Suited for the season

The festival of lights doubles as one of food for most of us; fashion isn’t far behind for many others
Suited for the season
Suited for the season

The festival of lights doubles as one of food for most of us; fashion isn’t far behind for many others. Whether you’re looking to buy from your favourite Instagram business or your neighbourhood giant or repurpose age-old offerings from your wardrobe, there’s many a way to look your festive best with these carefully curated looks, finds Kannalmozhi Kabilan.

SRIDEVI GOPALAKRISHNAN

celebrity stylist

There’s much wisdom — and certainly style — in mixing tradition with a touch of glamour, suggests Sridevi. That’s why she styles the classic veshti as a swanky suit. “The bright golden border would definitely stand out; when it is made to fit the arms of the shirt and line the sides of the pants, it sure will turn heads,” she assures.

“If you have these dhoti style pants and yet let it sleep in your wardrobe except for the rare occasion when you pair it with a matching long kurta, you need a few ideas to jazz it up as a statement piece,” she says. For this festive season, she suggests that the trick is to look for tops that complement the layers in the pants. You can do that by wearing a women’s jacket and a solid colour shirt, she offers.

Sridevi suggests that the festive season is about the best time to test your creative styling skills and put it to use on the versatile sari. And the best way to do it is go all out. Here, she brings together a simple sari with a quiet crop top, silhouette-defining cape and a belt for a rather unconventional sari look. Pick and choose the elements you love and experiment away!

If you’re looking for answers in your wardrobe, you don’t have to look beyond your favourite Kanjivaram and an easy-to-follow  Insta video. You can simply style your silk sari into a dress and finish it off with a statement belt, and still have it be perfect for the festival!

PREETHI NEDUMARAN

costume designer

For those who are not all that comfortable with a sari, here’s a slip-on alternative (from PreethiSarala’s Deepavali collection) that still retains best parts of the traditional sari look. “We chose a mambazham yellow that is typically used in a Kanjivaram sari that is used for the festival. So, we kept the fabric rooted and just changed the silhouette to a floorlength dress. It’s the closest substitute to a sari because nothing ever can replace a sari in that sense,” she surmises. Pair it with a simple gold choker and jimmikki and let the colours speak for themselves, she adds.

HARSH AND KIRTI AGARWAL

designers

You can’t go wrong with the staples and that’s why Harsh offers the Anarkali for this Deepavali. A regal, off-white kurti with embroidery inspired by sparklers (from Pronte Costura’s Deepavali collection) is a sure winner in his book. “The chanderi silk fabric and the golden embellishment represents the nature of the festival and the joy it brings,” he offers.

The pre-draped sari is a great way to modernise the traditional sari and the perfect addition to your festive wardrobe, it seems. The fairly simple sari paired with an embellished blouse and complemented with a belt for accent can do plenty to set you apart in all that festive revelry.

SUNIL MENON

stylist, fashion show director

Be it festive wear or everyday essentials, it’s wise to prioritise comfort over everything else that’s expected of fashion, suggests Sunil. That’s why his go-to festive look is the humble veshti paired with a cotton kurta/shirt. “It’s always cotton — I’m sticking to my muls, linens and cotton. It’s interesting that men’s wear now has options; people are experimenting with colours, cuts and prints and men are getting bolder to wear all this. It’s all within these parameters but comfort is primary,” he reasons.

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