Sharma wears jewelry with different Buddhist and Hindu gods and deities.
Saumik Sharma ’25 sports metallic patterned pants and chunky jewelry to create an edgy look, topping it off with platform black boots. From Patan, in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal, Sharma often wears handcrafted culturally rich jewelry pieces from street markets. Sharma described how these pieces hold significant value to him personally, as well as with his religious beliefs.
“A lot of my jewelry is stuff I buy from back home that has different gods and deities on it, stuff that’s significant religiously. So, I base it on the lunar calendar that my country [and] that Hinduism and Buddhism use, and sometimes, the days of the week that correspond to certain gods. I feel like Abrahamic religions like Christianity or Islam are super different from how Hinduism or Buddhism works. So, it’s not like I rely on gods or God for faith. It’s more like culture and tradition that I want to pass down,” said Sharma.
Sharma’s style challenges conventional gender norms, embracing a diverse range of colors and bold patterns. Instead of conforming to stereotypical fashion categories dictated by gender norms, they choose to express themselves authentically through their clothing choices. Sharma highlighted specific bold statement pieces that help him assert his individuality within the realm of fashion.
“A lot of people notice some of the eccentric clothes I wear, especially my pants because I have these hot pink pants that a lot of my friends make fun of, but I love wearing those. I have a pair of pants with a portrait on it, which people think are like cowpants because it looks like a cow print. I like to wear statement pieces that are quite eccentric because I’ve always been a pretty strange person who does strange things and is known for it, and I try to embrace that,” said Sharma.
Solar Lu ’24 echoed this sentiment, admiring his fearless approach to fashion. Highlighting his standout wardrobe, Lu appreciates his use of patterns and adventurous colors within his outfits.
“[His pants are] pretty cool because you don’t really see a lot of masc-presenting people on this campus wearing something pink and more vibrant unironically. Usually, it’s a very Blue Key Head thing to wear, but it’s fun to see masc-presenting people lean into experimenting with colors as well as really bold patterns,” said Lu.
Among Sharma’s beloved pieces are a necklace adorned with a vajra — a symbol rich in Buddhist philosophy — and a golden Pyakhan Angu ring, steeped in traditional dance and religious significance. For them, these accessories serve a deeper purpose than just mere aesthetics.
“Because of the philosophical meaning of it. It’s just that I feel like it’s a way for me to know that people will not understand what that means here because not a lot of other people who go here know what a vadja is or what a Pyakhan Angu is. But for me, it grounds me to where I’m from, and because I want to keep that part of myself alive for as long as I live. I think fashion helps me do that,” said Sharma.
Each piece holds a story, a connection to his heritage and values. Lu admired how Sharma’s jewelry collection was very unique but also capable of pairing together coherently. She also noted how his fashion philosophy closely mirrored her own.
“Saumik has stories behind all of them, so they actually mean something, and that’s really important to me when it comes to style and jewelry, I don’t really wear anything when it’s not impactful. I don’t wear anything that doesn’t have a story behind it, and I feel like that’s how Saumik’s jewelry choices come as well. I really like one of his necklaces that I tried on once, and I wanted to take that as well. He got it in a market in Nepal,” said Lu.
