Just right

Ten years since the new millenium dawned upon us. I vaguely remember hurriedly updating my brand new won-in-a-school-computer-quiz Norton Anti-Virus in anticipation of the Y2K. And here I sit a decade later, with hardly any virus protection on my dearest laptop. A lot has changed. Much that I am glad for.

And since this does happen to be my blog, I shall tell you the best thing about 2010. And this decade, for that matter. My mother discovered FabIndia and I discovered People Tree. Contrary to popular beliefs (since I am forever somehow in possession of new clothes), I haven't fully discovered the joys of shopping. Yet, it was shopping at these two places that made me the person I am.

Growing up on the flabbier side of the spectrum, I was always fond of wearing baggy clothes and loose jeans to not draw more attention than needed. It was mostly simple t-shirts and a few cherished beauties that I stuck to. Till the day Mother figured she would be the one to account for 47% of FabIndia's profits in the coming few years. To this day, I shall be thankful for that. That store opened up a whole new world for me. Suddenly, I wasn't the fat girl with baggy clothes. I was the fat girl with beautiful ethnic wear and looking pretty most of the time. It introduced me to skirts once again and how I actually looked good in them. It never let me succumb to peer pressure because I was simply too happy browsing through rows of red coloured clothes and ghagra skirts. It also led me to People Tree.

People Tree was an epiphany. It was creative, beautiful and unique all at the same time. It fuelled my love for earrings and had me looking for clothes that made a statement. I was still kind of dowdy in my choice of clothes in the first year of college. People Tree turned that all around. I flaunted my choice of different earrings. I wore my hand-designed clothes with glee. It was like I suddenly became myself. I don't know what that tiny little store does to me. But every time I step in there, it's like knowing that I can find something that's just me there.

As silly as it may sound, it is true that two clothing brands turned my life upside down. I avoided a lot of pitfalls thanks to the feeling of being just right they give me.