It’s raining cats and dogs and you gotta spend the day out and wrap it up with another do before you head home to put up your dirt-sloshed feet! Dirty? Not really! There are ways to enjoy the monsoon magic and, in style!
Tight fits are a no-no, ditto for dull colours. A canary yellow tee with shin-high tapered (not fitted) trousers or a straight skirt, A-line works too, a colourful scarf and go get those nude-coloured water-friendly footwear! Fluorescent shades would be good fun if it is a day out with friends.
Skip the sari if you can and instead opt for a short kurti with a straight or flared skirt or trousers and a colourful stole. And if the sari is a must, wear it ankle high with water-proof sneakers. Wanna up the style ante? Shop for gum boots. Tough to find in India, specially the really comfortable ones, but, I have searched high and low and the only easy-to-get-in and -out pair I could find, and colourful ones too, were those at a factory manufacturing the footwear for labour at factories! In bright yellows, greens and reds, the colour had nothing to do with fashion but associated with the type of work assigned.
If you can find a pair at some of the big brand shops, don’t scrounge. It will be worth every penny as you will find yourself donning whatever you wish and go swish-swash with aplomb. And they last forever. No good for the environment but a steal during the monsoons. And these wellies can be styled with any outfit. Just throw in a cool water-proof parka, or trench or the simple raincoat in a contrasting colour. Any colour works actually.
A raincoat serves better than the average brolly, especially when the wind is high, keeps one dryer and the outfit below remains intact, almost crush-free.
This season when you never know when it would rain or shine, and subsequently get all sultry and sweaty, remember to opt for water-proof make-up. A runny kajal will give you raccoon eyes and pasty powder, cracks all along your skin, specially the folds of the neck and those easy or harsh crows eyes or smile creases. A sunscreen moisturiser, light lipper, kohl eyes, a dash of blusher if you must, and you are set to rock the day or evening out.
But believe you me, there’s no better way to spend a rainy day, than stepping out in gum boots and raincoat, trying out some hot fritters, burgers, ginger-tea, and a gang of sunny friends!
The traffic could be a party-pooper so hot-step-out the minute the clouds come thundering down and make the roads a not-so-pretty Venice!
Let me know if you managed to do this, in style, at least one stormy rainy day.
