Karl Lagerfeld once said, “Fashion is not only about clothes—it’s about all kinds of change.”
Assuming he’s right, our Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India, seems to be in agreement. Anurag Thakur’s weekend look appeared to tell a story of change — or should we say, no change. You decide.
On a chilly winter morning outside the new parliament house, Thakur was seen in a casual avatar, a shift from how he generally dresses, a touch of traditional and formal, his usual style.
But what he wore was more than just a style statement.
Rocking jeans, sneakers and an orange hoodie with ‘Modi Hat-trick’ written on it, Thakur was surely making a statement. Moving away from any political statement that hoodie aimed to make, when he posted the picture on his Instagram account, it created quite a buzz.
Of course, there were people who supported the cause he was promoting, but a significant number of ‘fire emoticons’ were also shared as comments. Something millennials and Gen Z call ‘lit’, which loosely translates to ‘too good’, ‘exciting’, ‘fun’, and sometimes, when being bold, ‘hot’.
This is not a one-day thing, though. While Thakur is best known for his clear stand on OTT regulations, fair play in news, schemes for young athletes, and more, on a lighter day, he would share a picture on his social media handle sporting a crisp white kurta, and followers would go ‘oooh.’
Like on a certain Diwali, he posted a warm image of him and his wife. No political statements. A simple image in a white kurta and a light blue Nehru jacket with a caption that read ‘How’s your Diwali celebration going?’
Thakur, like our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is always looking the part. The 49-year-old minister is always well-dressed, be it at a press conference, at a party meeting, at the parliament, on his social media, and yes, even at Cannes, where he rocked the red carpet too. At Cannes 2022, he led the India delegation in a suave ivory bandhgala with metal buttons with ‘Bharat’ written in different regional languages on it.
Thakur is more often than not seen in well-fitted full-sleeve shirts paired with a Nehru Jacket and a simple set of trousers and closed shoes. What is common in most of his looks is his pocket square. A close look at the pocket square, and you’d see they are never boring. It’s a mix of plains, checks, and even printed. He’s almost never seen without one.
Thakur also often sports the blazer look. His blazer collections range from plain pastels to elegant checks.
This winter, Thakur has also been seen sporting some handcrafted shawls and scarves paired with high necks and kurtas and even long coats.
He’s not a man of accessories. A simple black pair of spectacles and a red stone finger ringer on his right hand, sometimes a watch, and his French cut beard are his constant.
Hope we left you with some food for thought on how politicians dress and how it has evolved from the stereotyped white kurta pyjama.
On Monday we’ll be back with the minister’s take on all things information and broadcasting. Till then you can scroll his Instagram.
Read More: Self-regulation doesn’t mean license to err intentionally: Anurag Thakur