Shriya Saran: Re-wearing clothes is a part of Indian culture
Shriya Saran talks about repeating her outfits at public events, learning it from Indian culture and the pressure actors face to always wear something new
Lizzie McGuire, you are an outfit repeater!” this quote from The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003) was an attempt to embarrass Hilary Duff’s character. And, usually, actors don’t want to be snapped repeating clothes, but times are changing. Recently, actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu repurposed her white wedding gown into a black cocktail dress. Along the same lines, actor Shriya Saran is a proud outfit repeater, too.
Saran “has been doing it for a long time” and has no qualms being papped in the same outfit. The 41-year-old says, “Me re-wearing my clothes has only now become a big deal. I feel it is part of our Indian culture. In my family, you wear your wedding saree every year on Karva Chauth, you don’t buy new clothes. A mother passes on her sarees and jewellery to her daughter.” Recently, at an Eid party, she was snapped in the same saree that she had worn on Diwali last year. Giving her wedding saree a new lease of life, the actor wore it for a puja in January. She also repeated a saree for actor Aamir Khan’s daughter’s wedding reception.
As a public figure, Saran admits that there is a “constant pressure” to always have new clothes for events, as the industry thrives on vanity. Calling it “annoying”, she adds, “I like wearing gowns, but I prefer to wear shorts or a saree; that’s my style. But there is a pressure to look relevant, fresh and happening every time.”
The Drishyam 2 (2022) actor believes in slow fashion. “It’s tedious work and can take months to make one handwoven saree. Sustainable fashion is all about being mindful about where your clothes come from. In our culture, sustainability has always existed, but has got lost somewhere. And we’ve started buying fast fashion. Now, everything I buy, I try to ensure I am being responsible,” she ends.
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