Column

Repair, reuse, recycle — these are mantras the world is beginning to wake up to. These principles, I am sure, must have evolved with humankind from the time we learnt to cover our body but gradually forgotten as advancement set in. But as earth chokes on the air, land, water pollution wreaked on it by various industry segments, including fashion, it is time we hark back to those practices. Across the globe, policies are being developed or brought out to support this, with the responsibility also...

Summer’s knocking hard. The socks are off, almost. What styles your feet when the sun’s a-blistering? Sliders, clogs, platforms, peep-toe slingbacks, flip-flops, thong sandals, pointe shoes, peep-toe ties, ankle ties, mules, toe-loop sandals, pointed shoes? Or, are you a ballerina, Mary Jane and sneaker girl? When it comes to playing footsie, remember comfort must be top priority. Size is a given. Anything that’s tight and bites is a definite no, no matter what the promise is — “will stretch...

So men, how do you make your sartorial choices? While the Boomer is rather content in the regular shirt-tee-shorts-trousers-jeans-jacket-coat, it is the Generation X, Y (millennials), Z that’s really leading the change. While the Boomer has mostly clung on to monos in black, white, blue and brown, GenX onwards have been more experimental be it colours, cuts, prints and even accessories. No hard and fast rule there. If an individual has an innate sense of style, fashion speaks in the sharply...

And here we go vrooming into 2025. Do fashion trends really work in a land as diverse as ours? They work some, they work not many a time. There was a time when the Hindi film industry was the key source of a fashion trend, and, as I have often said, the hair style, the bindi as it moved centre of the forehead to the glabella, the hemline or would it be the ‘fall’ of the sari, to sweep the floor or just skimming the ankles, the length of the kurta, etc was all decided from film to film. Remember...

It’s the time for resolutions. What are your plans? Let me suggest some which will help you be a much-needed drop in the ocean to check that wild careen into 2030. Why 2030? What will be so special about 2030? End of a decade? Well, yes, but not entirely that, and more on it a bit later. Will it be much of an ask if we resolve to cut down our fashion purchase to just 4 items in 2025? It could be anything — a dress, sari, shirt, footwear, bag or any other fashion accessory. Why 4? Simply because...

Tis’ the time to travel… ok, not yet, but soon. And woollies will invariably play the spoilsport hogging half the space, leaving precious little to flaunt the fashionista in you, especially for your SM or social media posts. How can you travel light and yet brandish all new looks in every pic? Fairly simple if you plot it right. Mix and match or monochromes is the way to go, though the latter can get a tad boring on a holiday. If indeed monochrome meets your style quotient, ensure there’s a pop...

Fashion is cyclical and fashion in India is never dated. Especially at our big fat weddings. The silks from each state invariably top the charts, and some recent film star weddings in the richest drapes in traditional hues have brought back the somewhat fading allure of these exquisite works of art. Art yes, because each handwoven piece is a testament to not just nimble fingers but a legacy of thousands of years. The banarsi, kanjeevaram, tussar, bhagalpuri, muga are familiar names but how many...

If the festive season is on, can parties be far behind? What new have you bought and what old will you re-purpose? Let's talk re-purpose first. A soft coloured sari and a contrasting, bright dupatta? Silk on silk will be the way to go. You could also try organza, metallic, banarsi, or even the heavy kanjivaram. On nude capris or underdress shorts, take the centre of the saree across your waist, from the back, and tie a knot right just on your navel. Now take one side under your leg, bring it to...

The festive season has begun, but there’s time still for the major days when we all love to deck up in our best finery. Bring out the silks, be it a kanjeevaram tussar, muga, eri, baluchari, paithani or bhagalpuri, banarsi and so many others. Bring out the bling be it ornately embellished jooties or sequined potlis and clutches, embroidered cloth bags, and those faux or real jewellery in gemstones, silver, burnished gold, crystal, oxidised metals, beads and so much, much more. Do you know...

Imagine a town called Muga, a cluster of villages named Paat, a district renamed Eri or Endi, the Mibu Galuk zilla, the Gamusa municipality, the Kessa Xoon gaon, and so on and so forth. Fashion is not just the clothes you wear, the jewellery, footwear, bag, belt or any other accessory that you style yourself with to get that complete look. Fashion is “instant language’ as Miuccia Prada once said, and going beyond, it also is a strong voice that harks back to our past, running strong through our...