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A Parramatta grandmother’s bold choice of sports shoe footwear is contrasting wonderfully with her traditional Indian saree, it has been confirmed by her grandchildren this afternoon.
While many of Indria Kumar’s grandchildren are secretly amused by her decision to seek flexible arch support that provide greater balance and comfort in the shoe – the 88-year-old matriarch is yet to acknowledge her revolutionary fusion of cultures.
A saree (also known as a sari, or shari) is a female garment from the Indian subcontinent that consists of a drape varying from five to nine yards (4.5 metres to 8 metres) in length – and two to four feet (60 cm to 1.20 m) in breadth. It is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder, baring the midriff.
However, after several generations down under, the Indian-Australian’s take on the saree has been given a stylish new flair.
Rocking the New Balance sneaker under the saree has become increasingly popular for Indian-Australian aunties and grandmother’s in recent years, as the ageing population of first wave migrants turn to modern Australian techniques of dealing with lino floors and heavily concreted urban areas.
The New Balance/ Saree combo is also believed to help with performance in the kitchen as the maternal Indian-Australians refuse to stop cooking for an array of family members who could be visiting at any time.
Mrs Kumar’s grandson, Ravi, says she’s lived a long and challenging life, and if treating herself to the luxury of blended gel inserts, heel counters and a comfortable range of widths is something she feels up to, then good on her.
“I don’t think it’s nearly as bad as some of the outfits I see getting around University” he says.
“I’m worried if some of these art students saw my grandmother rocking the saree and sneaker combo they’d be wearing the same thing next week”
