South-Asian girls like myself often face problems while shopping for clothing in American malls and department stores. The different styles are often much too revealing for modest girls to wear; gaping necklines and midriff-baring tops are definitely a no. From what I’ve noticed, with each passing year, clothing brands are producing increasingly skimpy clothes, and simultaneously, they are increasing the amount of vulgarity as well. And as if this isn’t bad enough, girls of South-Asian heritage also face another problem at the mall. Unlike most Caucasian girls, those of South-Asian descent are blessed (or should I say cursed?) with rather large hips, which are great for childbirth but apparently not for finding a decent pair of jeans.
At department stores, the different styles of clothing on sale is unsurprisingly too revealing for my tastes. Hoodies and sweat-suits come in different brands such as Ecko, Rocawear, JLO, G-Unit and XOXO, yet I find them to leave little to the imagination. Skirts from Guess and and Rampage are either much too short or are accompanied with a slit up to mid-thigh. Shirts are sheer and strapless. It is very rare that I find something gorgeous to wear which suits my modest taste, and I’m sure I’m not the only one with this dilemma.
Aside from the distastefulness of today’s trends, South-Asian girls face another predicament. How many of you have had trouble finding a pair of jeans that fit you perfectly? From personal experience, I probably have maybe one or two jeans that fit me to perfection. Apparently my hips are considered too large for my tiny five foot frame. Whenever I find a pair of jeans that fit me around my hips, they are almost always too long; if a pair is consistent with the length of my legs, I won’t be able to pull them all the way up, let alone get the button closed. What is a brown girl to do in the White Woman’s world?
