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It's a guy thing

Men are as conscious as women when it comes to choosing what to wear for their wedding, observes RENUKA VIJAY KUMAR

Girish models clothes from designer Shravan's collection

You probably haven't heard of it before, but this is one concept that is growing in popularity by the day. A few years ago, the mere thought of a male trousseau would have received a few snickers, but things are changing and so are fashion concepts. Forget the notion of the metrosexuals, the heterosexuals, and the innumerable other terms thrown up to define the modern man- the idea of a male trousseau is pretty simple - men just want to look as good as their brides on their wedding day.

Designer Shravan says that men in the city have become more open to the idea of dressing up for their weddings. "No one wants boring clothes anymore. Men are now looking at dhotis and lungis to retain the traditional touch but still look different." He says that while men are still apprehensive about experimenting with different kinds of cuts, they are more than willing to choose vibrant hues and different kinds of embellishments and embroidery.

Another designer, Shashikanth Naidu says that men are very aware of what suits them and are even willing to wear reds, oranges, yellows and pinks. "It's not only western wear or only traditional Indian attire. The male trousseau has a nice mix of both in the right cuts that are even worn with the right accessories." Mumbai based designer Krishna Mehta, a pioneer of designer Indian wear for men got people to sit up with her line of chikan work kurtas for men. The kurta-chudidhar sets in shades of cream and white were introduced over a decade ago, but are popular to this day. Today, walking into a store to pick up outfits off the rack is not something a man wants to do. Planning their clothes for a wedding requires time and detailed attention and they are quite willing to put in that extra bit. Grooms-to-be don't want to wear only suits - they want exclusivity and different outfits for different functions. So this means putting together a collection for the groom for the engagement, sangeet, wedding and the reception.

Manoj Gupta, director of Panache, a construction company who got married recently opted for a contemporary looking dhoti and jacket combination for his sangeet and sagai. "I wanted something traditional and stylish for my wedding functions and therefore chose a dhoti with a jacket. I had never worn a dhoti before and what better than to wear it at my own sagai?" He goes on to add that traditional clothes like these were always worn at Marwari weddings, but the tradition disappeared down the line.

Twenty-four year old Hemal Gala has also opted for something different for his upcoming wedding. "I looked around and didn't find anything that suited my taste, so I'm getting something designed. For the wedding, I will be wearing a kurta with purple motifs and for the sangeet I will be wearing a differently styled sherwani."

Whether, men are going to outdo women in putting together their trousseaus is something that only time will tell, but according to city designers, men are well on their way to doing just that!

What's hot this season

* Traditional looking dhotis and lungis in colours ranging from earthy tones to brighter shades like blue and purple. Earthy colours like browns and beiges look great in raw silk, khadi silk and even tussar while brighter shades in brocades add a regal touch to the outfit.

* The pethuri, a kind of waistcoat worn with a kaja coat, an open jacket is another popular outfit that men have taken to.

* Men are even wearing harem pants with a waistcoat for pre-wedding functions.

* Chikan or Lucknowi work kurtas are perennial favourites

Choose from either muted or rich colours, they lend a touch of elegance to your outfit. Keep the garish prints and colours for a night out in town.

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