Being a male student at Delhi University (DU) is not an easy feat for anyone who wants to stay authentic to one’s love for shirts. Channelling their personality into their style statement, the boys often complain — Why are there limited options for menswear in street shopping? Coming to the rescue of their peers, five youngsters come along with HT City on a shopping spree at five city markets, to find the ideal summer shirt but with the crucial caveat — price only ₹100! Using their bargaining and hustle skills, they set out to prove that affordable street fashion is possible for men, too.
Exuding Goa vibes in Lajpat Nagar
Ayush Juneja, a first-year student of BCom (Hons) at Sri Aurobindo College, says, “The cheapest thing in my closet is a headband, that too is worth ₹150! My first reaction to this challenge was: How am I supposed to find a shirt that costs less than a headband? But my friend pushed me to do it… My clothing style is all about high-street casual wear, graphic tees and such that are bought from branded outlets in malls. And then, I landed in Lajpat Nagar and was so confused because as far as I could see there were mainly women’s clothes! I wandered through the market for an hour before I found a store that sells men’s clothes, and found the one shirt that I couldn’t take my eyes off. Bargaining was sure tough, and I couldn’t manage without the help of one of my female friends, who saved me. This is the cheapest and coolest shirt with Goa vibes that I’ve decided to wear to the next rager I attend.”
Where to buy? Shop no 16, Central Market, Lajpat Nagar
Neutral tones at Palika Bazar
Anuj Rana, first-year student of BA (Prog) at Hansraj College, says, “I’m so deeply interested in fashion that I couldn’t resist taking up this challenge. But, when I landed at Palika Bazar, I realised it’s not going to be an easy task to find clothes that match up to my standards if I have to stay within the budget. So I browsed and prowled and kept taking rounds of the market while rejecting a lot of options until I found this shirt in neutral tones. It’s oversized, fun, and has print that appeals to my aesthetic sense. Lesson learnt is if you stay positive, you’ll surely find what you are looking for. And now I’ve a new spot where I can get great clothes at a steal.”
Where to buy? Shop no 269, Palika Bazar
Black is back in Kamla Nagar
Sadeev Singh, first-year student of BCom (Hons) at Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, says, “I live in Kamla Nagar and know its market inside out. So when I took up the challenge, I knew it’s next to impossible to find a shirt for me in just ₹100. But as luck would have it, I not only found a shop that fits my budget but also has fixed price of ₹100 so that saved me all the trouble of bargaining. What a great collection of cool black shirts and blazers they have man! I had a hard time picking up just one, but I chose this because it has beautiful pearl buttons. Such shirts are usually prices at ₹300 onwards, and when I was searching within my budget I had actually become laughing stock for some shopkeepers who commented, ‘Sarojini chale jao’. But now I know where to make a beeline for some cool party wear options. It’s safe to say that I not only won the challenge but have also upped my street fashion game.”
Where to buy? Shop no 41 F, Kolhapur Road, Kamla Nagar
Polka dots for the win at Gaffar Market
Kush Kumar, final-year student of BCom (Hons) at Ramjas College, says, “This challenge was an absolute roller coaster for me. I honestly don’t shop from the street unless I am with my mother. As part of my college’s dance society, I prefer wearing a lot of oversized, quirky clothes that tend to quickly wear down due to my rough and tough use… When I headed to Gaffar Market, little did I know how over priced it is! Everyone around me is flaunting zig zag or abstract prints these days, and I wanted something that’s not run of the mill and makes me end up twinning with five other random people. It took me a few hours to finally come across one shop that has only shirts for sale with one section completely dedicated to polka dots. The moment I saw a green shirt with white polka dots, I knew this is made for me. It’s oversized, quirky, and totally my style. I fell in love with it to the extent that I ended up emotionally blackmailing the shopkeeper to be able to bargain for it.”
Where to buy? Shop no 192, Gaffar Market, Karol Bagh
Kurta shirt sets the mood at Ajmal Khan Road
Manish Singh, a first-year student of History (Hons) at Ramjas College, says, “I knew finding a shirt within ₹100 is absolutely possible. Not because I bargain a lot but because the options exist and one usually is not patient enough to find. When I visited Karol Bagh’s Ajmal Khan Road, the first thing I noticed was how much variety is there in men’s clothing. It’s honestly quite uncommon so witness this excess and at first I thought I’m in for a surprise but soon realised that none of the shops had anything within my budget. So I began scouting until I came across this one seller who stood holding a hanger that stated ₹100 for any piece. He was my saviour! Though he mostly had tank tops and blouses for women, but upon a closer look I found some unisex kurta shirt. This floral cotton kurta shirt is hands down a perfect steal as nobody would ever believe that I got it at such a cool price. Honestly, if this was displayed at a branded store, it would have been priced at least 50 times the cost!”
Where to buy? Shop no 16/17, Ajmal Khan Road, Karol Bagh
Author tweets @KritiKambiri
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