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Time to step out in style

It's fashion frenzy in Pondicherry, what with many new boutiques coming up. DEEPA H RAMAKRISHNAN reports

ALL THAT'S COOL AND CASUAL Youngsters prefer to dress according to fashion trends (right top) The Casablanca store in Pondicherry Photo: T.Singaravelou

Seasons change, buildings and shops take on a new look, people change and the town that silently stands watching all these also changes. But how much do people living in Pondicherry measure on the fashion scale? There is an increasing awareness about what's in and what's out, especially with rising touristy activities. That's what people in the style business say. Not just the affluent, everyone seems to be taking to style.

With small boutiques opening everywhere and the clientele for large stores such as Casablanca and Kalki growing, it's not difficult any more to pick up fashionable clothes, footwear and accessories in this once sleepy town. There's a lot for both men and women to choose from.

Men, if you don't have time to iron your clothes, don't feel bad. The wrinkled and crumpled look is in. "It took about two seasons for the rugged look to take over men's fashion scene though women have been sporting the casual look for quite sometime. Body-hugging shirts, for men to show off their well-built physique, are in vogue. As for shoes, the square-shaped front is back. Faded jeans in dark shades and cargoes with little details in colour are quite popular. Shoulder bags with washed look and worn across are the season's favourite," says Jacqueline Kapur, vice president, Hidesign.

If you think it's a tough exterior that men like to flaunt, they also like wearing tiny teddy bears in silver on chains or hang them from their cell phones. Mobile phones without MP3 players and cameras? Then you need to do some catching up.At the Casablanca store, you can pick up shoulder bags, canvas straps, bags with double tone effect, body hugging shirts and T-shirts. They also have attractive cell phone accessories from Hong Kong that come in various sizes and shapes and with sun signs. For women, there are sari broaches and pins studded with bright stones and shaped like butterfly and frog. There also earrings, bangles, chains, bracelets, belts, caps, shawls and stoles that could go with your Indo-western or ethnic outfits.

"Women's fashion changes rather quickly. The colours this season are baby pink, pista green, sea blue, purple, off white and lots of white. Layers of frills, lace, crotia, mixing two different fabrics such as cotton with voile and lycra are the order of the day. Lycra, a stretchable fabric, is preferred for tops, trousers and shirts. It's also quite hip to have ethnic motifs and prints on your western attire," says Anjali Schiavina of Pondicherry Design Company.

Long earrings and long chains have been ruling the style scene for a long time. Bags with images of gods are back and so are the fishermen's plastic bags. You also get to see a lot of jewellery made out of colourful fabrics, particularly earrings and bands. If you cannot afford the expensive variety there is a wide range of junk jewellery in earthy tones that can add to the casual look. You can pick up jute and terracotta jewellery from Jute Emporium on Canteen Street at the Nehru Street junction. Youngsters seem to wear a lot of the Livestrong bands made from rubber that come in various colours. There are people who wear up to even four or five of them at a time. You can get these at Elle Boutique, Kosakadai Street. "Though these white, red, yellow, green and blue bands have been in fashion for over a year, people are buying them more now. Each band costs Rs. 20, so girls buy them according to the colour of their outfit. Besides, long earrings and chains, the traditional jhumkas are still popular," says Madhu Lakshman Mehtani of Elle Boutique.

Smart and comfortable footwear completes the look and most youngsters are going in for slip-ons and tie-ons. So, it's time to step out in style!

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