Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was recently scrutinized on social media because of his wardrobe choices while he and his family visited India for eight days.
The outfits that he and his family wore were called “tacky” and “exaggerated,” and also “fake and annoying.”
This was the Trudeau’s first trip to India as the Canadian Prime Minister, and while his choice of attire was initially praised by many, its charm quickly wore off.
Bestselling author Bhaavna Arora said Trudeau’s wardrobe choices were “fake and annoying,” and Bombay-based writer Shunali Khullar Shroff said Trudeau looked he was dressed for a wedding.
Omar Abdullah, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, tweeted and said Trudeau’s preening was “all just a bit much.”
“We Indians do not dress like this every day sir, not even in Bollywood,” he said.
Is it just me or is this choreographed cuteness all just a bit much now? Also FYI we Indians don’t dress like this every day sir, not even in Bollywood. pic.twitter.com/xqAqfPnRoZ
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 21, 2018
By the time Trudeau arrived at the Bollywood gala on Tuesday night, donned in splashy gold and maroon pants, people had had enough.
Trudeau must have gotten the hint because when he visited Jama Masjid, one of India’s largest mosques, on Thursday, he was wearing a traditional suit.
The Daily Mail said India Today referred to Trudeau’s outfit selections as “tacky” and even insulting.
India Today wrote: “We understand that the Trudeaus do not understand Indian clothing as well as Indian dignitaries do, but for someone who’s been fond of wearing Indian kurtas even back home, it’s not wrong to expect a touch of class.”
In the past, Trudeau has been known to support Sikh separatist groups, which has not been well-received by Indian politicians.
That may be part of the reason that when the Trudeau family arrived in New Dehli on Saturday, they were received by a junior agriculture minister and not by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is not typically Indian tradition.
Remaining under fire, Canada itself has criticized Trudeau, saying his trip to India was more like a family holiday than a diplomatic engagement.
