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Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

Retro rocks It is hep to cover up now

Call it revival or a turn of fashion’s wheel. The retro look is back with a bang. And as part of it, the latest trend to hit the fashion scene is leggings. Close fitted and above ankle length, modern leggings are typically a blend of lycra and either of nylon, cotton, or a cotton-polyester, though wool, silk, and other synthetic fabrics are used as well. Replacing capris that were a rage until a couple of years ago, leggings have caught the fancy of the hip and happening teenyboppers and their elders alike.

“They are so comfortable and chic. I have a black one with a lace trimming and it can be teamed up with casual tees in the day and even a formal top for a party. Such convenient clothes should never go out of fashion,” says Ramya, a college girl. “The printed ones worn with plain tops look awesome,” chips in her friend Malathi.

In an earlier period, men and women used leggings as warm inners over centuries. But it was in the 1960s that women started wearing them. These were worn as trousers, the only difference being that they were the tighter and shorter version.

In ’80s, the outfit gained popularity as gym-style street wear. The ones with drawstrings are a fascinating alternative, as they can be tied higher near the calves or pulled down till the ankles. “Short frocks with empire waist look splendid with leggings and I have a collection of them in various textures and tones.” says Vaishali, a newly-married housewife.

Fusion is the order of the day. One need not really go with the trend always and instead can try putting to use one’s own imagination. Sahiba, a young mom of two children, teams her leggings with short kurtis and drapes a stole round her neck. This lends the apparel an Indo-western look that she flaunts with élan.

If you want to make good use of short dresses gone out of fashion, all you need to do is to sport them with the latest pair of leggings. Another alternative would be knee-length tunics or straight dresses, which look stylish with calf length leggings.

“My mom is old-fashioned. She doesn’t like figure hugging leggings and ceaselessly threatens me that she would rip them apart. I have tough time explaining her that she may not have to see them for long, as these trends have a very short life,” says a hassled Ananya.

Leggings look good on tall and thin silhouettes and not everyone can carry them off. It might give a slimmer look to an average size body, but it can look quite unflattering on podgy and plump calves, making them look shorter. But the breed of fashion buffs that blindly follows the latest trends wouldn’t be easily cowed down by any logic. They choose to religiously drift to keep pace with the fashion scene rather than inviting the ‘outdated’ tag.

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