Bandana Tewari
Ever since I scripted and hosted a TV show on fashion, I have been accosted by people on the street (both men and women) who want a quick fix on style. I find it funny because, in my own eyes, I am a bit of a bespectacled geek, with a penchant for throwing odd bits of clothing together in the name of “eclectic chic”, when all I was doing was escaping the agony of staring at my wardrobe for a perfect makeover. I perhaps gave some of the worst tips as I found myself packing my “advice” with phrases such as “build your confidence and style will follow”, or “groom your intellect and fashion will follow you”, when all they wanted to hear was whether polka dots were still in and if the bubble dress could indeed hide child-bearing hips.
But today I am less afraid of being a fool, so I can be truthful about what I think of a weighty subject (did I hear oil politics? Nah!)—style.
Look around you, the person you consider stylish is probably always in mismatched clothes —a mismatch of styles and colours. There are trendy people, and then there are stylish people; the latter always dare to be creatively eccentric. Men who are a bit inventive about wearing jackets with eccentric lapels, linen jackets in pastel shades, tapered pants and crisp white Indian cottons are certainly fashion-forward, and usually in great spirits, too.
I think coordinating colours is so tiring. I like people who think beyond matching shoes-bags, top-bottom and even nail polish (but men, brown shoes means brown belt, not black).
As for women, “sexy” shouldn’t be the only adjective for the wardrobe. Some of the most stylish women choose deconstructed dresses over second-skin cocktail dresses; experimenting with cuts and silhouettes is having fun with clothes. You can’t want to highlight your S curve every single time. Just read The Beauty Myth by Naomi Woolf and get real.
Look at designer Anamika Khanna. Her mix of Indian and European sensibilities results in organic, layered and muted designs, which don’t compromise on impact. She epitomizes global chic.
If you are truly stylish, you don’t wear fakes. If you can’t afford designer labels, then make do with the variety of choices that our indigenous market offers—organic fabrics, brocades and silks that even a neighbourhood tailor can work magic with. This is where you hone your personal style because you can pick the fabrics, customize them and add the quirky details. You are the custodian of your own image. How effortlessly chic is that!