by Payal Hindocha

A Short dress with bold square geometric print in Fuchsia pink, purple and black, black lace net stockings and purple mary janes with black detailing…Not a runway appearance that I am describing here, neither a celebrity get-up, nor a fashion magazine photo spread.

It’s a dream, that I saw, just a couple of days back.  A girl walking in that attire, face and all physical attributes, blanked out. The only prominent thing being – THE OUTFIT, ITS COLORS AND ITS DETAILING.

If I say my sartorial fantasies would, any day, outnumber my dreams for people, food, places and miscellaneous, trust me I am not exaggerating.

I am the quintessential fashion fanatic, self-proclaimed of course!

I go to movies just to see how well a starlet’s wardrobe was put together, wouldn’t remember the dialogues, the song sequences or lyrics, or sometimes even the climax, the very next day. But, I would definitely remember any or all ensembles that impressed me.

My interest in Grammys, Oscars, Golden Globes or back home in a Filmfare is limited to the red carpet appearances, who looked like a million bucks and who made a disastrous statement. These are my prophecies to say the least and nothing to do with the fashion police!

Whether I am at a coffee shop, airport lounge, hotel lobby, corporate meeting rooms or cinema halls, what engrosses me, rather excites me the most, are clothes people wear, shoes they match them with, watches on their wrists, handbags to complete the look and last but not the least belts that make or break the deal.

I pick up insane number of fashion magazines on each of my flights no matter how long or short it is, just to see the latest collections on the runways, trends making a wave, designers established, as well as the rising stars and most importantly the collections of high street fashion brands.

 So who am I?

A fashion designer?

Fashion stylist maybe?

A visual merchandiser?

Fashion Journalist?

Or probably Retail Purchaser?

None actually, I am a Chartered Accountant!

I would have probably been any or all of the above had it not been for parental influences!

So I went onto become a CA and for almost 6 years now, have been a part of the corporate bandwagon. I have done it all, from attending high-octane corporate meetings to traveling overseas to execute huge projects, meeting tough deadlines, going through the rigorous appraisal cycles and spending hours at the coffee machine discussing corporate policies with colleagues. But one thing that I never left behind was my ‘passion for fashion’. So what if I can’t dress others, I make it a point that my office wardrobe is well put together. Every meeting that I go for, or every presentation that I make or attend, I would, in a split of a second, scan women in the room from top to bottom to see what they were wearing before getting down to BUSINESS. Nothing lifts my spirits more than good clothes and all other wardrobe essentials that form a part of “the look”.

I storm up a heap of clothes on my bed every time I head out.  So by qualification I became a CA, but in my head I have a deep, deep karmic connection with fashion.

So what exactly is fashion, or rather what does it mean to me.

Of course several people, in their own ways, have defined it, in time immemorial.

However I will try to define it here as per my perspective.

For me fashion is when you go to great lengths to put together a look from head to toe, whether it is for an important job interview, that date you were desperately seeking, a rendezvous with your long lost friends, a coffee outing with your girlfriends or even the trousseau you put together for your wedding.

It is omnipresent, in every nook and corner of our society, in the tantrums of a toddler wanting to wear a particular color, in the dreams of a teenager wanting to impress, in the ambitions of youth trying to find their ground, in the elegance of a house wife juggling a lot but still striving to be well turned out at all times, in the experience of an octogenarian who has found what works for her and makes an appearance in outfits that have garnered huge appreciation over the years.

Fashion is that desire at every age, in every strata of society, in every sphere of life, the desire to look good, to feel good and to live good.

Naturally we get inspired every now and then by what we see around, whether its on the runways, celluloid or red carpets, but then again those creations, those appearances, and those ensembles are inspired by life all around.

Fashion is like that dream, I saw, woven with elements of colour, beauty and imagination, it may change every night, but it is what makes the sleep worthwhile.