This year, on 15 August 2021, India celebrates its 75th Independence Day; and we can't help but shed some light on other aspects of freedom. We might have gained independence 74 years ago, but there are still certain areas where we struggle for freedom, one of which is "Freedom to Fashion for women". When we look back, there used to be a time when people were filled with stereotypical and mythical beliefs around how a woman should ideally dress up.

What does it mean to be free?  

As India celebrates its 75th  Independence day, this year in 2021, 74 years of Constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights, with 6 of those rights concerning freedom (Article 19), and the first of those six, the freedom of speech and expression, it’s as good a time as any to wonder - 

“What does it mean to be free? “Or more specifically from the perspective of fashion 
What does it mean to express?
For fashion is nothing but Expression, or as Rachel Zoe once said - a way to say who you are without having to speak. Fashion is not merely choosing the skin you desire to exist in, but having the freedom to live in it. 

It is being who you want to be, wherever you want to be, and in whatever you want.  

And if this is the freedom to fashion, Are we as Women, truly free? 
Free to express the fashion of our choice?  
Free from the patriarchal stereotypes that force us to conform to archaic social norms?   
Free from the norms based on misogyny? 

At the European Beach handball Championships this year the Norwegian women’s team was slapped with a fine of 1,500 euros for wearing shorts instead of bikini bottoms in the bronze medal game against Spain during July's European beach-handball championship. The ruling oddly enough was legal, because the rules specified that –“women need to wear a "tight-fitting sports bra with deep openings at the arms" and a bottom no more than "10 centimetres on the sides." 

 The rules also specify that Men, on the other hand, can play in shorts and tank tops. 

So again, what does it mean to be free?  To be freely fashionable? 
When a woman, any woman, employed or a home maker, has to ponder on her choice of cloth, worry if it fits, or isn’t for her body shape or the “wrong” signals she might display, is she fashionably free.

At Tokyo 2021, when Thirteen-year-old Brazilian Rayssa Leal landed her impressive tricks in tan-coloured cargo pants held up by a black skater belt, that won her a legion of fans. She chose her cloth of choice, and dared to flaunt it on the world stage.  

Maybe the handball committee should take note of that.  

There was a lot of uproar caused by Handballs bikinigate. The singer Pink, offered to pay the fine and handballs governing committee is looking to rework the rules soon. Today’s Woman is stronger, more resilient, independent and has a lot more self-respect than from before.  

We understand what’s good for us and what is not. There is no need to be dictated to, to be lectured on what kind of life to have, or what clothes to live that life in. 

No need to dictate our fashion or to curtail our freedom to choose. 

We at PowerSutra believe in fashionable freedom, the right to choose. We are no friends of stereotype, but instead we strongly emphasise –“To each her own”. In our own little way, we strive to ensure that our designs are varied and customizable, curated for your desk to dinner needs. And we even have an inhouse stylist assigned for every customer, someone to sort your fashion dilemma’s out. 

So, what exactly does it mean to be fashionably free? 
Wear what you believe is the best expression of your self-something that highlights the inner you, fills you with the energy to take on the world. 
And if someone still objects, That’s their problem. And this time it’s not your outfit, but their thinking that has to change!! 
Be fashionably free. Express yourself. Make your own rules ladies! It’s 2021 geez.? 
Happy Independence Day!!!