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How to get desi wear right this winter, with some help from Pakistan

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DailyBiteNov 22, 2018 | 17:15

How to get desi wear right this winter, with some help from Pakistan

Wearing saris with turtlenecks was cool in 2002.

Weddings don’t wait for the weather — in fact, in India, winter is officially wedding season. We love our leather jackets and boots, but they don’t really speak banno ki saheli. And so comes the dilemma — do you wrap a matronly shawl over that gorgeous sari, or stoically shiver through the night, knowing it’s for a good cause?   

At work, blazers and boots look cool, but you miss your flowy kurtas and floating dupattas.

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No, this need not be your fate in winters.
No, this need not be your fate in winters. (Photo: YouTube/screengrab)

Styling desi wear in winter can be tricky — cardigans-over-kurtas were last generation, and should firmly stay there.

Here are a few helpful tips to maintain your Yash Chopra aesthetic this winter — while staying safely snug.

Right fabrics

The single-most important thing you need to keep in mind. In most parts of India, it’s never drastically cold, and layering up with the right fabrics can see you through the season. And there is such wondrous variety to choose from — velvet, the various silks, tussar, brocade, khadi. Wrap a velvet dupatta around a thick khadi kurta, and you don’t need anything more.

Befriend velvet. It's super stylish and super warm
Befriend velvet. It's super stylish and super warm. (Photo: India Today) 

Your local darzi will stich you duster coats in warm fabrics that go with Indian clothes. To make them versatile, keep them plain, with just one striking motif either on the sleeves or at the front, near the waist.

Getting the saree right

Getting the sari right is a whole chapter of winter fashion challenges in itself.

Please don’t wear saris with turtlenecks — that was last cool in 2002. The world has changed a lot since then, and given us options of blazers, capes, duster coats, trench coats and the Indianised version of Bolero jackets.

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If you think a pallu is flowy enough and you don’t want another long, trailing garment, concentrate on what you can do with the blouse. Wear boat-necked sweaters, cashmere pullovers in lovely pastels, even bandhgalas. Once again, the right fabric will help.

Full-sleeved velvet or silk blouses, apart from looking regal, will easily see you through day events. For formal events, Sonia Gandhi is a whizz at using the pallu as a scarf.

Solid pullovers and skirts

A plain pullover, a dressy skirt under which you can wear woolen leggings, and a colourful stole thrown on are perfect for any time of the day. What’s more, they help you stand out beautifully in a world dressed in dark-coloured jackets and pants.   

The latest trends favour desi

Leather jackets are awesome, but this year has brought us more options, with metallic to sequined jackets popular on international catwalks. For evening dos, these jackets are great to go over lehengas and dressy skirts.

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Yough might not wear Chanel like Kendall Jenner, but you get the idea.
You might not wear Chanel like Kendall Jenner, but you get the idea. (Photo: Twitter)

While not all of us can afford Chanel jackets like Kendal Jenner, what high fashion creates, street artistes copy, so these should soon be available in local markets too. If the sequined jackets at Sarojini Nagar made you cringe last year, know that this time, they are couture.

Shawls are your canvas

Of course, our mothers have always had gorgeous shawls. But if you feel they are too grown-up for you, just use different kinds of shawls. Think about it — shawls are basically an expanse of fabric, offering a huge surface area for display. Make them your canvas. Buy plain shawls, and get fun prints, slogans — anything you like, really — embroidered or embossed on them. That might cost you, but the result will be something totally unique, totally you. A pretty penny, indeed.

Pherans are your best friends

Pherans — long, loose kurta-type garments from Kashmir — are wonderful. Pherans are kind, offering a graceful silhouette to everyone. They can be plain or dressy, but are always exquisitely embroidered. For office, pair them with jeans. For parties, pair them with salwars and shawls. There is no way to go wrong with them.

Pherans are as versatile as they are wonderful.
Pherans are as versatile as they are wonderful. (Photo: Twitter/@sadia_mufti)

Another useful garment for winter is kaftans. In wool or other warm fabrics, they are super-comfy and super-classy.

Don’t forget what socks can do

Think beyond plain, boring or cat-printed, Minion-printed socks. Buy socks in richer, jewel-toned hues. Have them embellished with sequins or rhinestones. Paired with plain pumps, they make for happy, well-dressed feet.

Tip: Pakistan is a great place to look for desi winter-wear inspiration. Pakistani designers do a lot with velvets, and shararas and tulip pants are great to be worn over woollen leggings.

Last updated: November 22, 2018 | 17:15
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