F A S H I O N - Surekha Kadapa-Bose ( Courtesy - BTW Magazine)
Colour Shower
Less is more is the mantra this monsoon. If you can’t avoid getting
wet, go in for dark shades, prints and knee-length dresses
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We all sang the popular nursery rhyme Rain, rain go away… when we were toddlers, but continued
to enjoy the rains, getting drenched and playing with colourful paper boats that our parents made for us. Those were the days when one never bothered about looks nor had an urge to create an impression on friends or bosses. |
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As we started growing up, we realised that most of us unfortunately can’t look stunningly beautiful while getting wet like Aishwarya Rai in Guru ass she sang Barso re megha…
Nor can we expect to look like the late Madhubala and expect someone like Kishore Kumar to
hum Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si…
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So the only option left for commoners like us is to try to look our best by dressing up well, looking trendy and nonchalant even when soaked to the skin!
“This season is all about fun, frolic and femininity. Wear lots of floral prints which are going to be popular again this season. Ditsy and bold print dresses with ethnic feel to it will be blooming everywhere in bold bright colours, acids, primary and block colours. The brighter, the better.
Fuchsia and yellow are very popular. Ethnic accent continues to be a strong presence in fashion, merging into a globetrotter look", explains Delhibased designer duo Hemant Lalwani and Nandita
Raipurani, elaborating on the trendy apparel to wear this monsoon. |
“Most of the colleges have dress codes that students of today have to follow. But within that, they should look at easy dry fabric, slightly darker colours that do not show mud/rain stains. Prints are always welcome since they also hide marks,’’ advises Smeeta Neogi, head marketing, Westside.
Vikram Phadnis, the muchtouted designer from Mumbai, says, “Boys should opt for cool dark blue colours for trousers with bright colours such as red, green and black for tops. They should keep to very minimal prints and go for fabrics like blended cottons and jerseys. Jeans with colourful T-shirts are in this season.’’
For girls, he suggests: “Colours with deeper reds with variations of black will be the in-thing. Prints that are more modernistic and real are hot on fabrics such as cottons or stretch with minimal detailing.’’
Delhi-based designer Raakesh Agarvwal says, “Anything worn right will suit any season. Even the
make up should be bare minimum to look good this season. All you need is a fit body and a glowing skin!’’
When we say prints are going to be popular to make the attire look bright and playful, what we mean is ethnic prints of flowers and animals and not the bold squares, stripes and dots.
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“Floral motifs like roses and paisleys are very popular and can never go out of fashion. If the print looks simpler, one can go for appliqué of such motifs too, to add a modern and contemporary look,’’ comment Hemant and Nandita.
Sanjay Bindra of Biba Apparels suggests that one should go for purples, mauves and blues. “Lot of
flowery prints and big prints are in vogue even in international markets.”
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In Mumbai it does not simply rain, but pours, leading to major flooding of roads and access roads.
Neither umbrellas nor raincoats can stop one from getting drenched.
Even if one is travelling by car, covering the distance to the office door is enough to make one start looking like a drenched cat!
As most colleges have a dress code which curtails exposure, knee-length skirts are a good idea. Jeans should be avoided since they take a long time to dry, though one can opt for lighter gsm jeans.
Easy dry should be the key to rain wear. Lighter fabric, if it’s cotton, or some form of synthetic fabric, is a good idea. If you are an office-goer and prefer to wear only Indian dresses, “It would be better to go for salwars rather than churidars, because they are easier to dry. But be careful to go for darker shades,” says Smeeta. |
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Vikram’s advice to young collegians and women is, “Short A-line dresses, capris or shorts with comfortable tunics are best suited for outings. Shorts for sure, because it is easy to carry. One can also go for knee-length dresses but avoid skirts as they are uncomfortable and unwieldy. Women should go for knee-length kurtas with stretch churidaars.’’
“Boys can wear T-shirts with knee-length cargos and girls can wear pedal-pushers with shirts and enjoy this monsoon,’’ he adds.
It is tough to look good while being soaked to the skin. It is always a good idea to carry a spare pair of clothes or stock some in your office or college locker. Less is more this season. What’s in is casual, but a smart look.
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