A casual dressing down

Dress codes have been a topic of much debate, even in a metropolitan city like Mumbai. While gymkhanas and restaurants have repeatedly turned their noses at people dressed casually, many corporate offices and private firms have a strict formal-only policy for their employees.

This week, while hearing a petition challenging the ongoing issue of the doctors’ strike in the city, the judges of the Bombay High Court expressed displeasure on seeing a journalist from a national newspaper in a pair of jeans and T-shirt. Demanding to know if it was “Bombay culture,” Chief Justice Manjula Chellur questioned the journalist, “How can journalists come to court wearing jeans and T-shirt?”

Justice V.G. Palshikar, former judge of the Bombay high court, when asked about his views, said, “It is not judges’ prerogative to prescribe a dress code to the people attending her court. They cannot decide on how the media should work.”

“I was questioned when I wore a pair of trousers and a short kurta to the Parliament” — Priya Dutt.

It isn’t just the courts where people have to follow dress code in order to ‘maintain decorum’. Former Member of Parliament Priya Dutt recalls a similar incident a few years ago. “I too was questioned when I wore a pair of trousers and a short kurta to the Parliament,” she says.

Etiquette expert Chhaya Momaya, doesn’t see the question of a debate here. “What’s wrong in wearing a pair of jeans and T-shirt to the court? As long as a person is dressed modestly and not wearing just skin, does it matter if they are wearing jeans?” she questions.

While one side of the discussion argues in line with the modesty of a simple jeans and T-shirt, few people believe that the Chief Justice was right in demanding decorum. Ambika Hiranandani, advocate and legal advisor People for Animals, says, “Courts are serious places where people come to fight for justice — they are the bastions of justice in our country and need to be respected. Now if this requires one to wear formals, is it too much?” Ambika quickly says that she doesn’t come from a conservative background, but explains that wearing formals is only the least that civilians can do to show their respect to the court and the law.

Etiqutte expert Pria Warrick is in consensus with Ambika. “Considering how there is a lot of formal protocol followed in the court, I don’t see how the Chief Justice is wrong is questioning someone. When one is going to the court, it only makes sense to wear formals; and not just in India, one is expected to dress formally and modestly in courts outside the country as well. It is only one way to show respect to the court,” she explains.

Bombay High Court

While clothes need not necessarily reflect one’s ideologies, Pria says that the question is valid. She observes, “You wouldn’t trust a doctor who is wearing a pair of jeans casually walking in the operation theatre. You wouldn’t completely trust a policeman who isn’t in their uniform. In fact, journalists for that matter too. On television, they are dressed smart and sharp; even when they are out on the streets talking to people,” she flatly points out.

Pria, however, points out that the fault lies in the casual behaviour of Indians. “There is no dress code for weddings, but everyone knows what to wear, right? When it comes to social dressing and following protocol, we don’t do a very good job,” she smiles.