My first day at UNODC, I knew that we had to stick to the dress code ‘formal’. However, I noticed even outside in the whole of Vienna there was an informal convey of information that it’s important – though not obligatory – to dress in a stylish way. This was confirmed by the sceptic looks of people in metros, trams, buses and in the streets when I am dressed in an unusually rough manner.
What I really loved in Wageningen is that I would not have to take care of my clothes and makeup. I would be listened to even if I were in my sweatpants and pullover and could be unnoticed even though I were in full make up. It did not really matter.
I remember the time when I was wearing my usual make up ‘kaajal’ and red-gloss. I looked as though I came from a party or if there is something special going to happen after the class. I remember when I landed in Wageningen I had observed people with torn pants, shirts and thin stockings. It really did not matter. Some professors, I had never seen them give much priority to ‘dressing like a professor’.
But now that I landed here without any makeup and not matching dresses would make me look odd. However, I still prefer going the Wageningen- Dutch way being direct and focussing on the content rather than the appearance. Sometimes, I do follow the casual way just to reconnect with Wageningen.