₹100 dress: DU students take up challenge to strike the best deal

College-goers are no strangers to living on a shoestring budget, yet managing to pull off chic and trendy looks made for the books. With their bargaining skills on full display, five Delhi University (DU) students come along with HT City on a shopping spree at five markets— Sarojini Nagar, Janpath, Atta Market, Kamla Nagar, and Lajpat Nagar. The challenge? Finding the perfect summer dress for just ₹100!

Floral prints in Sarojini Nagar market

Tanirika Ghosh, a first-year student of Miranda House, has one love — floral sundresses! “But I hate that they come for such a high price at branded stores. Sarojini Nagar market is one place where I believe anyone can find anything with good bargaining skills. But the challenge for me was to find a dress in good quality fabric so that it doesn’t look tacky. Usually, the clothes bought for ₹100 give away their price due to the quality of the fabric, but when I spotted this dress I knew this is the one for me! The minute I bought it, I couldn’t control my excitement and immediately went to a nearby mall to wear it and feel like I’ve already won the challenge. Not to miss, I bargained hard, and even told the shopkeeper, ‘Bhaiyya, mai toh student hun. College ke bachhon ke paas itne paise kahan hote hain. Aap kisi aur se zyada paise le lena’ (laughs).”

Where to buy? Graffiti lane, Sarojini Nagar

Indigo love at Janpath Market

Deviyana Salam, a first-year student of Kamala Nehru College, took on the challenge with much trepidation, and shares: “I never buy clothes from flea markets. I prefer the comfort of high street stores in malls, which often costs me a lot. But I don’t mind splurging if the quality of the material is good and I get to experiment with my look! So when I stepped in Janpath, with the original thought of finding a pink mini dress, I was disheartened at first. After going around the market three times, I decided to keep an open mind and look at all the prints that attract me. That’s when this maxi caught my fancy because of its vivid indigo that simply stood out. When I touched it, its soft cotton felt unbelievably good. The best part is I didn’t have to bargain as its fixed price is ₹100. Even if I wear it for just five times, it’s worth the money.”

Where to buy? Shop number 34, Janpath lane

Spoilt for choice at Atta Market

Chisha Kapoor, a first-year student at Kirori Mal College, shares how her style is all about wearing oversized clothes. Bringing on her street fashion vibe, she shares, “Mere size ke kapde hi nahin milte so I almost always opt for one size bigger or borrow some from my brother or bhabhi’s closet! So, when I heard from my cousins that Atta Market in Noida has some cheaper options available for all sizes, I decided to visit this place for this challenge. Although I’ve bought kurtas for ₹150 in the past but had doubts about finding ₹100 ki dress. Though this market is much bigger than Sarojini and has lesser options for dresses. Still, I managed to find some really pretty ones! So much so that choosing one became a bit difficult. I must have walked away from six to seven shops in frustration because they weren’t reducing the price from ₹150 to ₹100. But then, finally, at one shop, I liked this off-white cotton dress and a printed blue oversized shirt. I decided to buy both of them to get the shopkeeper to bring down the price (chuckles). I think the shopkeeper was also tired of me and hence agreed. But I’m surely coming back to shop for more casual dresses from here. Hopefully now they will remember me and skip the bargaining part to let me buy whatever I want for the prices I say!”

Where to buy? Shop number 2, Atta Market, Sector-27, Noida

Beach vibes in Kamla Nagar Market

Palak Sinha, a final-year student of Ramjas College, was so sure of finding a ₹100 dress at Kamla Nagar! She says, “I know the ins and outs of this market like a pro. I’ve spent countless hours here finding and matching the perfect outfits that bring out the fashionista in me! I knew for a fact that this challenge is so doable for someone like me because I knew exactly which shop to go and which rack to look out for. Most of the dresses here are midis or maxis, but I wanted a short dress this time to increase my difficulty level. As soon as I saw this blue cotton dress, it gave me ultimate Goa vibes! Not only the dress stands apart because of its vibrant colour, but is also quite comfortable. So the rick is to not stop at the shops at the beginning of the market and venture inside in full form to bargain, and you will surely find whatever you’re looking for.”

Where to buy? Shop No 1270, Kohlapur Road, Kamla Nagar Market

Corporate chic at Lajpat Nagar

Sarah Nautiyal, a first-year student of Kirori Mal College, is loyalist of Instagram thrift stores as well as flea markets such as Sarojini Nagar and Lajpat Nagar. “I believe I’m very good at bargaining, and Lajpat Nagar shops have such huge variety ki aap dekh dekh ke thak jaoge but shops mein saaman khatm nahi hoga! I was a little stumped at first thinking about the challenge since south Delhi equals expensive buys, but then I smartly started scouting the places where the shopkeepers usually keep their stock hidden for bargainers like me! I must have ventured inside more than 15 shops before I spotted this elegant, smooth, multi-hued dress that is perfect for not just college but also the internship interviews that I’m appearing for off late. But, there’s a catch. I knew that the shopkeeper won’t let me exchange incase it doesn’t fit, so I told him ki main upar se hi pehen ke try kar rahi hun iski fitting!”

Where to buy? Shop D44, Central Market, Lajpat Nagar

Author tweets @KritiKambiri

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