Out of the Closet | Hyderabad’s glamourgirls Badminton doubles partners, Gutta Jwala and Ashwini Ponnappa have different approaches to style on and off court

Gutta Jwala, 28, has at least three wardrobes and a few suitcases holding her clothes, shoes, bags and accessories while Ashwini Ponnappa, 22, has only one cupboard, though it’s filled to the brim. 

Jwala, who is currently living in a transit flat in Hyderabad’s Banjara Hills, can strip a shop in half an hour if she likes the stuff while Ponnappa ponders over every purchase. “She is a window-shopper,” says Jwala. “She sees everything, then wants to go back again and again before she makes the decision to buy. If I like something, I pick it up then and there.” While Ponnappa sticks to high street brands, Jwala practically has every couture brand, Indian and international, in her wardrobe.

Street theatre: Ponnappa in on-court gear with Jwala, who is dressed in a one-piece outfit designed by her kit sponsor Li-Ning.

“I do advise Ashwini on what to wear when we have to attend a function together, but our dressing styles are different because she is mostly into casuals,” says Jwala.Jwala was the first Indian to qualify for two badminton events at the Olympics—women’s and mixed doubles—and has been playing with Ponnappa since 2009. “Jwala is a senior player and approached me even though at the time she was not too sure about playing doubles with me. Someone had suggested my name to her and we have now been playing together for three years,” explains Ponnappa.

Jwala says she finds the strength in Ponnappa’s shots a big plus in their pairing and like her younger partner, is really excited about heading to London. “I want to put on a really good show since this is the first time I have qualified for the Olympics and I am going to play two events (women’s doubles and mixed doubles),” says Jwala. With their first match likely to be held on 28 July, the girls who are forever together on the tournament circuit tell us that shopping with each other can be a pain sometimes, why they both love pink, and how they are hoping to inject some glamour into drab on-court badminton dressing styles. Edited excerpts:

Gutta Jwala
How has your style changed over the years?

Courting couture: In a Satya Paul sari.

I was into a lot of casual wear through my teen years but for the last five-six years, my style has changed. I love saris and Satya Paul is a favourite. I like printed, light fabric saris. I have a lot of new saris, which I have not even worn yet. I like Manish Malhotra and Anamika Khanna too. I even have a Sabyasachi sari. Whenever Elahe (a designer store in Hyderabad) has a new collection from any of these designers, they call me first.Manish Malhotra is mostly bling. You like that kind of stuff too?
I really like it. I have those 10kg heavy kurtas from him. The last time I wore a Manish Malhotra sari, I was so tired, but I love his style. The cut of the blouse in his sari is amazing. I have never met Manish though and hope he knows someday how much I like his stuff. I wanted to order one or two saris from him and spoke to his assistant a few times but never got through to him directly. He must have been busy.
Are you a budget shopper or someone who picks up things as and when you need it?

She likes to wear short dresses like this black REDValentino dress paired with Colin Stuart heels.

I am a shopaholic and I pick up stuff every now and then. I am a quick shopper though. I don’t really shop on a budget. When I am at a store, I have to really like something—if I am doubtful about a product, I don’t look at it twice. My sister Insi and mum are also shopaholics. My poor dad is the odd one out.How important is it for a sportswoman to look good on court and off it?
Everybody wants to look good but as a popular sports personality, I feel it is my job to represent my game stylishly. Over the years, I have learnt how important it is to present your best side when you meet new people. You are not likely to meet them all the time, so the first impression is the last one. Also, sports is entertainment and as a sportsperson we have to attract audiences to our sport. What is the harm in looking good on court to do that?
People say I spend too much time in trying to look glamorous and don’t focus on the sport. If that is the case, how are we winning medals?
Where else do you like to shop?
I like online shopping. I love Net-A-Porter. I don’t get my size in Western wear in India but Net-a-porter.com has everything. It’s easy to shop from them because they ship everything within three days. I pick up a lot of dresses and tend to check the site once in two or three weeks. For dresses, I shop at Singapore and Indonesia. I like Warehouse for summer dresses, cotton tees—they have cool colours. Victoria’s Secret is a good place to shop for casual, beach-style clothes which you need in the summers here. I prefer to shop in Delhi than Hyderabad or Mumbai. They have better stuff in that metro. DLF Emporio mall is a great place.
Do you have a shoe fetish?

Jwala finds ballet flats from Tod’s most comfortable to wear through the day.

I dislike shoes with pointed toes and never buy those. I love heels and stilettos but my parents tell me not to wear a lot of heels because they are worried that I may twist my ankle. Being a sportswoman, I have to take care of my feet, so it is best to avoid heels as they can cause stress. I wear heels only when I am out for a short time, say, an hour or so. Otherwise, I mostly wear ballet shoes or flats. I am almost 6ft tall, so wearing heels all the time is odd.

For daily use, she uses a sling bag like this one from Gucci.

I am partial to Tod’s shoes because the leather is very, very soft and they are usually very comfortable and don’t bite. One of my favourite footwear brands is Miu Miu: They are a classy, girlie collection. I am not a Christian Louboutin fan. I choose to wear black shoes mostly because they go well with everything.
Black shoes? That sounds like you are a safe dresser.
Not really. I experiment a lot like I am now doing with saris. My friend Shilpa Reddy designs a lot of saris and she is making a few for me. I am waiting for her sari with a jacket. It won’t be very feminine.
Is badminton not glamorous because it is a sport dominated by Asians, unlike tennis, where Americans and Europeans rule?
Maybe that is the reason. Europeans are bold. I admire Maria Sharapova’s dressing style and still remember the stylish black dress she wore when she won the US Open six years ago. I always tell my sponsors that I am open to new stuff, to wearing dresses. I like the idea of one-piece dresses on court and recently even got a new dress designed for myself so that I can wear it while playing. I love colours—a lot of pink, yellow and orange; I am a proper girl, you know. I make sure my sponsors give me outfits in bright colours.
How different is your on-court style versus what you wear off court?

A Michael Kors dress, perfect for a night out.

My style philosophy is really the same: I have to be comfortable. I wear a lot of shorts and mini skirts off court. I even wear cotton salwar-kurtas and leggings.A little black dress or a coloured dress?
Coloured dress any day. Of course, we all need a lot of blacks in our wardrobe because it is the safest colour and sometimes when you are in a hurry it is an easy choice. For a red-carpet event, I would love to wear a gown though and would prefer to go with an international label. I have a dress from Diane von Furstenberg and someday hope to buy an Alexander McQueen, but they are very expensive.
What about handbags? Have you ordered your Birkin yet?
My latest buy is a Chanel bag. I am into all kinds of bags. I am into shoulder bags, totes, slingbag and oversized bags. When I have to go for a party, I carry a small sling bag. Usually I carry a pouch-like sling bag across one shoulder. Birkin is too common now and anyway, it takes too long to come.
One accessory you never leave home without?

She has a large collection of watches, such as this Harry Winston (blue strap) and IWC Cousteau Diver

I like to wear watches, especially the ones with large dials. The bigger, the better. I prefer rubber straps rather than metal or leather straps. The latter two tend to make my wrist sweaty. What will your Olympic lucky charm be?
I am planning to get a tattoo, a permanent one, on the nape of my neck. I had told myself that if I qualify for this event, I will get a tattoo. I’ve told my clothes and kit sponsor Li-Ning to give me shirts and dresses with a slightly deeper back and no collars, so that the tattoo shows.

Ashwini Ponnappa
What are you most comfortable in off-court?

Ponnappa likes to wear dresses such as this one from Promod, with wedge heels, for a night out.

Depends on my mood. If I instantly fall in love with something, I will buy it. I do have a footwear fetish. Every time I travel, I make sure I bring back at least a pair of shoes—sandals, heels, shoes, anything.How many pairs of shoes do you own right now?
I am not too sure, but I keep them all in boxes. During my last tournament in Bangkok, I bought two pairs. One was a pair of sandals and another was a real cute pair of slip-ons in pink. When I was in Birmingham before this, I bought a pair of gold sports shoes. They are really smart. I am partial to wedges. I find them more comfortable than stilettos.
You are really keen on pink?

A butterfly-shaped hair clip she likes to wear on court.

I like pink. On court, not many people wear it. I don’t know why. It is hard to find pink gear. I prefer any shade of pink on court rather than the typical black, red, yellow and white.In tennis, women experiment so much more with clothes. Why not so in badminton?
A lot of the girls are quite happy wearing shorts, especially on the Indian circuit. In fact, they like wearing long shorts. It is changing now slowly, but you can’t really blame the players either. The kind of apparel we get sometimes from organizers to wear for tournaments is quite boring; the T-shirts are what guys would typically wear.
Even internationally in badminton, you enter the tournament as part of a team and the entire team wears the same stuff. The Japanese and Koreans are experimenting a lot with their hair accessories though and I like that and try the same.
Off-court style: Is it formal or casual?

She is partial to fragrances from Victoria’s Secret; hair accessories like colourful rubber bands are a must on court; and a pair of P&B slip-ons that she bought in Bangkok.

I like wearing shorts and T-shirts mostly because it is tough to wear short skirts in India. I don’t like being gawked at and it happens all the time if you are wearing a skirt here. When I go out at night, I like wearing dresses. I prefer coloured dresses as opposed to black all the time. In fact, I have a pink dress that works best for a night out.Where do you like to shop?
When I am in Hyderabad I love shopping at Aldo—footwear fetish, so can’t help it. Promod has nice dresses. Jack & Jones is another favourite, as are Quicksilver and Zara. I hate that Hyderabad does not have a Zara yet and I have to shop at the Bangalore store. When I travel outside, I make sure I visit Billabong and Roxy stores. I love River Island for footwear and dresses. I like brands that have sporty, surfer kind of clothes. The clothes from these brands are casual, yet smart and different from what’s available at other high street brands.
What about accessories?
I don’t really go out looking for them. But I love updating stuff for my hair, such as scrunchies and clips. I have a butterfly clip that I like to wear often on court.
How often do you update your wardrobe?
I hate throwing stuff out. In fact, I almost never throw T-shirts, shoes. I still have the first pair of Nike floaters I bought for myself with the prize money I got in a tournament when I was a teenager. It must have cost around `4,000 then.
Are you a budget shopper?
No, not really. I use part of my prize money on what I like and save the rest.
Any special Olympic charm?
My mother is getting a bracelet made with the Olympic rings. It will be a tight band. The colour of the rings is proving to be somewhat of an issue right now, but let’s see.