One of my concerns about my visit to Pakistan was related to what was
appropriate to wear. I was never a fan of over revealing clothes, but when
someone tells me there is something that I can’t wear, I feel like I am
deprived of my rights.
Traditionally, Pakistani women wear a three piece suit: shalwar
(trousers), kameez (top) and dupatta (scarf). There are also some women who
wear burqa to cover their bodies in public places.
In Karachi I’ve seen most women wearing the three piece suit and I was
surprised and impressed with their constant care for fashion. Designers set the
trend and present their collections in Karachi / Lahore Fashion Week and
Pakistani women follow closely to see what is in and what is out. Wearing things
from last season’s collection in a formal gathering or restaurants is a faux
pas.
As one can expect, I did not have such clothes in my first visit and for
my second visit, the clothes that I had from few months back were so
yesterday’s news that I couldn’t wear them.
I have seen many young women wearing jeans and it made me feel more
comfortable with my choices, not for fashion reasons, but the last thing I
would want is to offend people with what I wear. To be honest, wearing jeans in
45+ Celsius degrees was not my dream and I was happy when my sisters in law
came to my rescue and lend me some of their clothes to wear. I’d rather be
comfortable then die defending the jeans culture.
Just like in the parks when exercising, on the streets and in
restaurants I have seen women in jeans and other “western” clothes together
with women in more conservative outfits. None seemed uncomfortable with the other's
choice. I was even more surprised to see women wearing burqa coming out of
designer shops with few bags of clothes or from cosmetic stores after buying
makeup.
Now, as I am packing for another visit to Pakistan, I am more relaxed
with what clothes to take with me. In Bucharest now we have -2 degrees here and
I am overjoyed to throw in my bags few summer dresses that I will be able to
wear in Karachi. I am still packing jeans, but I know somewhere in my heart I
hope that, if the weather gets too hot, my sisters in law will help me again with
few Pakistani summer-friendly, fashionable outfits.
Conclusions of the day:
- Pakistani women have a wide range of options when it comes to what to wear – from conservative clothing, to more “westernized” outfits
- You can wear jeans in Pakistan, but keep in mind that summers there are extremely hot and humid and it may not be the best option
Disclaimer: All my notes are based on my observations and my social
interactions and should not be generalized
