Summer Style with an Ethnic Twist

Hail the summer season with an easy-going yet oh-so-stylish look as you wear your favourite traditional avatar with cutting edge design, to give your overall look a lift this season.

Colours
Smart casual wear with breath-easy material and cool no-fuss styles in some pick-me-up colours such as indigo blue and canary yellow prod you to embrace summer with a new-found confidence. The classic indigo or “neelika” has been the essence of Indian textiles over the years and continues to be popular.
Colour blocking with floral designs in bright warm hues of red, pink, orange and indigo are all a rage this summer.

Fabrics
Fabrics become king in a way. Cottons and mulmul are a big draw as they are most suitable for the rising temperature. The clothes epitomise ethnic chic, so while the core is ethnic the styles are trendy and contemporary these days.

Prints and designs
You will also find funky prints in the market to go with the season such as a tribal print or a jungle print in a colour palette borrowed from nature.
Kalamkari motifs bring life into the kurtas that come in long and short options.

Detailing
Delicate necklines such as a yoke neck in a feminine silhouette attract women who are looking at wearing cool, breezy outfits yet want to keep their style quotient intact.
The intricate hand embroidery, traditional stitches, motifs that highlight heritage crafts continue to be flaunted, albeit stylishly. A natural fabric, traditional stitches combined with modern aesthetics is what everyone seems to be looking for.

Favourite picks
Fashionable kurtas with hand embroidery and simple ones with block printing are quite the thing this season. Colourful dupattas for co-ordination provide the much-needed variety for the keen-to-experiment Indian woman.

5 Ways to Recycle Your Festive Wardrobe

 

Here are five different ways you can use things in your existing wardrobe to make a statement this festive season.

Recycle old saris
Have you always sighed in fascination at the beautiful embroidery on that sari that your mum hardly ever wears and you can’t see yourself wearing either? Why not give it an upgrade. Go to your neighbourhood tailor and ask him to fashion the sari into a kurta for you, complete with a funky cut and silhouette. Pairing the traditional with modern cuts is certainly ‘in’ this season. If you want to go for something heavy, get it made into a lehenga or salwar kameez with an asymmetrical cut.

Pair them differently
You’re sure to have plenty of old salwar kameezes and anarkalis in different fabrics and styles in your wardrobe. This festive season, instead of wearing them the usual way, pair them with neon tights or jeans to give a different look. Any kurti or blouse paired with pants will create a cool, fusion look. If the kurta is simple, add a dash of sequins or stones on it to instantly transform its look to a dressy one. Similarly, an old sharara (which is no longer in fashion) can be paired with a churidar for a fresh look. Ditching the wide-legged bottos for a kurti with churidar for that different look.

Top it off
We all have old dupattas lying around whose suits we’ve discarded long ago. Now’s the time to put them to some use. Heavy dupattas can be great sources of fabric for tops. Take the dupattas to your tailor and ask him to create funky halter tops or give them spaghetti straps for a totally fresh outfit. You can team them with long Rajasthani skirts, monochromatic churidars, tights or your good old jeans.

Cool designer jackets
Old formal jackets can be worked upon in myriad ways to create new hip outfits. What’s more, they’ll be something that no one else will be wearing. So what can you do with a formal jacket? Plenty, we say. Stitch mirrors, coloured stones or sequins in several colours on its collars and cuffs. Take the help of your tailor for designing. Once it’s done, rummage in your wardrobe for some long skirts and saris. Team the jacket with either and wear them to festive event and watch those heads turn.

Mix and match
Is your other half in need of some cool, new outfits as well? Here’s what you can do to keep him looking as stylish as you without a visit to any designer shop and spending too much money. If you’re tired of seeing all those same old kurtas lying around in his cupboard, try something different this time. Pair those short handloom kurtas in earthy deep colours with dhoti pants for an avant-garde look. Or if he’s the simple kurtas-pyjama type, take one of his (or even yours) crushed mul or silk stoles and drape them around his kurta-pyjama outfit. It will lighten up the simple look and make him stand out of the crowd. Besides, you can play around with footwear as well. White or tan kolhapuris are a great way to add to the style quotient of his simple ensemble.

Shoe them off
They say, shoes can make or break you outfit. A great way to recycle your wardrobe is by pairing outfits with different kinds of shoes. So, your long anarkali can be used as a dress and worn with low booties and a chic handbag for a stylish Indo-western look. Similarly, pair Indian-style sandals with the halter or spaghetti tops made out of traditional material and jeans. Accessorise with lots of multicoloured bangles and you’re good to go.

Courtesy – idiva

Whimsical, girlish and playful – Polka Dots!

For every girl and woman, polka dots are fashion must-haves. They are classic style that has evolved right from their first appearance on Minnie Mouse to today’s glamorous and popular designs on runways and red-carpet events. It’s a style for all seasons, simply because it exudes an undeniably youthful flair and yet remains an incredibly timeless option for glitter girls of all ages!

Big, medium or small-sized, polka dots suits everyone. Since the pattern is not restricted to one size, these dresses can be bold and vibrant or soft and subtle in design.

Unlike other vintage trends, polka dots offer an intriguing way of mixing and matching with other bold colours.

Below mentioned are some clever and sensible tips based on different body types which can help you achieve desirable styles.

Apple Shape:

Enhance your legs with mid-size polka dots in dark colours for a slimmer upper body. Do not pick huge polka dots as this will only make your shape look wider and bigger. Stick to dotted accessories if you are not confident about carrying the print.

Pear Shape:

Wearing a head-to-toe polka dress or suit will enhance your curvy frame but keep the size of the dots small or mid. complete your look with neutral accessories or confuse the eye with a bright bag. Big dotted blouses can look great as they can help you create an hourglass illusion.

Hourglass Shape:

Widely known as the ideal body type try experimenting polka dots by wearing more than a piece with the print. If you are a curvy hourglass then go for mid-size dots but and if you are a petite hourglass then big or tiny dots would be more appealing.

Banana Shape:

If you are looking to add some feminine curves this is the right kind of print for your body type. Play around with details like frill and peplum in big size dots and mix with other prints for illusion of curvy figure.

So get your classic Polka Dots dresses today and share with us your spotted photos here or share it on our Facebook wall: https://www.facebook.com/PaisleyWomensWear?ref=hl