate spending hours for getting ready. Jeans & top with a ponytail and i'm done. Its not the same with ethnic wears. For Salwar-kameez or chudidhar or saree, you have to have atleast some minimum accessories that too matching to your dress color & design.

It doesn't mean, I hate Indian ethnic wears. Indian ethnics wears are very special so I use them only on special occasions. I personally avoid wearing ethnic wears on foreign land not because I feel awkward in wearing it but simply because I don’t want to be seen ODD among the crowd and hate getting unwanted attention.

Dinning etiquette: I completely agree with you. I’ve seen people struggling to have their dosa with fork or using chopstick wrongly. First of all, I don’t understand why they use a fork or spoon for having dosa? :bonkI don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed using hand for eating in restaurants. I find nothing so uncivilized to feel ashamed of. But some people do...

 

I do not agree with you completely. One day I went to WAL-MART with salwar suits on ppl were looking at me like I am a zoo animal. I did not feel comfortable with the staring. Table manners ,if you eat with your hands westerners consider that unhygienic. Yes, they don't say it.But again staring. For foreigners visiting Indian restaurants, trying to eat chapati with their hands nobody is staring at them. They don't feel awkward because they go with the flow. If you live in Rome, behave like the Romans.

 

I feel clothing is a matter of comfort. One should wear what she is comfortable in.

 

Forget Walmart, my father visited me in bangalore and went for his morning walk in his white veshti( no track pants!!!). My landlord asked me why my Dad is wearing a ' panche' when he is so educated!!!!! Only uneducated farmers will wear a dhoti , he says. (He is a p.u.c pass out while my father has a statistics degree from a very prestigious college). I told my L.L, but my dad is a farmer, duh!!!

people judge you by your clothes, so we tend to dress accordingly. For ex, i have a skin condition that in summer I wear loose fitting cotton clothes, no jewellery at all. People directly ask me or ask my friends, why I dont wear any jewellery.(nothing, I even cut my hair short!). After a while I say, my H took everything and loaned it to pay our debts!! If you are comfortable in your skin, you wear what you feel like.. But you want to fit in, you fit in!!!

 

Women are at least wearing western dresses when they are in tour abroad. But men do wear the same since their birth. Some not even wear a traditional Indian dress for weddings and temple visits.

Why you did not raise your voice as to why these men have completely adopted to western dress to their regular life, leave alone tours. But I feel it is weird that you see the women's dress alone as a matter of disrespecting culture.

In Sri Lanka, the westerners wear decent cloths when they go out. In fact, they change their casual outfits to 'fit' this country. Specially when they are touring the most ancient temples and stuff, they make sure that they are covered properly.

I always dressed in Shalwar, Kurti and saree whenever I visited India. I also ensure that I put flowers in my hair when in south India. I felt like "fitted' to Indian culture by doing so.

When I was in the middle east and north Africa, I made sure that I don't wear anything that may expose my body. Specially avoided light 3/4 leggings, sleeveless, and short skirts.

When I was in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I covered whole of my body not because of the culture, but for the weather. So, I believe everything was a matter of comfort and fitting into the place wherever we are.

Its funny to expect a woman to wear saree and climb a mountain to protect her culture, while a man can't even do the same at home.

 

I know how people comment based on dress.My maternal uncle is retired chief medical office and he wear Kurta Dhoti. He left western dress as a part of ritual during my grand father's after death ceremony. Though he was too young just a MD but opted to leave western dress. Few years back I went with him in one of the reputed hospital and DR was talking him like he is talking to a illiterate person. When my uncle asked him some question using medical term Dr got annoyed. Finally my uncle had to say him he himself is a doctor (now he doesn't use 'Dr' with name as he already left practice and living like a farmer) and a retired chief medical officer. I still remember the face of doctor and change in attitude after hearing this.

 

May be they dont to be the mobile 'tourist spot' themselves....

and also all countries are not so nice and warm like india....only those think coats will do!

 

I have traveled quite bit within US, south america, europe and egypt.

When i was in Egypt i wore salwar and kurtha with duppatta because of the prevailing customs there.
While travelling in other countries i was in western clothes convenient for long hikes, treks and street strolling. I will have a formal set for formal occasion.
While in US i have went to stores, malls and even to work (less formal days) in salwar. I have always received compliments.
When i am india i strictly wear indian clothes, salwar or sari. I dont mind wearing jeans in India but surely i wont wear tank top and shorts and short skirts.

I think this is just my mindset of being and making myself comfortable to the surrounding nothing for and against any ethnic clothing.

As far as table manners, i dont know how to use chop stick and dont have the inclination to learn it so always use forks. Nobody looked down upon me or i was just immune to those looks.

I guess, most of it boils down to one's own convenience and preference more than following the culture or traditions.

 

That's a pretty broad generalization.

People traveling to india wearing western clothes is not quite the same as indian clothes in western countries. The thing is that at least half the population in India (men and some women), if not more, wear shirts and trousers or jeans so naturally western folks won't stand out as much purely based on clothes alone. It's probably their appearance, demeanor and body language which will give them away first. Yet when you travel to western countries (e.g. not the middle east), I think you will be hard-pressed to find half the population wearing saris or kurthas with salwars.

I personally wear indian attire only for special occasions unless I'm visiting India (partly for security, partly to blend it, and partly because I like to dress up). Primarily because the pieces I do own are a little bit on the fancier side and I tend to think of ethnic wear as being for special occasions (a nice dinner party, a visit to mandir, etc).

Why do I generally not want to wear indian clothes on an average day here or while I'm traveling? Because it feels too loose, it gets in the way and seems like much more to handle. The dupatta, the salwar, the kurtha... it's a lot and unless I have it pinned and belted, there's that much more I need to fuss about. Don't get me wrong, I do love ethnic wear...I even get some indo-western fusion wear. I even mix and match if I am in the mood to wear it and I'll pair some of my saris and tunics with a nice belt, brooch, tights, jeggings or hosiery with heels.

The sari is really out of the question for me because I don't have enough practice to wear one. The amount of time it takes to wear it, the folds, the places I gotta pin to prevent any accidents, how I need to maneuver each time I sit, or go to the bathroom or be careful about where I walk so my sari doesn't get dirty...yeah, not an easy sell there for me. I'm also personally not comfortable showing off my midriff

For people who want to wear their ethnic clothes anywhere and everywhere — all the more power to you! So long as they are comfortable and doing it for themselves, I wouldn't think anything less of them.

As for those who want to perceive my clothes as a lack of culture as opposed to my values and how I am as a person, so be it. I'll just shrug and carry on because I am not seeking validation from anyone or subscribing to someone else's confined thoughts. If not my clothes, I am most certain they would have made a fuss over something else.

As for indians looking down on indians...I believe that to be our crab culture in general. "Oh you drive this....my brother's neighbor's cousin's daughter's sister's drives this" or "What are your grades?" "What are your SAT scores?" "What is your salary?" "When are you getting married?" "When are you popping babies?" "When are you popping your next round of babies?" "When will you buy a house?" "You've gained weight" "You're too thin!" "You're too dark" "You're too simple"

See? No end.

If not clothes, then likely that you'll be nit-picked for something else. So do yourself a favor and stop worrying about what others are saying/thinking/wearing Do what makes you feel happy and genuine for you.