teeshirts in karachi – bharam kay saath…
for those who cared about what was written on their teeshirts in the karachi of the 80s and 90s, there were very few options available. they could wear the expensive original branded ones or the inexpensive imitation versions. (or, if they didn’t care too much about what’s in and what’s not, they could buy virtually anything from tariq road or zainab market but i’m not discussing that variety in this post). the teeshirt wearing crowd of the 2000s, however, seems to have warmed up to a new option – locally manufactured “attitude” teeshirts. these are simple tops with original (and sometimes not so original) “wicked” comments across their fronts.
apparently – and take this with a pinch of salt, coming as it is from a self-confessed not-so-hip person – its considered very “with it” these days to be seen wearing a tagline that is nothing less that a personal affront to whoever reads it. and if tera baap, blow my trumpet and go f*** yourself (even if written in a font that looks like the chinese script) are not meant to be insulting than i don’t know what is. does this trend highlight the not-so-latent antagonistic streak in the stereotype pakistani? i have no idea.
of course, what to wear or not wear should be a personal choice. i’ve always believed in that maxim. but are we ready to say goodbye to everything that remains of our culture? the one which taught us the basic rule of khaaiye munn bhaata, orhiye jug bhaata? i, for one, am not amused by a teeshirt that tells me to buy my wife mouthwash…
Even though I am very fond of wearing shirts with slogans, I do believe that there is a code of conduct that one should follow in public… And I feel we should respect what the societal borders are. I mean, there are much more issues in this society that one should rebel against rather than ‘language’…
I think Karachi is the only place that I have seen people wearing a shirt with a BIG MIDDLE FINGER on their shirts with no aesthetic beauty or art whatsoever. Just a plain big (almost covering the whole front) middle finger gesture. I cannot tell you how ugly it looks. I have seen it being sold at Zainab Market. Sheer f-ugliness I tell you.
My favorite was a very short guy (tiny) at Marriott for iftaar with 12 Inch Legend and I saw one of our celebrity chicks with him. Made me wonder things :D
I agree, it’s time to get modernized but still keep your roots intact.
here’s one, i came up with:
Kis tarah jaan-e-wafa shouq ka izhar karoon
Every breath you take every move you make I’ll be watching you.
……………………….. (Salman A. on KMB, 2007)
I have to agree with all the posters,the way you dress is tell alot about you so why make a fool out of yourself?.Do dress apart but do not forget about decency.
Dee
Saw this picture on one of the flyers I usually get at my doorsteps in DHA. It was an ad of one those so called ultra modern garment stores located on Zamzama/Clifton area. In the picture, this local guy was wearing a black hat (cap) which read “Fu…ing Freezing”. Next thing i did, i put it in the garbage and said, ‘Jaahil, Chachoray’.
Let me guess, the kids wanna look “cool” and “different” without realizing the insulting nature of their attire or how they embarrass themselves on the streets. But they don’t care! Whatever happened to KHUSH IKHLAAQI and values …
welcome baq to the metblog world xill :D good 2 see u back in action!
@ mansoor: Allah mazeed taufeeq day… :)
i hate those chinese fonts…the other day i almost fell into a ditch trying to read….also its not safe because usually the girls forget what they are wearing and think we are reading their ***** so please whoever makes those things YOU GOTTA BE….
I agree with the abovementioned post. Last month I went to reputed shoe shop called Bali’s in Saddar and really loved a pair which I was almost certain to buy when I asked the guy behind the counter to get me my size. He asked another somewhere above and he bought my size, to my horror the sales guy was wearing a shirt which had “Your face, my Ass, that’s the difference?”, I left immediately without looking back…I was offended big time.
Welcome to the “Modren & Enlightened” Country !
In our quest to follow the Western way of life, we have literally lost our own identity.
I remember in good old days, people used to wear Shalwar Kameez in the evenings
We are a nation that has lost its identity, be it in dress or be it in our mother-toungue / language.
when i travel back home and reach karachi airport (jinnah terminal), the first thing i notice is those annuoucement being made in URDU but with an english accent (like Benazir Bhutto’s) and i am like dont abuse URDU its a decent language :)
I’ve recently moved to Karachi from Lahore and to my surprise didnt find as contrasting a difference in attire as I expected. Someone one here was mentioning Karachi as being only place where middle finger can be evidenced on a tee, I’ve seen worse in Lahore. Last one I saw while driving to airport for my flight to Karachi was a lady wearing a tee saying ‘wish these were brains’! A religious biker mate of mine these days features in a shirt with this written on the backside..”if you can read this, the b*t*h fell off”. The epidemic is transcending any gender/geographical boundries as I see it. What boggles me is how to stop it….declaring ‘rude’ slogans as a federal offence wouldnt deliver, I opine. Despite being an optimist, I see this trend only escalating….unfortunately we dont have a parental control button for this!
hahahah don’t you just LOVE IT when people use the word “backside” instead of just “back”?
Quote “khaaiye munn bhaata, orhiye jug bhaata?”
should be khaaiye munn bhaata, pheno munn bhaata..
as wearing libas just for show, comes under numood-o-numaish..which is not the ‘basic rule’ of islamic culture !
iqbal, i won’t argue over the semantics. thanks for pointing out the mistake but that was the way i was taught it. :)
as far as the cultural reference is concerned – i’m pretty sure i didn’t mention islam anywhere in my post. i was referring to regional culture. i try to keep religion out of this blog because of the fundamentalist vs. liberal controversy it always generates.
peace.
gosh, and I thought we had it bad here in US!!
WOW…