Wondering what is a campus student is upto when you see them shop for some cool accessories although college campuses in most cities are still shut? Well, get introduced to the batch of #onlineready fashion forward millennials who know how to show swag even when not physically present in campus. And topping their shopping lists is all that’s visible when in a class albeit virtually!
“I had browsed so many pretty masks on Instagram! Finally when I came across a designer mask by Manish Malhotra, and found it affordable, I didn’t think a second minute and bought it immediately,” says Nandini Chauhan, a student of Hindu College, Delhi University (DU). Ask what is the need to wear to wear mask in an online class, and pat comes the reply: “So what if online classes are contactless, if the whole world is making a #maskstatement then how can we not? So, everyday I join the class flaunting it, and then quickly remove when the teacher joins in… Ab video call be toh at least show off kar sakte hain na (laughs).” Funkiness remains a major aspect for Mumbai University student Suraj Pillai as well who’s “stacked up on masks and T-shirts that dictate his mood of the day.”
“We’re hoping that it’s only a matter of time now to return to campus, so me and my friends have stocked up on quite a few funky masks and colourful gloves. I’ve even bought mini-sanitiser bottles from popular brands, which look cute and smell nice,” – Muhammad Salih, a Hindu College student
Be it floral designs or masks with woke messages written on them, millennials such as Muhammad Salih feel buying cool masks has to be the priority. Salih, also from Hindu College, says, “We’re hoping that it’s only a matter of time now to return to campus, so me and my friends have stocked up on quite a few funky masks and colourful gloves. I’ve even bought mini-sanitiser bottles from popular brands, which look cute and smell nice. I bet girls would want to borrow it from me when we are back to physical classes… And who says we can’t be stylish yet safe!”
“I love to coordinate my make up and lenses so got myself a pack of coloured contact lenses and some eyelash extensions to experiment with new looks while attending online classes,” says Amrutha V Devan, a student of Miranda House, DU, who is a self-confessed makeup junkie and ardent follower of popular online blogs on make up and fashion. Devan adds,“I try to style the same outfit in different ways, and each time create a new look with make up and eye or hair accessories to make myself feel nice about being back to college although virtually… There’s no harm in giving myself some TLC and now my girl squad has started clicking #onlineselfies just to add some fun to the monotony… so one has to be ready for a click anytime.”
“Hair is a big affair when you have the entire class online. You just can’t afford to have a bad hair day in front of the camera right? So I recently visited a salon to get a hair cut and colour, and now I have a new look!” – Lekshmi Bency, Ramjas College student
Some are happy with the subtle/no make up look, but instead are heading to the salon to get a balayage or a new hair cut, for hair’s an important statement to make while the webcam shows your profile online! “I realised now is the time to go street shopping and get some cool tops and hair accessories because that is what will be visible as I sit in front of the online class… neeche to pyjama bhi pehenlo kisko pata chalta hai (laughs),” says Gayathri KP, a Miranda House student DU. And Lekshmi Bency, a student of Ramjas College, DU, adds, “Hair is a big affair when you have the entire class online. You just can’t afford to have a bad hair day in front of the camera right? So I recently visited a salon to get a hair cut and colour, and now I have a new look! After a few days, I’m thinking of trying some hairstyles with bands or bandanas… kuch to jugaad karna badega jab tak next salon visit ki pocket money nahi milti.” Siddhanth Unnikrishnan, a student in Mumbai says that although he’s never been much appearance conscious, “due to the online classes, you need to look presentable and interested at the same time (laughs). It is important that the casual nature of sitting at home doesn’t affect your appearance in these sessions. Besides a good hair grooming and setting, I have preferred wearing more comfortable T-shirts and I tend to use bright colours as I feel somewhere it does give us a refreshed look”.
Having ransacked the online space, quite a few college crowd is now shopping at street markets of Sarojini Nagar and Lajpat Nagar to find what’s new in terms of hair accessories and tops/T-shirts. Some have also been making advance orders for the new shades of lipsticks to accentuate their #nomakeuplook. “I was done sitting at home and browsing through same things online… so got a few T-shirts from Sarojini market, which has great stuff at really affordable rates. And then I also went to Lajpat Nagar market and bought pretty hair accessories like clips, hair bands and bandanas. Right now some shops are giving excellent discounts,” says Alka Yadav, a student of Indraprastha College for Women, adding, “Shopping karke college wali feel aayi… chache ab ye shopping online classes ke hi kaam aye.”
(With inputs by Nishad Neelambaran and Navneet Vyasan)
Author tweets @FizzyBuddha
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