So you’ve booked your first trip to India! You’re excited, you have your itinerary arranged and now it’s time to pack. But you don’t have a clue on what to pack or wear when you are in India. When I first traveled to India in March 2017, I was really worried about what to wear. It’s a completely different country, and a religious one and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I didn’t want to stand out, but I didn’t want to appropriate another cultures dress either. I scoured the Internet and wasn’t sure what to believe and what to wear. It didn’t help that I started shopping for my trip in the middle of winter, where there were no summer-esque, or even spring vibe outfits to be found for the Indian climate in March. But, I figured it out and was very happy with most of my choices while on my trip to India. Here’s my guide of what to wear while you are in India.
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Wear loose-fitting clothing in India
Generally speaking, for women, it is best to wear loose-fitting clothing that does not reveal your shape, particularly in more rural areas. You should cover your shoulders, as it is seen as somewhat scandalous in India to bear them. You will notice that many of the locals may wear jeans, have their midriff and backs exposed, even a little cleavage popping out. But they usually are almost always fully covered in terms of their legs and their shoulders. As a tourist and westerner you do not need to be dressed from head to toe. I did make sure my shoulders were covered and I didn’t have cleavage exposed, my clothes were not form fitting or tight and my pants always went past the knee (but were not ankle length).
Color Choices for clothes in India
You would also think wearing lighter colors would be the best bet because of the heat. While this is true and certainly a consideration, you tend to get dirty quickly in India. If you are reusing clothes without the ability to give them a good wash, darker items of clothing may be better. Of course, wearing dark clothes all the time you’re in India is a bit boring, as I ended up feeling. Here you need to decide what’s best for you. If you are visiting the Taj Mahal you should consider a bright colorful outfit, as it makes a beautiful contrast against the white marble. I did not do this…. So this is another example of “Do as I say and not as I did”.
Shoes
Many people suggest sandals or flip-flops so you can take them off easily with temples. Sure - if you love sandals and flip-flops and don’t mind getting dusty or dirty feet everywhere you go. I regretted not bringing my Asic sneakers because I have silly feet. My feet ached in my normal slip off sketchers, and I regretted taking this advice. There’s plenty of time to take off your shoes and put them back on again no matter where you go and as long as you’re not wearing flashy sneakers, your shoes should be fine waiting for you. Here go for whatever comfort works for you. I do recommend bringing a pair of back up shoes – I had a pair of converse for travel days, a pair of sketchers for walking, and a pair of Sperry’s that were sacrificed to Holi. Your shoes get dirty quickly in India so either take a scrappy pair to wear out, or take two/three pairs if you hate wearing sandals like me. You may want to bring closed shoes just because well, the bathrooms can be a dodgy activity at times!
Makeup
To each their own. India is hot though – heavy foundation and tons of makeup doesn’t work too well here if you aren’t used to the heat. I used my bb cream foundation every day, mascara, little bit of eye primer, eye shadow, blush and mascara. Some days I just opted for mascara. Most likely, half of your makeup will melt off by the afternoon, so I wouldn't waste time worrying about makeup, when you can spend more time exploring this incredible country!
outfits FOR TRAVELING IN INDIA
While I am writing a post on what I packed for India, here are just the clothing items I took, and some that could work for you. In hindsight, I do wish I was just a little more adventurous with colors, though it was difficult to find this kind of clothing before my trip. Now, a few months later, I see perfect outfits everywhere I go and am half tempted to buy them for my next trip to India - which I am sure there will be one one day! These are the outfits I packed for India:
three pairs of loose fitting cropped pants
numerous loose fitting tops that covered the butt (t-shirt sleeves and half length sleeves)
two scarves
Long or knee length dresses (make sure they aren’t see-through)
Leggings with tunics that go past your bum
T-shirts and tank tops, with a scarf to cover your shoulders or skin
Sarong used as a skirt (maybe with leggings underneath) make sure that it isn’t too see-through
Light cotton tops/ shirts to wear over tank tops
Harem/gypsy/elephant pants – you can buy hundreds of these for cheap in India. Of course the quality isn’t great either, but if you’re just using it for your trip why not? I’m personally not a fan of them but many people buy these and use them when traveling.
India has a certain reputation when it comes to the treatment of women. You will see it everywhere in the news about the horrific things that have happened to some women tourists. Women in India experience this as daily life as well. Numerous women travelers to India will warn you about the harassment that comes with traveling to India as a woman. Truthfully this did not happen to me at all. I was never groped or touched inappropriately. I was stared at, suggestively, and men photographed me sneakily. However, I was also one of the few on my trip that wasn’t groped. I genuinely do believe that part of this is in part related to my RBF (resting b#tch face) and in part because I was dressed in a particular way. I never wore a short dress or short shorts, I always wore loose fitting clothing, and I never wore any clothing that cut above the knee nor did I expose my shoulders. I by no means am speaking ill of my fellow travelers, and I also believe strongly that you should wear what you want to, but I do think you need to consider the environment, culture, and country you are in.I do believe that some of the clothes they were wearing made some contribution to the type of harassment they had. I by NO MEANS think this is ok, and I think India has a lot of progression to do in terms of its relationship with women and gender roles in society (perhaps another topic for another day), but it is an unfortunate fact that in patriarchal societies (even my own one like South Africa, and the one I live in now, the US), the way you dress tends to influence the way you are treated by men. I was also informed by other travelers from India, who have lived there for a few months, that your clothes can invite the wrong kind of attention. Time after time I was told: you will receive attention regardless of what you wear because you are a westerner. The type of attention you receive will be dictated by what you wear. Cover up and don’t wear tight clothes was always their advice. Women who are wearing clothes that reveal a lot of skin, either cutting above the knee like a short dress or skirt, or exposing the shoulders, will receive bad attention. The girls that were wearing these outfits did get groped, or had the aunties give them dirty looks and shook their fingers (so its not just men!). As a traveler, I also firmly believe that you should be respectful and mindful of the culture you are traveling to, and aim to blend in, not stick out and shock!
If you are traveling to cosmopolitan cities like Mumbai, you don’t really need to be too concerned about what you are wearing. Many of the women there are wearing skinny jeans and it is much more relaxed. In more rural areas, and smaller towns and villages, it is wise to be respectful of the customs in those palaces, and more appropriate in your attire.
