More Of Less

IN this age of temptation and MTV, less is more. For girls, that is. With more than a dash of derring-do, an increasing number is casting off the salwar kameez for short skirts, minis, micro-minis, shorts--this season, hot pants are hot--and crop tops. According to fashion designer Manoviraj Khosla, "minis are a fashion thing. For the moment, they are up because people are more body-conscious and want to show as much as possible."

To whet appetites, stores have mushroomed, giving fresh-eyed buyers a string of opportunities right here in India. New Delhi's trendy Greater Kailash market had only two stores selling such hip lines 10 years ago; now every third shop stocks "bolder and sexier clothes," in tandem with international fashion.

As soon as supermodels Elle Macpherson, Eva Herzigova and Naomi Campbell walked the ramp this season, with minis barely covering their derriere, shops and boutiques in India made a beeline to showcase 'short' apparel. Short is in-and chic. Even a conservative city like Calcutta is being swept off its feet by the 'mini' wave. Ditto New Delhi, Bangalore and, of course, Mumbai. Explaining the trend, sociologist Malavika Karlekar says: "Probably, cultural parameters are being redefined in the '90s." With a lot of help from the desi filmdom and STAR TV. So you have Karishma Kapoor, Bollywood's numero uno, cavorting in short-short dresses-the sari-clad Sati Savitri prototype is passe. Says Aparna Ardeshir, merchandising manager of Shoppers' Stop. "Ever since Manish Malhotra dressed up heroines in sensible clothes, there has been a great demand for mini skirts."

Malhotra is not alone. Television, that idiot box which seems to have changed everything in our lives, has chipped in too. Reed-thin VJs in spandex minis--Sophiya, Laila, Ruby, Samira, Alessandra--have made this mode of dressing acceptable. Fashion consultant Prasad Bidappa admits there's a complete cultural change thanks to STAR TV.

Shery Maheyub's Lea, tucked away in a Greater Kailash basement, is one of the many shops which sells the latest in designer-wear. Started barely a year ago, the store has cashed it on the 'mini'-boom. Minis and crop tops are picked up so fast that he has to replenish stocks once every two weeks. Says Maheyub: "Shorter skirts are in demand, especially with the younger generation." And almost as if on cue, a mother, Jyoti Tandon, breezes in to shop for her teenaged daughter. "My daughter wears minis and I give her all the freedom. But my husband doesn't like it. So when he is around, she wears jeans. But then men have double standards, don't they?"

These double standards, though still in place, are not a deterrent. The rebels with a sartorial cause are girls in the 15-25 age group. Even thirtysomethings, who wouldn't be seen dead in a mini five years ago, are shedding the flab to fit into a skirt. Shradha Khaitan, designer and owner of the label Wild Orchids, hails from a conservative Marwari family. A few years ago, she would have scandalised them if she donned short skirts. Now, she not only designs them but wears one occasionally.

"The' 90s revolution has been about the body," says Rina Dhaka, fashion designer. With VJs and beauty queens as role models, this generation is working hard to stay in shape. Says Puja Mehra, who owns Bizarre in New Delhi: "The trend is moving to the masses. That's natural but it doesn't happen just because of the availability of clothes but because people are body-conscious. " Radha Rao, who works with an NGO dedicated to women's causes, is delighted: "Women are confident now. They are forthright about their sexuality, which is a wonderful thing".

Take the example of Bhavana Taneja. Her parents protested the first time she wore a 'bold' outfit. Not one to give up, Bhavana worked on them. When her 18-year-old sibling first donned a short skirt, they didn't bat an eyelid. Others like Rakhi Chaudhry, a fine arts student in Bangalore, suffer no peer pressure. "Minis suit me. Even my mother thinks so. She encourages me to wear minis as she feels I look drab in long skirts. So I have 25 minis." Girls with less 'liberal' parents find other ways to live it up. Rani Singh slips out of home in "modest clothes", but changes into a mini at a friend's house before heading for the disco.

The price tag has also added to the craze. Cheaper than Indian garments-an ensemble costs Rs. 500--and far easier to maintain, these clothes are just right for the Y generation. Says Dhaka, who is more comfortable in a pair of shorts than anything else: "Earlier, people had no means. Now, kids have more money and access."

The 'mini' craze has had its fair share of trouble. St Xavier's college, Mumbai, banned short skirts for a while last year. When the ban was lifted, the hemlines followed suit. The principal of Mumbai's prestigious J.B. Petit School too has clamped down on minis. Says Rishin Reejhsinghani, a student: "The girls are warned twice, and if they don't heed the warning, they are sent home to change. Enter the swadeshi brigade--the BJP which is naturally upset at the turn of events. Says Shoba Thite, general secretary of the BJP Mahila Morcha: "We have been protesting against such modes of dressing. Mini skirts must be banned." Not that it is likely to cut much ice with the new generation which has defied parental and other pressures to dress it up. Minis are a comfortable option; forget the skin show. ·