DRESSING FOR THE LANE, NOT THE MIRROR: FASHION AS NEIGHBORHOOD PERFORMANCE
We often talk about fashion as self-expression, a reflection of personal taste, a statement of individuality. But in many corners of Nepali life—especially just outside the threshold of home—fashion is less about the mirror and more about the lane. The question is not “Do I look good?” but “Will this look right—out there, on that road, in front of those eyes?” There’s a subtle choreography to stepping outside, especially in tightly woven neighborhoods where everyone knows everyone. Whether it’s the early-morning dash to buy vegetables, the casual walk to a relative’s house, or just standing by the gate on a lazy afternoon, how we dress is shaped not only by comfort or aesthetics but by a low, constant hum of social awareness. It is not surveillance in a sinister sense, but a kind of communal gaze. Aunties on balconies, uncles walking their dog, the nearby tailor, the shopkeeper’s son sitting idle—it is they who form the real audience of our daily fashion choices. And so, eve...