Keeping the traditions of Durga Puja alive and yet making a fashion statement is every fashionista's goal. Donning bright festive hues, going experimental, stocking trendy accessories and yet not forgetting to add individual style elements is the current trend.
In keeping up the tradition of buying new clothes for the festive season, the fashion queens have already scanned the shopping malls and other fashion outlets and stocked up the latest kurtas, tunics, sarees, the season's favourite palazzos and narrow pyjamas.
For men, there are dhoti-kurtas in bright colours, short kurtas with pyjamas and printed summer coats with linen pants.
Fashion goals are not just limited to wearing new clothes. To be the cynosure of all eyes, one needs to carefully craft the looks for each day of Durga Puja.
Sharing interesting fashion tips, city-based designer Abhishek Dutta told IANS: "Keeping the look completely traditional, one can opt for a nice saree with a choli-style blouse. To stand out, a contrast-coloured printed blouse can be worn with a simple woven saree."
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"Why not try a metal 'kamarbandh' or say a 'chaabir gocha' (old-style keychains) in silver," he asked.
Opting for trends should be as per body type and complexion but adding one's own element is the real challenge.
Reminding the quintessential look of an Indian woman, designer Agnimitra Paul told IANS: "As Indians, I think we should flaunt bindis as it is our style. They look very pretty and give softness to a woman's face. Bindis can be worn with Western outfits as well."
Pastel shades like coral pink, pista green, lilac are in sync this season along with the usual festive colours like red and yellow, Dutta revealed. Even mustard is predominant.
Handloom saris and dress material for kurtas and gowns are selling like hot cakes, revealed a store manager of Dakshinapan Shopping Centre.
Talking about the demand for linen saris, Dutta said: "We have done a lot of digitally printed hand-woven linen sarees and some with nice embroidery works. Rather than wearing a regular blouse one can team up the sarees with a crop top, a shrug or a jacket."
Women of various age-group come looking for traditional silk sarees in governmental stores like Resham Shilpi and Avanti in the Uttarapan Shopping Complex.
"Teaming the traditional saree with interesting blouses is important. One can try Matka blouse with a heavy silk saree, velvet blouse with a Gadwal saree and so on," Paul said.
She said capes are in fashion. They go well with kurtas, dresses and even sarees.
Going experimental is the millennials' forte. Also, the social media plays an important role and people follow young stars like Alia Bhatt and others of her ilk.
By adding modern variations to traditional attire like tying it with pants and denim wear, one can get their drape game right.
Asymmetrical patterned dresses are everyone's favourite. There are asymmetrical kurtas and long and short kurtas for women.
About men putting their fashionable foot forward, Dutta said: "For men, their Nehru-jackets got the latest touch of asymmetrical openings. They can be paired with the latest favourite, drape kurtas. Men are now wearing bright-coloured footwear along with their ethnic dresses."
Accessories are like the icing on the cake.
"One can try leather, metal or even a fabric belt along with sarees. It goes well with the Indo-Western fusion wear. To create a contrast one can go for a green fabric belt with a nice blue saree," Dutta said about the season's leading accessory.
Paul also noted that "belts can really make a statement but one must opt for them only if one has a good waistline".
"Trying traditional hand accessories like Ratan-chur or Hath-phool with a long skirt, and keeping other jewellery minimal, a beautiful style can be created," said Paul.Children are mostly twinning with their parents these days.
"Today the adult version of dresses are modified into children's versions in a brighter manner," Dutta said about the fashionable tiny tots.
Wrapping up with an important piece of advice, Paul said: "One should always buy evergreen and classic pieces. They never go out of fashion -- and one must not spend on trends that fade in a few months."
(Binita Das can be contacted at binita.d@ians.in)
--IANS
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