CELEBRATE FESTIVITIES WITH BRIGHT, VIVID COLORS!
Greetings everyone, and a very happy Diwali! Diwali is a celebration of lights, a time to wish prosperity and success to one and all. Shouldn’t we be celebrating the festivities with bright and vivid colors too?
Ladies, as discussed last month, runways are still following the famous-for-fall red/purple/blue/green four-color palette, but with a twist. Smooth velvet and prints, too, are being added to these dazzling hues to create works of art for any occasion, large or small. For the bold, try the jewel-toned colors and patterns tips to toes (it’s extremely holiday!), but for the more subdued, just a hint of these colors and styles as just accessories can perfect your wardrobe.
REDS WITH BATIKS (AMBI PRINTS):
A beautiful red sari with shimmering sequins or a maroon salwar kameez with pink threadwork is beautiful enough, but add brocade prints or velvet accents, and voila! Your look is instantly modernized. Another more subtle way to update your outfit is to find fabrics with bhuti work, in shapes of ambis (also called mango shapes), or mehndi patterns. These randomly placed pieces will stand out but not overwhelm the look.
PURPLES WITH FOILED STRIPES:
Every complexion’s favorite, purple becomes even more dazzling with the help of foil work, especially in stripe patterns. Gold or silver foils are fine, but focus on where the placement of this shiny stuff lies. Copper foil is extremely popular this season too. For example, if wearing a sari, foil work should not be around the sari or blouse, but on the pallu only. If wearing a salwar kameez, don’t overwork the pieces with this type of finish all over. Using a small amount of foil even just around the neckline and sleeves can be dramatic enough. Stripes are also becoming ever popular, but added with thinner stripes of sparkling foil within, you’ll sport the hottest trend. With net still being popular too, alternating lines of fabric and lined net or lace will capture all eyes on you. This style trick has become an international runway favorite, and is being repeated for weeks now. Try it, the look will not disappoint!
GREENS WITH REPEAT PATTERNS:
Gotten into the greens of the season yet? If not, now’s definitely the time. Repeat patterns are so easy to wear, and when paired with loud greens, it almost calms the color down. Imagine a black pantsuit with sage green polka dots. The ‘repeat’ polka-dot design can seem monotonous, but when played with the colors black and green, you’ve created the latest look. Inverted, take a sea green churidaar. Add columns, or ‘repeats’ of multi-colored sequins down the front. Not only will the vertical stripes flatter you, but the contrast of sequins on green will shine. Try these trends and have everyone ‘green with envy’!
BLUES WITH PAINTED LOOKS:
Velvet and lace saris are the craze now. From ocean and royal blue shades to midnight and navy blue hues, let’s sing the blues! Blue velvet & lace especially guarantee attention. It’s unexpected, unique AND unequal in comparison to typical black-tie looks.
Ladies, winter’s approaching. To get ahead on next season’s trends, try mixing and matching the jewel tones above and the looks too. A red sari with foil stripes and ambis scattered about, or a purple salwar kameez with foil polka dots and painted diamond studs, will have you on top of the fashion chains. Do remember though, when mixing up these looks, minimize completely on jewelry and accessories. If and when in doubt (if you think you’re overdone), go with your instinct, it’ll never steer you wrong.
Send us your fashion questions and concerns. Follow the trend! E-mail us at [email protected], and we’ll answer any and all your fashion dilemmas! Here’s this month’s Fashion Drama Question of the month:
Q: Why doesn’t anyone wear tikkas anymore? Even at weddings, I’m noticing how nobody seems to wear them. Are they considered out of style now? - Julia, Tampa
A: Hi Julia. The answer is simple – Inconvenience is probably the No. 1 reason ladies refuse to wear tikkas anymore. As beautiful as these pieces are, wearing and maintaining them throughout an event can be a hassle. To some, it may seem ‘too much’. Runways, even, are not showing them off, simply because the bindi has become bigger and better. To answer your question, however, tikkas never go out of style. They are classic pieces of jewelry that will last infinitely as well as display a bit of our culture. A good tip, though to keep that tikka from swinging side-to-side on your forehead: Apply some bobby pins to the chain of the tikka in your head. Also, use clear nail polish to the back of the tikka, and affix to forehead. It’ll stay put!
Happy Diwali to everybody. We wish you all happiness, success, and peace now and always. Party much, but party safe. Enjoy each other’s presence, and always invite more positive company into your lives. And as you do all this and live life to the fullest, always remember to gro with style!
Kiran Bahl of Gro Styles, "An Indian Boutique," 2035 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33612, can be reached at (813) 843-9040 or (813) 903-8334.