The silver’s stylebook In Chennai

CHENNAI: On a Friday evening, several senior citizens gathered at a city hotel and cheered as other silvers walked the ramp – many for the first time – demonstrating truly, that age is just a number. They showed how you can be smartly turned out even when arthritis afflicts your fingers, or your sense of balance is not too great. The event was organised by Udhavi, an organization working for the welfare of seniors, to showcase adaptive clothing for the elderly. “I had several falls during the pandemic, which affected my knee and mobility. I found it difficult to bend and wear a salwar,” says textile designer Sabita Radhakrishna, whose creations were showcased at the show. “I have always felt that elderly people with mobility issues should have clothes that are easy to wear. And so, I began designing them.” There is a demand for adaptive clothing for seniors across the country. Designers have been coming up with ready-to-wear clothing that is comfortable, soft on the skin, and can be worn easily. You have shirts and tops that can be fastened with Velcro, wraparound skirts, pants with wide bottoms, and kaftans. Sabita, who found lungis comfortable and easy to slip into, also began making straight pants with wider bottoms, and short, frontopen tops that could be clubbed with saris. “For this show, I began designing in November. I made pre-stitched, pleated saris that could be easily tied around the waist; shirts and tops with Velcro and mock buttons in the front; lungis and veshtis that could also be fastened with a tape; and kaftans that open at the shoulders and are fastened with Velcro,” she says, adding that all her clothes also have pockets. “Elderly people often leave their phones or keys behind in another room and have to go back for them, so it helps to have pockets.” Old Is Gold, a store for senior citizens in Anna Nagar, also has Cocoon, its own line of clothing. “We started it six years ago. For women, we have gowns that open at the shoulders or in the front. We keep the length short, so they don’t trip and fall,” says Jayashree K P, designer and co-founder of the store. “For men, we have kurtas that open at the shoulders, so that they don’t have to lift their arms to slip into the sleeve. We have back open gowns for more invalid people. We also have adult bibs that have a pouch in front, in case of food spills. These are made of absorbent material in the front, and laminated behind, to prevent them from getting wet.” It’s important to design adaptive clothing that is smart and elegant, as the way you dress can influence the way you feel, say many seniors. “Sometimes, the way people dress shows they have given up on life,” says Sabita. “You shouldn’t feel shy about looking smart; actually, it makes you feel psychologically better.” Subodh Srivastava, 64, a board member of Udhavi and one of the models at the show, agrees. “In my own neighbourhood, I see many retired people start dressing shabbily, or wearing clothes that are not ironed. But you should be smartly dressed for yourself,” says Subodh, also a psychologist. “I have always felt that after retirement, people should enjoy doing what they couldn’t earlier, and this includes what you wear, how you dress, your haircut, etc. As long as you are active and independent, you should look and feel smart, as it uplifts your mood.”