5 top tips to trendy Diwali dressing

While we don’t usually put much though into our festive dressing, ethnic Indian wear is moving rapidly when it comes to designs and styles, with new trends coming every season. Here are some tips to help you wear these trends and look super-stylish this Diwali.

Tip 1: Experiment with embellishments

Embellishment sprayed all over your anarkali or sari are passé. The trend is toward embellishments on specific garments or sections of garments. This means pairing a heavy embellished dupatta from a lehenga with a simple kurta-churidar set, or heavily-sequined blouses with light saris. Embroidered borders on light saris and anarkali kurtas look great too. If you’re wearing calf-length anarkalis, opt for styles that have embellishments limited to the bodice. Also, look beyond stones or sequins—gold thread work, latkans (danglers) and shimmery thread can be great embellishments for Indian wear.

(Below: Look from Peppermint Diva and Anushree Reddy AW 14)

Peppermint Diva sari

anushree reddy look

Tip 2: Try prints for a change

We usually associate festive dressing only with embellishments, but why not explore the wonderful variety of traditional Indian prints? Block prints give a rich feel on luxurious fabrics, while leheriya saris with gota work are sureshot winners. Or try out any bandhini pieces lying in your closet, such as dupattas or saris. Of course, if you miss bling, look for pieces that have a dash of sequins or metallic embellishments.

(Below: Turi sari with gota border from Amazon, Block-printed suit set from Biba at Jabong.com)

Yellow leheriya sari with gota

Jabong Biba-Aqua-Blue-Cotton-Solid-Suit-Set

Tip 3: Mix and match

I know, mix and match as a fashion trend may be done to death recently, but it’s cool to create new looks from existing outfits. Mixing colours is easy, especially when you don’t need to match them. So pair the kurta of one outfit with the dupatta and churidar of another one. Or the gold blouse of your traditional sari with a new printed sari. Or throw a long or short jacket over your kurta. And who says you need to wear only traditional jewellery with Indian wear? Try diamond (or diamante) earrings with your ethnic outfits- you will be surprised how the fusion look works!

Below: Look from Ritu Kumar AW 2014 and Long jacket from Wrap Studio.

Yellow and orange suit by Ritu Kumar

Jacket from Wrap Studio

Tip 4: Update your accessories

You use your go-to metallic clutch all year round. This Diwali, try the batua instead (also known as a potli). They’re spacious, embellished and look great with ethnic Indian outfits, like saris and kurtas. When it comes to jewellery, you don’t need to follow the earrings-necklace-bangles routine. Instead, try on hair accessories like a maang tikka or clip, and ditch the bangles for a cuff and a simple gold-finish watch.

Below: Batua from Toniq, Jadau kada from Falguni Mehta

Toniq potli batua

Jadau kada by Falguni Mehta

Tip 5: Groom, groom, groom!

A gorgeous festive look is incomplete without the perfect makeup and hair, right? Go for fuss-free hair styles like a blow dry or iron for natural bounce and texture. As for makeup, make lip colours the focus—copper, champagne and burgundy are ideal for ethnic wear. And hey, red lip colours always work!

Bonus Tip: Always remember the basics of festive dressing (colours, fabrics, silhouettes)

Rich colours: Deep blues and greens, reds, pinks, corals, orange family. BTW, black is okay too.

Luxurious fabrics: Opt for silk and georgette over cotton and linen.

Flattering silhouettes: Anarkalis or salwar-kurtas to suit your body type, well-draped saris to create the illusion of height and curves, with thin borders for petite women.

Happy Diwali to all!

LFW WF 2013: The best of festive wear

LFW WF 2013: The best of festive wear

Now that Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2013 has ended, it’s time to make some serious fashion choices for the upcoming season (Diwali, weddings and more). Lehengas, anarkalis, saris and more… take your pick from my shortlist. Take inspirations from these designer outfits so you can celebrate looking stylish. 😉

PS — Don’t miss the cool cinemagraphs shot from the Nokia Lumia 820 embedded below.

Debarun
Debarun’s festive, yet non blingy collection mixed beige, ivory and red, with a geometric print forming the “base” of the collection.

Debarun at LFW WF 2013

Manish Malhotra
The two trends to take away from this collection– chic mirror work and desi-inspired colour blocking.

Manish Malhotra at LFW WF 2013

SVA by Sonam & Paras Modi
Peacock motifs and earthy colours dominated Sonam & Paras Modi’s SVA Couture collection. The embellishments were just about right– not too OTT.

Payal Singhal
Black is almost an acceptable colour now for the festive season (if not weddings), and paired with pale blush pink it made quite an impact. Also, the printed dupattas with colour blocked lehengas are a new look to try.

Ritika by Vivek Kumar
Vivek Kumar’s collection is for those who wan an “Indo-western” look. I liked the embroidered yokes and some of the metallic embellishments.

LFW W/F 2012 Preview: Debarun

LFW W/F 2012 Preview: Debarun

Collection theme: Debarun’s interpretation of divinity and the omnipresent Almighty.

Designer Debarun Mukherjee LFW W/F 2012

 

Inspirations: Iznik tiles of Turkey for the texturing and embellishments.

What to expect: Fusion Indian silhouettes (flared, layered and dhoti-inspired skirts) and saris for women. Sherwarni with flair and shirt kurtas for men.

Debarun Mukherjee preview for LFW W/F 2012

Key trends:

  • Cobalt blue mixed with beige- loved the combination!
  • Layering with prints, embellishments and accessories.
  • High collared necklines

Watch out for: Mix of print and embellishments and playing with textures. If you’re Bollywood inclined, you’d be happy to see Richa Chadha as the showstopper.

WLIFW SS 2012: Day 2 highlights

WLIFW SS 2012: Day 2 highlights

What we saw on the ramp on Day 2 of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2012:

Colours were neutral, muted and then mixed

From ivory to white to beige,  we noted a hint of neutrals, mixed cleverly with vibrant colours for a quintessential summery look.

Below: Manoj Dubey, Urvashi Kaur, Manish Gupta

manoj 4 Urvashi 5

MG 5

Fabrics, textures and surfaces ruled

Indian designers showcased their skill and adeptness with fabrics through a variety of techniques. There was patchwork at Kavita Bhartia,  Japanese structures at Sanchita, and wide variety of materials at Morphe by Amit Aggarwal. Shipra Gupta opted for layering and tiers to add quirkiness to her garments. We also enjoyed the innovative cutwork at Bhanuni by Jyoti Sharma.

Below: Shipra Gupta, Sanchita, Morphe by Amit Aggarwal, Bhanuni by Jyoti Sharma

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IMG_6447 Jyoti 6

Embellishments got a new meaning

Embellishments ranged from thread embroidery to metallic, even as WLIFW designers experimented with other materials to bring a special touch to their collections. At Bhanuni by Jyoti Sharma, embroidery motifs were used in a 3-dimensional manner using threadwork and beads. Manoj Gupta used bead work, buttons, laces, tapes, silk threads  to make diagonal stripes, swirls and circles, while Namrata Joshipura brought her garments to life with metallic embellishments on textured surfaces.

Below: Bhanuni by Jyoti Sharma, Manoj Gupta, Namrata Joshipura

Jyoti 4 MG 1 

Sheer is here

Sheer has been a rising trend on the international fashion scene for a while now, and it’s now on Indian ramps as well. The bold sheer-ness at Label by Ritu Kumar, see-throughs at Samant Chuahan, and mix of transparent and opaque fabrics at Taurus by Dhruv & Pallavi are wonderful excuses to wear see-through six months down the line.

Below: Label by Ritu Kumar, Samant Chauhan

Ritu Kumar 6 SC 2

Look of the day:

The sophisticated woman at am: pm (Ankur and Priyanka Modi) draped in rich fabric for a glam evening out on town—and chooses not to wear a dress or gown.

IMG_5872

Accessories of the day:

Neckpieces at Samant Chauhan; forehead jewellery at Kavita Bhartia.

SC 4

Kavita 2

Makeup and hair of the day:

Bright pink lipstick at Manoj Dubey; side updos at Manish Gupta.

Below: Manoj Dubey, Manish Gupta

manoj 4

MG 2

WTFashion moment of the day:

That moment when model walked down the ramp by Sanchita wearing supersized headgear and minimal clothing. Wonder what the model was thinking. Any guesses?

IMG_7431

What did you like from Day 2 at WLIFW S/S 2012?

Bollywood Fashion: Sonam Kapoor dons a range of looks in Mausam

Even if you haven’t watched Mausam, we bet you’ve seen Sonam Kapoor’s gorgeous red gown and her salwar kameezes in the movie’s promos, designed by Kolkata-based Anamika Khanna.

Sonam Kapoor in Mausam- red gown

Sonam Kapoor in Mausam

Being a romance film, Sonam’s colour palette is soft yet vivid (the red gown and black are the strongest colours), her silhouette feminine, and her outfits easily gel in with the rural Punjab setting. Also commendable is the job done by Lovleen Bains creating authentic costumes  for the Punjabi village folk.

Here’s a look at Sonam’s various looks in Mausam:

In the first season (set in winter of 1992), Sonam’s Aayat wears plain salwar kameezes with Kashmiri-embroidered shawls with (she plays a Kashmiri). She wears her hair straight or ties it up cutely when she heads to high school.

Sonam Kapoor in Mausam-- Kashmiri shawl

Over in Scotland seven years later, Sonam’s got a quirky vibe with long curly hair always decorated with a flower, even in ballet class. Her clothes are super-girly as she wears long skirts and dresses, layering them with light cover-ups. Her makeup is mostly nude; her flaming red gown and lips a stark contrast to Sonam’s looks of the season. Sonam carries off the “red”ness with elegance and poise, looking absolutely gorgeous and graceful. (It was my “Woah!” moment in the movie). We also loved the white dress Sonam wore on a trip to the countryside.

Sonam Kapoor in white dress

Sonam Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor in Mausam

Then the storyline takes a serious turn, and the mood is sombre, melancholic and  doleful. Sonam loses her lover, her love of colour and “happy” clothes. Her colours are now black, blue and grey, and she covers her head with a shawl (not sure why).

Sonam Kapoor in Mausam

In the final season, Sonam is based in Gujarat and it was a pleasant surprise to see her in saris—bandhini and a printed one (we think it’s made from organic fabric).

Our favourite outfit in Mausam is the green sari Sonam wears when Shahid is coming over to dinner. The sari’s blouse has a crochet/ lace border and the fine thread embroidery done by hand is wonderfully Indian, contemporary and dressy, without being OTT.

Verdict:
While the movie is not much home to write about, some fashion lovers may be tempted to watch the movie for Anamika Khanna’s creations. Given the limitations of the character and the plot, the designer has done a good job, and a handful of the outfits are inspirational. However, if you really want to see Sonam’s best clothes, we suggest you watch Aisha again.

Bollywood Fashion: Manish Malhotra’s ramp-inspired clothes for Kareena Kapoor in Bodyguard

This post on Kareena Kapoor’s clothes in her recent movie Bodyguard was due at least a week ago. But then I decided to do some additional research and go back to my six-m0nth-old archives to understand the story behind how Manish Malhotra chose his clothes for Kareena.

Here is Kareena Kapoor in the outfit she wore in the last scene of Bodyguard, and here she is attending Manish Malhotra’s Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2011 show, and a model from that show.

Kareena Kapoor in Bodyguard Kareena Kapoor at LFW S/R 2011 for Manish Malhotra Model at Manish Malhotra LFWSR2011

We got four words for you: Kashmiri embroidery, chikankari work!

Key trends we spotted on Kareena Kapoor in Bodyguard:

  • Chikankari on kurtas
  • Kashmiri embroidery
  • Sheer sleeves
  • Deliberate mismatching (eg: white embroidered kurta with yellow salwar and green dupatta)

Being a small-town girl, Kareena’s clothes are mostly Indian wear, the key outfits being kurti + loose salwar, and kurti + jeans. As for accessories, she is mostly wearing slinky bangles, statement neckpieces from local markets, and oh, her Vaio. 😉

Kareena Kapoor in Bodyguard  Kareena Kapoor in BodyguardKareena Kapoor in Bodyguard

Meanwhile… at LFW S/R 2011

At LFW S/R 2011, Manish Malhotra’s collection was heavy on Kashmiri embroidery and chikankari work, with either of these two crafts seen on every garment. Also, there were plenty of sheer dupattas. The pictures below are from the collection:

Model at Manish Malhotra LFW S/R 2011 Model at Manish Malhotra LFW S/R 2011

And at LFW W/F 2011, Manish Malhotra played a lot with contrasts:

Model at Manish Malhotra W/F 2011

It’s wonderful to see a designer create regular clothes using thematic elements from his fashion week collections. Ultimately, most women want to wear what Kareena, Katrina or Kalki is wearing in their favourite movie, right?

PS—A male friend of ours (and a Speaking Chic reader) is already raving about Kareena Kapoor and her red outfit in Chammak Challo from Ra.One. That’s Manish Malhotra again!

LFW W/F 2011 Day 5: Manish Malhotra dazzles in the grand finale

It was an elaborate set made of giant wooden frames and a clock-mechanism appearance– perfect for the final show of the five-day extravaganza Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2011.

Manish Malhotra at LFW W/F 2011

Manish Malhotra’s collection was as dramatic as any Bollywood movie. Making the most of chikan work and silver and resham embroidery, the ace designer created a collection of breathtaking festive and wedding wear that introduced a few new elements while retaining the Manish Malhotra signature.

The silhouette for women was of graceful panels and flared lehengas and gowns. Manish paired swirling lehengas, well-constructed cholis and saris for women, with elegant jackets and corset blouses. Embellishments were everywhere– on the sleeves, down the front, on jackets and cholis, along with multiple borders.

Model for Manish Malhotra at LFW W/F 2011 Model at Manish Malhotra- LFW W/F 2011

Model at Manish Malhotra- LFW W/F 2011 Model at Manish Malhotra- LFW W/F 2011

Manish kept the colours tones festive with white and candy floss pink, in contrast to black, wine, gold, pale grey, metallics and cherry red. We noted that the designer had mixed, matched and clashed colours for a strong impact. For instance, a grey kurta with a longer bright pink lining, or orange and pink in the same outfit! The opulent clothes were stitched from rich fabrics like lace, chiffon, silk, net and velvet, while most dupattas were kept sheer.

Model at Manish Malhotra- LFW W/F 2011 Model at Manish Malhotra- LFW W/F 2011

For men we saw sherwanis and long coats with wide cuffs, pleats and gathers, even as some coats were lean and layered over kurtas. The colours were masculine (black, grey, wine), albeit with a hint of fuchsia for collars and cuffs.

Model at Manish Malhotra- LFW W/F 2011 Model at Manish Malhotra- LFW W/F 2011

And oh, in case you haven’t heard already, Kareena Kapoor was the showstopper (she is also the face of Lakme Absolute, on which Manish’s collection was based).

Kareeena models for Manish Malhotra- LFW W/F 2011 Kareena Kapoor at Manish Malhotra- LFW W/F 2011

Some of the ideas from Manish Malhotra’s show we’d like to steal immediately:
1. Two dupattas for a single outfit… nice! (My mom earlier spotted this on Shah Rukh Khan in Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham)

Model at Manish Malhotra- LFW W/F 2011
2. Thick/ multiple borders

Model at Manish Malhotra- LFW W/F 2011
3. Neutral/ pastel outfits with a pop of colour in the detailing, jacket or dupatta

Model at Manish Malhotra- LFW W/F 2011

LFW W/F 2011 Day 5: Digvijay Singh stays true to organic Bhu:sattva, Vivek Kumar prepares for inner battle

From ethical fashion to fashion designed for a revolution, Digvijay Singh for Bhu:sattva and Vivek Kumar presented collections that gave us plenty of food for thought on Day 5 of Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2011.

Digvijay Singh for Bhu:sattva
With its certified organic fabrics, Bhu:sattva stands for ethical fashion and for the brand’s Geometrees collection at LFW W/F 2011, designer Digvijay Singh used natural vegetable dyes and block prints on saris and drapes.

Model at Digvijay Singh for Bhusattva at LFW W/F 2011 Model at Digvijay Singh for Bhusattva at LFW W/F 2011

Digvijay Singh combined botanical and floral embroidery with Mughal geometry to create gorgeous, yet simple saris. Gujarat’s khatla embroidery was extensively used with detailing on on shoulders, sleeves and back. Small beads, applique and cutwork broke the monotony, as did the two-toned checks and saris in colours like brown, black, blue and green.

Model at Digvijay Singh for Bhusattva at LFW W/F 2011 Model at Digvijay Singh for Bhusattva at LFW W/F 2011

We enjoyed the collection for its immense wearability and versatility.

Vivek Kumar
My thoughts as the first outfit of the show appeared on the ramp: “The designer’s got to have a creatively twitsted mind!”

Model at Vivek Kumar LFW W/F 2011 Model at Vivek Kumar LFW W/F 2011

It isn’t easy to describe Vivek Kumar’s collection. There were dresses and gowns, but it wasn’t just about the outfits. Nor was it about the knitted bonnets with spiky studded projections. It was about all the small things that made Antarkranti (inner revolution) an astounding collection. Model at Vivek Kumar LFW W/F 2011 Model at Vivek Kumar LFW W/F 2011

The models were geared up for battle in fluid silhouettes in sombre colours like black, grey and steel that made way for green, orange and rust. Steel studs, zippers and sprays of sequins adorned the nets, knits and batik fabrics. The detached long sleeves, knee high stockings, hand knitting and inserted stitches added to the drama on the ramp.

Model at Vivek Kumar LFW W/F 2011

The clothes weren’t meant for immediate retail, but Vivek Kumar’s innovative approach is bound to be loved by fashion lovers everywhere.

LFW W/F 2011 Day 3: Sabyasachi weaves magic again, one silver thread at a time

There’s always a buzz at Lakme Fashion Week when one of India’s best-known designers Sabyasachi is due to present. Fashionistas, journalists and ordinary folks wear their precious Sabyasachi outfits to the show. Photographers wait in anticipation of Bollywood actors, but there’s a respectful hush as the show starts and the first model walks out.

This season, at Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2011, Dr Mitul Sengupta danced to kathak beats ending with a series of chakkars, then calmly began chanting classical beats as models glided on head ramp.

Models in pairs and groups resembling North-West Frontier Province families (with kids) strolled out in elegant kurtas, tunics, cholis, sherwanis, dupattas, and wide Patiala salwars and palazzos. The monotonous canvas in the initial garments were balanced with colourful printed dupattas and turbans.

Models at Sabyasachi LFW W/F 2011 Models at Sabyasachi LFW W/F 2011

Then came the splashes of colour—first as long coats and cowled pants, then as printed saris with silver borders in zardozi and Kashmiri thread work.

Models at Sabyasachi LFW W/F 2011

Models at Sabyasachi LFW W/F 2011

The silver embroidery was a stark contrast to the gold and bronze detailing that are in vogue these days, so it was a bold move to say the least. 🙂 I particularly enjoyed the embellished bodices and shimmering wide borders with velvet and net.

Models at Sabyasachi LFW W/F 2011

Headgear played an important role with turbans for men, and embellished caps and headbands for women.

Models at Sabyasachi LFW W/F 2011

Models at Sabyasachi LFW W/F 2011

Also noteworthy was the Urdu calligraphy on a couple of blouses. Fashionista Sabina Chopra, wearing the same blouse, later told me it meant “bheegi palkein” or wet eyes.SAbina Chopra at Sabyasachi LFW W/F 2011

Sabyasachi retained his favourite flavours with Sundarbans floral prints, colours like earthen colours and red, orange and white, fabrics like khadi, organza, silk, and his signature immaculate tailoring. The special moments—senior models like Carol Gracias and Nayanika Chatterjee, children in fine Sabyasachi clothing, and creative concept of presentation—were appreciated by the audience as they clapped and cheered throughout the show. Well-deserved applause, to say the least!

Models at Sabyasachi LFW W/F 2011 Models at Sabyasachi LFW W/F 2011

LFW W/F 2011 Day 3: Debarun goes B&W, Shyamal & Bhumika play with rich colours and crafts

The 5.30pm show on Day 3 of Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2011 was easily the most contrasting dual-designer show of the season. While Debarun Mukerjee kicked off the show with a starkly black-and-white collection, bridal wear experts Shyamal and Bhumika Shodhan’s clothes were rich in colour and embellishment.

Debarun Mukerjee
Aptly called Kohl, Debarun’s creations ranged from saris, lehengas, churidar-kurta sets, dresses and gowns for women and sherwanis, kurtas, bundgalas for men.

Model for Debarun at LFW W/F 2011 Model for Debarun at LFW W/F 2011

Using applique throughout the line, Debarun made the most of the two-colour palette with clever use of fabrics (net, Chanderi, raw silk, silk), accessories (scarves, bags, flat chappals) and detail (floral motifs on yokes, dupattas and across the front).

Model for Debarun at LFW W/F 2011 Model for Debarun at LFW W/F 2011

Model for Debarun at LFW W/F 2011 Model for Debarun at LFW W/F 2011

Shyamal & Bhumika
Trust Shyamal & Bhumika Shodhan to sweep the audience away with their luxurious and opulent festive wear, apt for brides and guests at grand weddings alike. The designer duo presented traditional garments like jamas, chogas, peshwaz, achkan, panelled lehengas and cholis in velvet, net, brocade, matka silk, tissue and shot silk georgettes. Jewel tones like wine, honey gold, aurora and beet red, burnt orange, gold, copper, and peacock green, added to the richness.

Model for Shyamal & Bhumika at LFW W/F 2011 Model for Shyamal & Bhumika at LFW W/F 2011

Shyamal & Bhumika re-introduced flared shararas with floor-length anarkalis, and dressed women in slim sherwanis with diaphanous skirts. Sexy cholis were paired with panelled lehengas. As for the embellishments, we could write pages! They played with zardozi motifs and jaals, wire Marodi embroidery, washed gold, copper, peeta and gota work, along with precious jadau stones.

Shyamal & Bhumika 7 Shyamal & Bhumika 5

Shyamal & Bhumika 8 Shyamal & Bhumika 9

The show had two showstoppers, Hema Malini and Esha Deol. Needless to say, Shyamal & Bhumika don’t need Bollywood to wow fashion lovers, their fashion is enough!
Esha Deol for Shyamal & Bhumika at LFW W/F 2011 Hema Malini for Shyamal & Bhumika at LFW W/F 2011