‘LEG’ALLY TROLLED
Priyanka Chopra came in the line of fire with many finding her dress ‘disrespectful’ and commenting on how the show of leg ‘insulted’ PM Modi. But fashion experts find nothing wrong with it
Of late, our desi gal, actress Priyanka Chopra’s sartorial choices have been coming under the spotlight for all sorts of reasons. First, it was her Met Gala outfit for which she became an object of trolling. Now it’s her “leg-baring” dress, which she wore while meeting PM Narendra Modi in Berlin. The controversy began after Chopra, who stars in the new Baywatch film and in the US television series Quantico, posted a picture with PM Modi, thanking him “for taking the time from his packed schedule” to meet her in Berlin. In no time, the “disrespectful” dress became the topic of conversation, with many commenting on how it “insulted” PM Modi and his “pious followers”.
But image consultants and the fash frat find nothing objectionable about the dress. “Dress code is a set of rules specifying the garb or type of clothing to be worn by a group or by people under specific circumstances,” elucidates retired Lieutenant Rita Gangwani, who is an image enhancer and consultant. She adds, “Before we speak our image speaks. And yes, there’s always a protocol when you meet a dignitary. Lots of things are considered before picking up a dress for such a formal occasion — the profile of the dignitary, culture, age, etc. I found Priyanka to be very casually dressed but my only conclusion is that maybe she rushed out straight from her shooting or event in excitement before giving a second thought to her attire. It happens with most of us. However, it’s her right to wear whatever she wants to.” Other Indian actresses have also faced criticism for their choice of attire. Deepika Padukone once publicly called out a leading Indian newspaper for tweeting a picture of her cleavage. “YES! I am a Woman. I have breasts AND a cleavage! You got a problem!!??” Padukone tweeted to the paper.
Pee Cee, on the other hand, responded by posting a picture of her mother and her wearing short dresses, captioned “legs for the day”.
There’s nothing wrong with the concept of dress code, given it serves a specific social or functional need and isn’t just about “morals” which is highly subjective to an individual’s values, asserts fashion watcher and blogger, Arie Purushu. He further says, “The Indian Constitution at least doesn’t specify any particular length of the dress and our civil laws guarantee Priyanka Chopra the freedom of choice to wear what she wore.”
Our civil laws guarantee Priyanka Chopra the freedom of choice to wear what she wore — ARIE PURUSHU, FASHION BLOGGER
Purushu continues, “The last time, Chhattisgarh IAS officer was pulled up for wearing sunglasses on the PM’s visit. That might still have a justification given it’s a formal meeting with outlined guidelines but taking on Priyanka Chopra for wearing a short dress in what looks like an informal meeting between two public figures only throws light on the dark side of having a democratic platform to voice the opinion. Culture (of a nation) is nothing but a reflection of changing the lifestyle of a society. It evolves and clothing evolves and it’s important for our minds to evolve accordingly as well.”
Zohra Chitalwala, etiquette expert and image consultant, also agree with Purushu but she feels that the way the picture was taken exposed her legs, which may not be deemed fit by viewers. “I feel her sitting posture could’ve been better, she was sitting with her legs crossed; usually, when you are in a formal set-up and you are wearing a skirt or a dress, it is always advisable to knot your ankles and lock them. However, besides that, everything was fine — her neckline wasn’t plunging and she was wearing a full sleeved dress, which was ideal for that set-up. What should also be noted here is that Priyanka was in Berlin and not in India. It is always safe to dress conservatively in any kind of set-up. Priyanka wasn’t dressed inappropriately
at all.”
Our Prime Minister doesn’t go to Antarctica in a dhoti
kurta to address climate change, does he? questions, Leepakshi Ellawadi, costume designer, celebrity stylist, wardrobe consultant. She shares, “The so-called matter of ‘disrespectful dress’ by Priyanka Chopra in front of the Prime Minister is actually making me laugh than fret on the mediocrity of our so-called progressive nation. How can something so non-essential even become an issue and people find time to disrespect and troll someone’s choice to clothing and relate it to her courtesy and value quotient. It’s a changing and evolving world.”
Lastly, explaining the guidelines on the appropriate dress code, Rita shares, “It is always
better to be ‘too dressed up’ than ‘too dressed down’. When meeting with a high-level personality, it’s best to mirror what he or she will be wearing, which will likely be a tailored suit and power colours instead of casual prints. Conservative look is often the best choice for such meetings, regardless of the gender. If one wears a skirt, then it’s best to double-check on the length of the hem. One must remember that on such occasions there will be other dignitaries or media personnel in attendance. Expect that there will also be lots of pictures taken, and it’s always better to let the head rule the heart, which means that instead of going with a personal choice it’s best to go with the choice of clothing deemed fit for the occasion.”