The time has finally come for festival outfits. And this festival season is indeed special as after a lull of two years, people are celebrating with 'unmasked' gusto. The long Indian festival calendar that starts in August and continues until April is marked by numerous festivals that have myriad customs and traditions. Therefore it is always nice to dress in a manner that is befitting to the customs and traditions of the specific festival that you are celebrating. And since the festival season excludes the harsh summer and monsoon months in our tropical subcontinent, people do have a greater number of options in terms of the textures and colours of apparel.
SATURDAY FARE spoke to a couple of fashion designers to capture the essence of stylish festive wear. "Some things are staple in festive fashion wear," says Mriganka Sharma a city based fashion designer. "For instance the lehenga can always be complemented with a shirt and flaunted at a pre-Diwali do. It's best to choose a bright coloured ethnic looking lehenga and go for a shirt (to be tucked in) in a neutral or contrasting colour. For instance an orange lehenga will go well with black or even beige. A long jacket with palazzo pants on the other hand is a great bet for a Vishwakarma Puja outing. In my opinion a kurta with dhoti pants, salwar kurta sets and saris are appropriate for Durga Puja," she observes.
Mriganka says that in festive fashion wear 'old is gold'. "While you can definitely shop for your attire in high end stores, designer boutiques and even flea markets remember that nothing beats the feeling of flaunting your mother's favourite silk sari with a dainty brocade border. This is probably one of the saris in her wardrobe that you fancied as a small girl and hoped to wear one day. Wearing your grandmother's cherished gold stud earrings is yet another unparalleled feeling that makes your celebration memorable," she elaborates.
Madhumita Das another fashion designer agrees to this vein of reasoning and states, "The underlying fact is that festivals are time for family bonding and revelries. Therefore they should be memorable and also evoke nostalgia."
While the prescribed and recommended colour palette for festival wear is infinite one must be wary of certain colours that contrast with the festive vibes. "Black is one such colour actually," says Madhumita. "I would say that the thumb rule is to steer away from an 'only black' attire. In other words, refrain from wearing a black attire that is not interrupted with colourful patterns. Yes you can choose a black top or blouse with a bright coloured skirt or sari. But even here it is advisable to have a few colourful embellishments on the black," she advises.
"Relatively pale colours like mauve and lemon yellow somehow does not complement Indian festival wear. These colours too should be worn when complemented with contrasting colours. Red, maroon, orange, rust, purple and the more exuberant shades of green, blue and pink rarely go wrong in Indian festival wear," says Mriganka.
For festivals one can experiment a little more (than in the regular days) with respect to one's fashion statement. "For instance you might want to drape your sari in a way that you have never draped before or might want to flaunt a hairstyle or some statement earring that you fancied while watching a favourite Netflix series. Well just go ahead (but remember not to overdo or go overboard) and flaunt with style and confidence. However, if you are sporting a completely different (and new for you) hairstyle, lip colour or outfit do remember to incorporate some familiar elements too. For instance a purple lipstick will translate to admiring eyeballs if you retain your signature eye makeup. Changing both might translate to an unwanted spectacle so refrain from it," says Madhumita and adds, "Whimsical yet comfortable (both in terms of physical comfort and psychological ease) is the fashion mantra for Indian festivals."
Both Madhumita and Mriganka agree that as north easterners we are blessed with a wide range of textiles that can be (and are being) crafted to fusion garments (blending traditional styles with contemporary trends). "Such pieces are often statement pieces in festival dos. For instance a muga wraparound embellished with antique designs crafted by some indigenous hill tribe is guaranteed to arrest attention. Tribe inspired jewelleriers and accessories too are a great hit but try to restrict these pieces for the pre-festival dos. In my view, for the main festival it is best to embrace the tried and tested pieces when it comes to jewelleriers and accessories. Small and dainty pieces in gold, silver and even brass will always complement your traditional festival outfit," says Mriganka. In addition to these ornate materials, the precious and semi precious pieces are also always a go to choice.
While most people get excited about apparel and jewellery during festivals many according to Madhumita forget about the importance of matching/ complementing footwear and bags. "While clutch bags are great for festival outfits you can also go for a range of traditional sling bags and leather bags. But always use your discretion and ensure that your bag and footwear complement your outfit," she says and concludes, "Also pay attention to your makeup and avoid a caked up and overdone look at all costs. While attire and accessories can be ornate it is recommended to stick to your usual makeup regime during festivals."
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