“Excuse me,” the woman approaching the four of us is wearing designer sunglasses, clunky jewelry and funky jeans. She speaks English with a thick Italian accent, and pointing to our Indian outfits, she asks, “Where did you get your clothes?”
She doesn’t quite comprehend our English answer, so Viola Ann flips the end of my scarf so she can read the label. “Ah,” she turns to her friend, as she reads out loud, “Fab India”.
It would seem that the Four Ann(e)s have become a walking advertisement for FabIndia. We first heard about the stores from Mariellen Ward’s site Breathe, Dream, Go where she advised wearing Indian clothes to the ashram for reasons of modesty and comfort. She recommended FabIndia as a great place to shop as there are so many locations and the prices are competitive.
But what we’ve discovered after hitting quite a few different clothing stores, is that nothing really competes with the FabIndia prices, quality and selection. Not to mention that we’ve discovered that their business model is worth supporting too. FabIndia works with traditional weavers and the company ensures a fair income for many rural traditional craft persons.
Here in Jaipur, there are lots of tourists, mostly European judging from the languages. Nearly all of them are dressing appropriately with long sleeves and modest outfits, but they are taking long looks at us and then complimenting us on our outfits.
Meanwhile, among the locals; whether it’s the young Indian women sporting jeans and tight T-shirts or Indian army women wearing the full-green uniform, or a small child being held by his sari-wearing mother, the reaction is the same – huge grins with their hands instantly in the prayer position greeting and an exuberant ‘Namaste’. Our clothing has become the ticket for an instant connection.
So. We spent two weeks in an ashram trying to start the work of ridding ourselves of ego.
It would seem the work has been reversed as we swoosh through the amazing forts of Rajasthan in our newfound status as FabIndia-Celebrities-At-Large.
Love this post! The picture is great too, being turned away really focuses the attention on the clothes. Don’t you know the less ego you have the more people are drawn to you? Notice I don’t speak in the first person – that would be, well, egotistical.
Thanks Laurie! We’re starting to feel like Bollywood stars with the paparazzi effect. One can see how the ego would become rather huge.
That’s such a striking (fab!) photo! You all are wearing beautiful clothes and… what are you all looking at? I’m dying to know 🙂
This is at the Amber Fort. These are the screened ‘purdah’ rooms where the woman could look down at the Maharajah holding court but remain hidden from view. Clearly, I would have had a hard time being compliant with that rule!