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Smart casuals flood Turf Club fashion
Neha Madaan TNN Pune: Smart casuals is the latest fashion code at the turf club.Racing enthusiasts,especially from the members enclosure,now slip into the more casual realm of fashion,sporting jeans,tees and blazers instead of full suits and Edwardian hats at the races. Chetan Wakalkar,a horse owner and race enthusiast,who has been attending races for almost 20 years,feels that a casual dress code at races will attract more spectators.  Horse racing is referred to as the king of sports.The club,over the years,has endeavored to make the sport popular among many,who perhaps are not that comfortable with a very stringent dress code.However,there are certain areas in the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) which still abide by a dress code,such as the members enclosure and paddock here, said Wakalkar.Nowadays,more casual apparel --right from jeans and T-shirts to shirts and trousers are seen at the club.The fade out of the stringent dress code has taken close to five years.One could notice the gradual change in the way people dressed at the races.The temperature is soaring,with excruciating summers and not-so-cold winters.In such a scenario,people want to be comfortable and cool, said Wakalkar. Wakalkar added that there are special days at the club when many don formal wear.The glamour quotient goes up considerably during these days.Races such as the Independence Day Trophy,the Nanoli Derby,the S A Poonawalla Multi-Million and the like witness many in their trademark formals,complete with sunny dresses and hats, he said. Wakalkar himself has traversed from wearing full suits to jeans and designer blazers at the race cource.The under-40 generation is dressing more chic than formal, he said. Vivek Jain,chairman,RWITC,said,The dressing style of racing enthusiasts,especially from the members enclosure is a bit more casual now.People are not so keen to dress formally during noon,when the weather is considerably hot.Important areas,such as the paddock,retain the old dress code.But we feel smart casual wear in general areas has encouraged higher attendance. Jain added that it is sometimes difficult to enforce a dress code at the Pune race course,as paths of the members of the first enclosure comingle with those of others. Nivedita Saboo,a fashion designer from Pune,said the dress code at Pune races has shifted more towards being chic.It has become more casual,especially for men.The whole culture of being in suits and ties has changed to sporting a more casual but upbeat and fashion savvy look.Women are still dressing up very well for the races.Instead of wearing fitted dresses or gowns,the attention has shifted towards afternoon chic -- loose shirts with linen capris,short dresses teamed with hats and even skirts with interesting blouson tops, said Saboo. Saboo said women coming clad in saris has also been a fading trend.A lot of women used to wear printed,chiffon saris reminiscent of the Jaipur Polo season in the past.This,too,seems to have lessened,as people prefer easy-to-maintain and easy-towear clothes these days.However,accessories,such as neck pieces,sun glasses,bags and shoes,have gained importance,while outfits have become simpler,cleaner and classier at the Pune races, she said. Dentist Tarvin Kaur,who has been going to the races since the past eight years,said women at the races in Pune are sporting more cotton dresses.At a recent racing event I went to,I did not see anybody wearing those Victorian hats with soft trims,dyed plumes and special netting.For men,it was jeans to a great extent.I would wear hats before,but have not been wearing them off late,as not many wear them to the Pune races.However,I do sport dresses and heals,designer bags and pearls,even these days, she said. However,members and their guests are requested by the RWITC management to ensure that they are dressed in consonance with the decorum and ambience of the members enclosure here.Bermudas,shorts and vests are not allowed inside the members area. |
