Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Beat the heat in style

From the plush interiors of the big malls to the street-side stalls, shoppers are busy splurging on cotton fabrics for the season

BE STYLISH This summer breezy cottons in bright colours top the fashion chart Photo:K.R.Deepak

Crimson, orange and exotic carpets of reds welcome the sizzling season. Summer's here with the sweltering heat, but so are the breezy colours of the season that keep you feeling good. From the plush interiors of the big malls to the street-side stalls, shoppers are busy splurging on cotton fabrics. Summer is a season where aesthetics are blended with comfort and style and pastel hues are always in vogue. Baby pink, salmon, gloss, fuchsia, rose pink, magenta and onion pink are some of the avatars the pastel hue is taking this year. "Burgundy and shades of pink are the colour of the season," states Mona of Passions boutique. Short length kurtis in bright colours have become the season's style mantra. "Along with the kurtis, capris and culets (a combination of bermuda and capris with flared bottoms) are very much in vogue. These will be the highlight of the season," she adds.

And what do the stars prefer as summer wear? "Cotton kurtas and a pair of jeans are my favourite summer wear," says Tollywood heroine Reema Sen, who was in the city recently for the inauguration of K-Lounge showroom. "We shouldn't follow style blindly. Comfort should be the top most factor," she adds.

The fashion stores in the city have come up with a pleasing range that exudes the pristine charm of summer. From smart Western styles to elaborate ethnic ones, there is plenty to choose from. Blouses, capris, cargos and ethnic mix-and-match creations ... the colours are ideal for summer and so are the styles. Check out the boutiques in the city, and you'll find turmeric-lacquered clothes in paisley and geometric motif, kalamkari, block, khari. Shades of camel and ecru are in vogue as are lilacs and lavenders. A whole range of enticing soft cotton fabrics called `mulmuls' adorns the plush interiors of Prapancha boutique. "Floral prints in kurtis and jacket kurtas with three cuts in the front look very chic," says Anita Pawar of Prapancha. The `Hare-Rama Hare-Krishna' style of kurtas in the boutique with its mystique look makes a strong fashion statement. If you are keen on some traditional ethnic cotton wear, a visit to the ongoing exhibition of Kalasrusti at Viswapriya Function Hall presents a whole range of colours and fabrics ideal for the hot days ahead. The hot colours for summer are an eclectic mix of bright and pastel shades. Ethnic salwar kurta sets and saris such as Mangalgiris and Venkatgiris come in earthy and bright colours such as red, blue, orange and rust.

It's a swirl of colours, weaves and textures at the different stores in the city offering discounts on most branded wear collections. Popular brands like Arrow, Lee and Wrangler have come out with their summer collection.

This season, styling tends to be unisex with silhouettes like kurta shirts, in vogue. An underplay of minimal embroidery on the neckline completes the look of the kurta. "In the men's wear segment, the short kurta is the coolest wear among the youth this summer," asserts Mona. Extremely fashionable yet practical with no fuss, short kurtas have become a huge hit even internationally. With mercury scraping the roof, one can beat the heat in style with these ethnic kurtas that look quite fashionable, Mona continues. "Khadi and floral kurtas are going very strong this season."

Khadi wonder

More than six decades ago, a fragile, bare-chested dhoti clad man, used cloth as a powerful tool for protest, thus bringing about a revolution in the country. The man was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and the cloth that completely changed India's destiny was Khadi, the handspun cotton that continues to make a fashion statement. The fabric is in vogue for its comfort and ethnic look. Now a part of every wardrobe, fashion designers use Khadi, both in their ready-to-wear as well as couture collections.

The all-time fabric `khadi has taken on different dimensions this summer. The cool and modest fabric has transformed into a popular fashion statement. The light pastel shades provide the perfect comfort. Check out the rich saffron and green shades of dress materials in Khadi Bhandar. Priced at Rs.70 per metre, they can be stitched into a designer wear kurta with slight touch of sequins at the sleeves or decorative buttons.

NIVEDITA GANGULY

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail