Does an outfit define you? The typical Indian stereotypes define an untold dress code. Isn't it enough if I dressed appropriately for a location/ event. And most importantly to my comfort. Rather than dressing for the stereotyped Indians.
There's this untold dress code for a woman- to define if she is one's daughter, daughter in law, mom, wife, grandma!
Here I have two incidents when ladies asked my mil "is she your daughter?" If you think it was a casual way of asking how I was related, you are just partly right! The real reason is "how could she be in shorts before her mil?!"
So do you see anything wrong in that? Do I need to wear a mask when she visits us? Act in the manner the stereotypes define the untold dress code? <puzzled>
Coming to the incident --
1. My neighbors mom met us - me and my mil - and there the trick question was asked. Once we clarified her doubt. She added "oh, you look alike!"
2. A stranger lady, visiting her daughter and grand kid, bored in the states, stopped by seeing my mil. The lady pre assumed and started her conversation in Telugu. And then clarified if my mil was Telugu and her whereabouts. She conversed so much standing there. And then my mil offered her to sit by the side of the road where we all were sitting after a short walk a Sunday evening. She continued to talk, no pauses. My fil, hubby and me were bored. 30 mins later we (me and B) got up saying we will start home. She said she will start back in a while.
Later, more parents joined the short wall (kutty sevaru) to spend their evening chit chatting (read as gossiping). Then my mil somehow escaped from the talk and got back home with fil. Oh yes, the lady did ask not just the trick question, she directly asked "oh! How comes she is dressing like that?"
Guess she directly jumped out a tv serial drama! Unbelievable Stereotypes !
