Somy Ali, who runs a US-based NGO called No More Tears and tirelessly works to save, protect, and rehabilitate victims of domestic violence and rape, says that she is not concerned about fashion and style on most days.
She adds that she only dresses up when she is being interviewed by the media or has an event. “Jeans and an NMT T-shirt are my go-to clothes when I am working in the field. Even as a child and a teenager, I didn’t have any knowledge of or care for the latest trends in fashion. My mother, on the other hand, was totally in tune with fashion and fitness. Designers would have outfits delivered to our house before they even hit the stores,” she says.
She continues, “What I do love about fashion is when I am interviewed for magazines from all over the U.S. or India, and they get me to wear super expensive dresses, shoes, and accessories at no cost.”
When asked if she feels any pressure to look her best, she says, “No! I want to look good all the time and have no qualms about being vain at times because I seldom get to dress up. You are rescuing victims daily with the police. However, of course, when I am alone in my apartment, my go-to is pajamas when working from home,” she says.
However, she likes to rely on designers’ expertise when dressing up for events. “I wear what the designers want me to wear because that’s their forte, not mine. But given what I do work-wise, I never cross the line between what’s sexy and what’s vulgar. I have enough sense to make that distinction, and I strongly believe—more so after seeing Zeenat in Satyam Shivam Sundaram—that nothing captures a woman’s beauty and sexiness more than her in a sari. I mean, she was breathtakingly stunning in that film, and she also nailed the Western look to a T. Many forms of attire can make women look sexy without crossing that line. I think no one looked sexier than Sridevi, and nowadays Deepika, Madhuri, and Katrina. They wore the outfit; the outfit didn’t turn heads—rather, these women in them drove people crazy,” she says.
While she loves to dress up, she feels her line of work requires her to be more focused on other matters. “My perspective on what counts and matters in life changed after seeing what I’ve seen daily for the past 17 years. Women are beaten daily, and someone as young as a three-year-old child is being sex-trafficked right now. Our LGBTQ community is still living in fear. When you see the real problems people have, the last thing I’m thinking about is what I will be wearing in a particular season. So, unfortunately, I have no shame in telling the world that my priorities are different, despite being a model/actor in America and India,” she says.
She adds, “One evolves with time, and nothing beats the evolution of our minds and ideologies. Again, I am not blaming anyone; rather, I am admitting to being completely illiterate when it comes to fashion. I know I will never be able to tell the difference between a real and a fake Prada bag if they look the same. But my friends can figure it out through the stitching of a bag, which creates a tiny explosion in my brain because that, too, is highly commendable knowledge and a skill that I severely lack. I do find solace in having people around me who are knowledgeable enough to offer me fashion advice. The only time I get to be a fashion queen is during our NMT fundraiser since that’s the only event I attend because abuse doesn’t have any days off.”
