‘I’d Rather be Thrifting’ | Sarojini Nagar Calling

By Iva Dixit

Well, now that a certain high street label of Spanish origin has opened its doors to all those that are sartorially starved, and with the other ‘Big Three’ all set to set up shop on Indian soil, dressing well no longer seems to be a faraway dream. While we’d all love nothing more than to sport perfectly colour-blocked Tangerine Tango ensembles {with just the right accents of neon and snakeskin}, shelling out three crisp thousand-Rupee notes for a single outfit, no matter how covetable, is something one cannot afford on a less-than-modest budget.

Fortunately for us Dilliwallas, we happen to live in a city where an audacious imagination trumps the more plebeian things as budgetary constraints. If thats the imagination you possess, then the sartorial nirvana needn’t come with a hefty price tag; and echoing this very essence of madness-as-method, is the place often lovingly christened with the misnomer of a mere ‘export market’:  the alleys and by-lanes that make up the Sarojini Nagar Market.

By means of far-too-frequently made trips over the course of six years, we can now confess to being self-confessed Sarojini shopping veterans, much to the despair of our finances and the overstretched limits of the closet!  A vibrant blast of sensory invasion, the market isn’t ideal for those who prefer their shopping in air-conditioned confines and their prices fixed. But if low rung prices for highbrow taste are what you seek, look no further.

{Little Black Book, Delhi}’s insider guide on how to deconstruct this bargain mecca!

Sarojini Shopping 101 | The Brass Tacks

~ To avoid getting lost in the labyrinth that is Sarojini {and believe you me, that this scenario is not merely limited to the pulp Hindi films of the ‘70s}, make it a point to ALWAYS begin from the same place and keep note of the landmark {be it the bright blue Reebok hoarding or the fruit-juice walla- make a mental note!} so that you may return there

~ The sheer size and pulsating energy of the place can be a tad overwhelming for the uninitiated. However, once you look past the superlative hustle-bustle, the melee of colour and vibrancy start to sink in and make for a truly exhilarating experience. The air is punctuated with fervent, piercing cries of ‘sau-ka-do-sau-ka-do’, coming from enthusiastic hawkers, and the lanes are packed to the hilt with every object that the imagination can conceive {plastic carnations, polka dotted down quilts in bright pink, yoga mats, slippers that resemble stuffed bunnies, stuffed bunnies that resemble socks, blue Jaipuri pottery, baroque-inspired lampshades, boxers with SpongeBob’s grinning face imprinted on them, and of course, the interminable row, upon row, upon row of clothes!}

~ Sarojini is at its calmest in the early hours of the working day {the best time to visit being between 12-4pm} when the fervent hawking and hustling has not yet gathered full momentum. Strictly avoid weekends, when there is, in complete seriousness, a fair chance of getting poked, elbowed, kneed or trampled over due to the sheer hordes of people that assail the narrow lanes. {Never underestimate the Dilliwaala’s love for a good bargain!}

~ Always carry a spacious jhola, as the flimsy polythene bags in which they wrap the clothes become extremely inconvenient to handle if you make lots of purchases, and also tend to tear apart rather quickly.

Now that you’ve gotten your jhola slung for some serious lifting, your elbows poised to ward off any waywardness, your 100-rupee notes crisp and at the ready for some quick changing of hands, then on to the good part!

Within Sarojini

~ The stories of all the stylish merchandise acquired here aren’t just propagated urban legend; you just need to know where to go! Give the main shuttered shops a miss and head instead towards the Export Galis, the two long lanes that effectively house every runway and high street trend, copied, exported and hung there in all their rejected glory to be pounced upon by some such chic-seeker.

~ For fail-safe deals, one must explore:

1. The first of the caverns around the peepal tree, {a highly conspicuous landmark} and two other adjacent caves in the interior of the other lane {next to Soft & Sleek, the shoe shop}.

2. For the best stock of dress tops and blouses, try the open archway with the graffiti.  The vendors here are as up-to-date with the reigning fashion and know their peplum from their palazzo just as much as any hipster blogger worth their Lomo camera.

3. Scrounge through the fifty-rupee piles for basics such as striped t-shirts, polo necks, and camisoles.

4. The vintage shop located at the very end of the 2^nd export gali {right next to the store that sells punk t-shirts and Homer Simpson boxers} is full of delightful odds, ends, bags, boxes, metal lamps, Accessorize clutches and impeccable leather bags that somehow didn’t manage to make their way into the retail showroom. {My best buy: An AllSaints Suede hobo, bought for Rs 1500 two years ago, that turned out to be as hardy as it was chic, and has faced the everyday battles of the Delhi life with surprising fortitude!}

5. Avoid the bag stalls and shoe shops, as the designs aren’t appealing and the quality is abysmal. Instead, head to the three leather export emporiums, which stock export surplus from ASOS, Zara, Bershka, Topshop and every other premium high street shoe label. From ballet flats, tasselled loafers, ankle booties, to riding boots and skyscraper wedges, the designs are super chic, and the quality is as impeccable as the retail stock.

6. Abandon the idea of sticking to a rigid shopping list, as you might go with the intention of buying a basic white shirt and return with armfuls of printed day dresses! {*ahem, guilty}. From staid basics to the most flamboyant of outfits, from the utterly covetable to the outrageous and some downright ugly, there is absolutely nothing that cannot be found here. Keep a discerning lookout for things that catch your eye and let yourself explore.

7. Never trust the size tags! While many of the pieces come with their original label tags intact, they are never an accurate indication of the S, M, L or XL sizes inscribed on them. The only way to ascertain size is to hold two pieces against each other and then against yourself. If the size still eludes you, the option of a quick fix at the darzee is always there. The market itself is filled with many who will make alterations on the spot, even as you take a round and return at leisure to collect.

8. Examine the garment carefully before purchasing. While a missing button or two, or a seam askew is common occurrence and easily fixable, watch out for cuts, stains, tears and holes. Always point out the defect {whether it be minimal or obvious} to the shopkeeper and use it to extricate an additional discount!

The Bargaining:

~ The veterans swear by it. The uninitiated steer clear of it, and prefer to watch in muted admiration as those well-versed in this subtle art snag unto themselves a sleek Zara blazer {albeit with a button or two absconding}, at less than half the original quoted price of Rs 600, even while leaving the shopkeeper feeling smugly pleased as if his wily self indeed had engineered the whole deal.

~ If you aren’t a dab hand at this intrinsic back-and-forth ritual of street shopping, despair not. While there isn’t any standard fixed rate of what to pay for a particular garment, the price quoted by the seller will give you a fair idea of how low to negotiate. Remember, if played properly, 500s, 350s and 250s quoted by the profiteering shopkeeper can all be brought down to a neatly rounded 150!

~ However, keep in mind the standard rule of shopping at Sarojini: Never pay more than Rs 250 for any basic garment (be it a shirt, a dress or anything anywhere in between), and not more than Rs 400 for a jacket or blazer.

~ ALWAYS keep up that blasé front while bargaining {even as your insides might be doing the conga in sheer glee}. Some useful bargaining ploys include:

1. Regaling the shopkeeper with any one from the standard litany of lines to reckon that you aren’t in fact, a Sarojini newbie: A tersely vaunted “bhaiyya-pehli-baar-nahi-aayein-hainn”, or an “itne-mein-toh-showroom-se-khareed-nahi-letey”, usually works.

2. The itna-price-nahin-toh-nahin-lena {this-much-or-nothing} manoeuvre followed with a strategic walking away from the stall usually gets the shopkeeper to relent. In case he doesn’t, move on ahead and scour the other shops, as they usually do stock identical pieces. In the rare situation that you don’t find an identical outfit anywhere else {as Irene Adler so succinctly put it}, know that you are beaten. If your heart is still set on it, head back to the adamant shopkeeper and buy it for his price!

Some Parting Notes:

~ Well, yes, the prices are throwaway, but the quality varies with each garment. While some may prove to be surprisingly sturdy for their street-side roots, others may fall to shreds after a few washes and use.

~ Always wash the outfit before wearing it!

~ The last but nowhere in the least: Know when to stop! Unless of course, you happen to be blessed with the constitution of a Chinese athlete, be aware that given the preposterously low prices and the equally wide range of merchandise, everyone tends to go on a buying rampage of some magnitude when in Sarojini! Exercise discernment, resist the urge to buy the place down {no matter how tempting}, and remember to save some for the next time!

~ And well, now that we’ve imparted to you all the wisdom and strategies of attack, how can we possibly not share the spoils of war! Here’s what we bought:

***