Figure 1.--Here we see boys near Bangalore in 2006. Notice the Western-styles clothes the children wear. Also notice theboys are barefoot. |
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Traditional clothes men and boys wear are normally a lungi and at the most a towel hung over one shoulder, and women also a lungi plus a short blouse. You see there is not much difference between childrenīs and grown upsī clothes - apart from a little more freedom children observe. Here school is often an influence promoting Western dress. HBC plans to develop a glossary of Indian garments. Traditional clothing was still commonly worn in the 1960s, especially in regional areas. We note that by the 21st century that Western-style clothing is becoming increasingly common, even in rural areas. Traditional clothing has not disappeared, but is much less common than it once was. A factor here is the economic prosperity that India is experiencung. This seems even more the case for children, in part because Western styles are normally worn at school. We are not sure if the children's preferences are a factor here.
Going barefoot is especially common in the poorer developing countries where parents often can not afford to buy even inexpensive footwear for their children. Climate is also a factor as these countries are primarily located in tropical areas where footwear are not needed for cold weather. Many children even go barefoot to school. It is especially common for younger children to go barefoot. One observer reports that most boys in Kerala went barefoot in the 1960s, especially from pooer families. He is not sure how common this is now.
We do not yet have a lot of information on Indian traditional clothing. Hopefully our Indian readers will provide some informstion on traditionazl clolthing. The traditional clothes men and boys wear are normally a lungi and at the most a towel hung over one shoulder, and women also a lungi plus a short blouse. There are presumably regional differences. You see there is not much difference between childrenīs and grown upsī clothes - apart from a little more freedom children observe. One reader noted traditional clothing was still commonly worn in the 1960s, especially in regional areas. When the author visited Kerala in the 1980s, we noted traditional clothing being widely worn. We note children, especially boys, commonly wearing Western clothes. We are not sure why that is. We suspect it is the practicality. School uniforms are for, example, almost always Western styles. A few girls schools had traditional styled uniforms. Very young boys may wear waist laces. This is the case even with Westernized middle-class families.
School is often an influence promoting Western dress. We note that by the 21st century that Western-style clothing is becoming increasingly common, even in rural areas. Traditional clothing has not disappeared, but is much less common than it once was. A factor here is the economic prosperity that India is experiencing. This seems even more the case for children, in part because Western styles are normally worn at school. We are not sure if the children's preferences are a factor here.
HBC plans as we develop more informarion on Indian clothing to develop a glossary of Indian garments.
Going barefoot is especially common in the poorer developing countries where parents often can not afford to buy even inexpensive footwear for their children. Climate is also a factor as these countries are primarily located in tropical areas where footwear are not needed for cold weather. Many children even go barefoot to school. It is especially common for younger children to go barefoot. One observer reports that most boys in Kerala went barefoot in the 1960s, especially from pooer families. He is not sure how common this is now.
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