Desi Fashion with a Modern Twist! Give a twist to your attire with quirky mix-n-match traditional and modern clothes
Nothing succeeds to bring out the best in you than elegant and colorful traditional wear. The ethnic chic with a twist of the modern exudes positive vibes and has taken the fashion world by a storm. Classics like kurta-pajama, saree, dhoti, salwar-kameez have undergone a creative transformation.
So, it’s time now to make use of your ethnic clothes that have been hanging in your closets to turn heads everywhere you go.
Mix and Match: Desi clothing is very versatile. You can quickly give the saree a modern twist by mixing and matching it with jeans or leggings. All the lovely ladies, you can flaunt your straight Kurtis with culottes and make a whole new style statement. All the handsome gentlemen can flaunt suave kurta tops with jeans for a flamboyant style.
Traditional skirts are stylish outfits that are a lot versatile than you think. Traditional skirts were usually worn just for any ceremony or homely gatherings. You can turn these traditional skirts into a fancy outfit that you can wear anywhere. Ditch the heavy blouses and opt for your fancy modern tops instead! Mix and Match is the latest trend. You can give it a try and pair up your favorite traditional skirt with a modern top.
This mix-n-match fashion statement is not only Eco-friendly but also useful in sustainable Go Green Be environment friendly with your fashion choices, choose outfits that are made of sustainable raw materials. Bring back the old age handloom and textile techniques. Follow these tips by experts to create fusion looks.
With the awareness of environmental hazards and the need for sustainable eco-friendly practices, the relevance of our age-old techniques of handloom and heritage textiles has never been more pressingly relevant. Mix-n-match your western wear with Indian prints like air up an undyed cotton kurta with a flared yellow midi skirt, suggest experts. Manjula Tiwari, founder of Ancestry, and Siddhant Gupta, founder at Chique have listed few looks:
* First, know your body type. Any selection of clothing and accessories must begin with knowing what suits your particular body type.
* Tradition with a twist: Rev up your cotton kurtas by giving it a fusion twist. Pair up an undyed cotton kurta with a flared yellow midi skirt, throw on a pair of sneakers or high-tops, pull up a backpack. Finish the look with some chunky metallic bangles.
Some of the popular prints in fusion wear include European botanical illustrations, chintz prints, to Indian geometric ikat or temple border motifs.
* A boho maxi dress made in a zari bootie Chanderi handloom, or a combination of the global athleisure trend with a Bengal handloom talent mulmul, or the sophisticated subtle elegance of a cape sleeve trench and tailored trousers in a gold zari Benarasi brocade are some of the outfits you could try out.
* Muted natural earthy tones and saturated bright hues of red, rani pink, green, and indigo would make for a good color palette.
* It’s important to strike the right balance between the East and the West. Try a boho jumpsuit with nicely coordinated ethnic accessories. Play up with your shoes for more detail. Throw on your white sneakers or a pair of silver metallic Kohlapuris.
* Pairing a designer Gujarati cold shouldered crop top with a plain bold colored dhoti looks elegant and classy. Carry it with a stylish pair of jhumkas and matte lipstick which will absolutely complete your look.
* Indian prints and fabric are more glamorous than they are perceived to be. An Indian indigo print top paired with white distressed jeans, a metallic choker, and sneakers would be a good example.
* Instead of shimmery and glitters, wear muted color prints either on a bold color base or just some added embellishment on the floral. Layered organza tops in print outer layer and sequin under layers is the stress-free combination, whether you are wearing a high waist trouser, a full volume skirt or a typical lehenga, or maybe even a sari.
You probably don’t need to replace your old wardrobe, just a playful mix n match to create fun ensembles that can give you plenty of ideas to create an eclectic fusion of desi +modern and will make you a complete diva.
- Crop it up with a saree :
Crop tops are in the rage. They are making such a high fashion statement and they are loved for their versatility. They are a must-have wardrobe staple. You can wear them overskirt, with your denim and a range of western outfits. But did you ever try them with traditional wear? No. Well, you should, now!
Replace them with a saree blouse and you will amp up the glam quotient instantly. The modern twist of the crop top with a traditional saree gives you the whole ‘hatke’ look that is undeniably fashionable. No more scratching your head and wondering what to wear at the upcoming wedding. You have that sorted, right!
- Trendy Dhoti salwar with top :
If it wasn’t for Kareena Kapoor in Jab We Met or Sonam Kapoor’s song Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai from her recent flick, the dhoti pants won’t have been making such huge fashion statements. The song where she was seen rocking dhoti pants with a crop top and vest inspired us all. And why wouldn’t it be? Such a quirky desi vibe with a modern twist is all it takes to show off your modish style.
The pleated dhoti pants look perfect with a crop top and vest or a simple tee for casual outings. For wedding occasions, you can top it up with an embroidered jacket for a more urbane vibe. Either way, it is worth giving a shot.
- With Off shoulder or Cape
Yes, we all know how crop tops and skirts can make the best duo. Our Bollywood divas too flaunted this ensemble with style. Raveena Tandon paired an off-shoulder crop top with her traditional skirt. And she elevated its beauty by adding a lovely statement necklace. A simple yet effective indo-western dressing style. Similarly, cape tops and traditional skirts maintain that indo-western vibe. The pairing of cape top and traditional skirt imparts a lavish flare. Try them out and you won’t regret!
- Traditional Skirt with Shirt
Taking cues from Anushka Sharma and Shilpa Shetty, try this ensemble for sure! This creates an effortless quirky indo-western look. Pair your traditional skirt with your favorite button-down shirt from your closet. Celebrities have worn them often and nailed this look. Highly popular among working women, everyone loves this sophisticated look.
- With Asymmetrical Top
Pair your skirt with an offbeat asymmetrical top that you usually wear with your jeans. And within minutes, you can achieve the indo-western look you were craving! Neha Dhupia and Malaika Arora adapted this look with their Banarasi traditional skirt. If you don’t have an asymmetrical top – you can try this with your oversized top too!
- Modernizing The Saree
For a fashionista, a saree is the garb that offers multiple options to play with. It can be paired with a western top or T-shirt. A belt can enhance the saree’s modern appeal. Trendy blouses like off-shoulders, tubes, corsets, crop tops, and peplums can transform the traditional saree beyond recognition.
The saree can also be draped in unique modern ways to excite the interest of a younger audience. It can also be given a slit look with a pair of leggings underneath.
- With a Jacket or Shrug
For a polished and sophisticated traditional skirt look – opt for this is your style! Malaika Arora looked like a million bucks as she opted for a long jacket with a shirt and skirt. While Neha Dhupia chose a figure-hugging blazer to do the job. She finished this chic look with a hair bun and Kundan jewelry. You can also pick some funky sequin shrugs and jackets with a crop top or bralette.
Apart from these, you can also opt for peplum tops, lacy tops or shrugs, ponchos, T-shirts, or high-slit kurtas.
- The Versatile T-shirt
If you think a T-shirt can only be paired with jeans, think again. A T-shirt is the easiest way of adding a modern touch to traditional Indian attires.
Pair a traditional lehenga with a trendy western T-shirt for a fusion look. For an evening look, you can choose an embellished lehenga and jazz it up with jewelry. A simple lehenga with a casual top will work well for a casual day look. Anushka Sharma shows how to rock an Indian lehenga the modern way, by belting it and pairing it with a singlet.
A crop top kind of tee can be paired with sarees for an enchanting mix and match look. Kangana Ranaut’s red and white striped blouse paired with a peach saree is a great way to make a contemporary statement.
The T-shirt can also be paired with wide salwars like Patialas for a modern and comfortable feel. In fact, this relaxed combination makes for great Indian attire when traveling. Kareena Kapoor made this very cool look iconic in her movie Jab We Met!
Many Indian designers are exploring the depths of contemporary apparel for inspiration and creating their own style to make it perfect for millennials. From experimenting with fabrics and prints to adding some jewelry can do the trick and modernize your Indian traditional look, says an expert.
These modernizing hacks will make you want to display all your mum's and grandmother's heirlooms with a twist. It is interesting to visualize different takes on the same attire by different generations. With changing times fashion changes, but there is always a great way to display a great attire.
