Conspicuously tasteless

This morning I had a hard time keeping my breakfast down, after reading a rather badly written article in the Hindustan Times on how to dress to get into the “Elite” clubs of Mumbai. Now, you don’t need to be living in India to know that Indian men need a bit of help in the fashion department. Imagine gold chains, cheap satin shirts, tacky designer sunglasses, gelled hair….sleazy attitude….enough to make you weak at the knees? Or not.

First of all, taking any kind of fashion advice from a mainstream newspaper lifestyle section is generally not the greatest idea. But it’s a good start for the fashion challenged. Second, I have yet to meet a bouncer/door guy with an understanding of fashion. Maybe in NYC, but definitely not in Mumbai. And lastly, being democratic and giving advice to the general public on how to get into an elite club?

Business head of Prive nightclub in Colaba gives his 2 cents on what to wear to impress in this town (and an explanation why I am constantly blinded when I visit these wonderful locales) :

“If the jeans are Rock and Republic, True Religion or 7 for all Mankind, than you know that that person knows style and you can let them in”
AND
“I spend 6 months training the staff on the Internet so they learn to recognise brands like Dolce and Gabanna”

A guide to dressing like a complete douche? Dolce and Gabanna? Is that a fake you get from Colaba Causeway? Note to the editor of HT – it’s Dolce and Gabbana.

Most of the brands and the approach to fashion in this article would be considered tacky by the somewhat fashionable circles in the developed nations. While the wealthy westerners have been turning away from conspicuous consumption, the antagonism to sustainability; the younger economies with emerging middle class, this trend has been on the rise.

Conspicuous consumption explained.

Money can’t buy style.

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