New Delhi [India]: A mother’s closet is the foremost window to style and fashion in every girl’s life.
It begins with borrowing her dupattas to play dress-up, with gradually borrowing her sarees for weddings to almost taking over her closet. Her old-school pictures still remain the biggest beauty inspiration.
Mum is still the best advisor when it comes to buying fabrics or badgering to the tailor to stitch outfits last minute.
When it comes to trend cycles – what goes around, comes around. So, you don’t need to waste your time hopping to find your perfect outfit in the local markets.
Step into your mother’s closet and you will discover absolutely amazing treasures that you will cherish and wear year after year.
Here are a few styles suggested by Atika Khan, Fashion Curator, ROPOSO, that you can borrow from your mom, and tweak it your way:
1. Ikkat – Ikkat is an age-old weaving technique and has recently regained popularity on runways, streets, and small labels alike. It is a prized possession that almost all Indian women have owned and preserved for decades.
Get that five-yard saree re-stitched into a co-ordinated lehenga & crop-top set. You can diversify the pieces by pairing your crop top with jeans, and wearing the lehenga with an embellished blouse to make it more wedding-appropriate.
Indian-inspired dresses have become preferred attire in the balmy summers for the modern generation. The ikkat saree can be reconstructed as a maxi or a midi dress, fashioning the age-old technique with a modern appeal.
2. Benarasi – The classic Benarasi brocade has been reinvented in many forms by Indian and international designers. Opt for a brocade saree with all-over miniature motifs and get it refurbished as a saree-blouse and petticoat. Style it with a sheer saree of a complimentary colour. The resulting attire is a fresh new take on the saree itself.
Benarasi sarees can also be upgraded to dupattas with an addition of a contrasting pom-pom trim, fabric tassels or gunghroos on all the four corners. You can pair this dupatta with a solid salwar-kameez in a neutral colour, or play with patterns by pairing it with an embellished anarkali suit.
3. Tie-and-dye – Another valuable take from our mother’s collection are the traditional tie-and-dyes pieces. Gone are the days when it was only associated with the hippie culture. This technique has become a summer must-have for its dazzlingly bright colours and multitude of patterns. Find that bandhani or any tie-and-dye saree, and get it transformed it into a floor-gazing anarkali. You could also borrow the dupattas and don them as scarves to add a bright element to an otherwise regular outfit.
Mirror-work has come back alive from its dormancy and is being implemented into more modern-looking silhouettes and patterns.
4. Embroidery – Get the embroidered patch removed from your mother’s old salwar-kameez or saree, and get it stitched onto the sleeves of a cropped t-shirt. It can be combined with a denim dungaree, creating an outfit that conforms to the millennials’ need for constant experimentation.
5. Mix and match – The theme of playing with contrasts became en-vogue with the masses when our economy dipped in recession. It was then that the brands brought forward the concept of mix and match. This trend entails mixing individual pieces to create novel looks, instead of acquiring more and more clothing. For a low-budget borrowed-from-mum overhaul, tweak your mum’s chikankari kurta to a wearable size and pair it with your distressed denim for a day out. The end result is the laid-back look that radiates comfort and elegance.
6. Jewellery – We all have a special place in our hearts (and our wardrobes) for our mum’s jewellery. Though it may seem a tad bit heavy for daily use, flaunt it occasionally with simple kurtas and tops. Silver jewellery works very well with pastel shades. Indigo-dyed separates can be dressed up with silver neckpieces – it is one of the fail-safe ways to channel heirloom jewellery. Elaborate neckpieces such as a sat-lada can be coupled with outfits in muted shades with minimal details so that it does not look over-done.
Once you decide to scout your mother’s wardrobe, the resources and inspirations are boundless. It makes you realise that you may have undermined your mother’s style after all. A simple print or even a trim can be given a twist and incorporated into your modern wardrobe, leaving you with compliments and fond memories of your ma. (ANI)