Style Check (Menswear Fashion)

Mantastic Makeover!

Men are looking to spice up their wardrobes with funky prints, brilliant colours and exotic designs this festive season. Spot the beaux sashaying down the fashion street in style!

By PRAMITA BOSE

From ‘snapworthy’ airport looks for foreign vacays to flashy cover-page photo shoots, red-carpet appearances to eye-dazzling promos, Instagrammable launch parties to big-ticket release pressers — you name it and our out-and-about stars of the planet Bollywood are seen zipping through such hot spots of the town in outfits that set a fashion trend. Their funky styles, OG moves, groovy poses and inimitable swag act like a barometer of fluctuating fashion diktats in this gizmo-crazy, app-driven and social media-boosting world.

Ergo tinselville icons are still calling the shots when it comes to aping all that’s à la mode.

Male Fashion in the Spotlight 

If you always thought that the beautiful fairer sex brigade’s fashion sensibility is a notch higher than the suave stronger sex’s sophistication, then you are wrong with a capital W. For our fashionable fops are no way lesser in experimenting with their clothes and accessories than the stylish divas. They too never shy away from going that extra mile to pull a rabbit out of the hat.

Dressing Up Desi Boys

Given that this is the festive season of the year, designers suggest a variety of traditional Indian apparel for our desi dandies. After all, festivity gives one an excuse to deck up and don resplendent colours. Starting with Ganpati Utsav, the festive months ahead are lined up with Navaratri, Diwali, Bhai Dooj, et al.

Festive phase offers men a perfect plea to toy with regal classics like embroidered sherwanis, achkans, dinner jackets, silk kurtas with churidars, draped bandhgalas and dhoti-kurtas. Angrakhas and layered kurtas with stoles also lend a royal feel. Rich fabrics and playful accessories can definitely elevate these conventional looks.

Indo-western look is unanimously recommended for men this festive spell. Short-length kurtas and prints on indigenous wear are selling big time.

Ensembles assorting attractive Indian wear like a bandhgala with a kurta underneath, a bundi and a zipper kurta with a jacket are rapidly flying off the racks as part of festive shopping. “So, it’s a question of how remarkably you can style yourself with some cool options at your disposal,” insists ace fashion designer Manoviraj Khosla. “Team up zipper jackets with kurtas to add a twist in the drama. Other show-stealing drifts include the angarakha style or a straightforward number and overlapping editions. Being flexible pays off as adaptability is key,” he suggests.

Ornate Fairytale

Couturiers with designs on men spin a tapestry of tales with yarns, needlework and embellishments to conjure up imageries of all things aesthetic. Guess what! Embroidered pieces with threads, filigree, wires, metals, precious stones and much more can surprisingly lift men’s festive wear. Clad in silken, satin, brocaded fabrics, the suitable lads could appear dreamboats or prospective grooms exuding a halo of majestic aura around them.

Kantha embroidery, zardosi work and chikankari lavishly adorn the silhouettes, replicating a luxe, royal look. The greater you explore, the deeper you dive, the more you’ll be recognised with your inimitable choices, emphasise designers in unison.

Tone-on-tone materials and designs, handcrafted elements depicting wonders of the past as well as the present, plus 3D specimens promise to stand out of the crowd’s run-of-the mill image.

Glittery zardosi, artistic Kashmiri oeuvre, resham handiwork and mirror work are timeless items. Fine sequins and beadwork also complement festive menswear without overwhelming the wearer’s masculinity. Intricate yet structured embroidery adds grace while keeping the outfit in carnival mode and genteel in appeal.

Kurta Kamaal

For many designers, it’s the kurta that is doing a fantastic job in perking up men’s wardrobes. “From being a traditional garment, kurta has undergone many changes. As they say, variety is the spice of life, so is kurta in its different avataars. Kurtas with zips and a plethora of embellishments, in varied lengths from knee to thigh high to even shorter shirt sizes are doing the rounds as the ongoing festive flavour.

Accompaniment

Accessories and footwear should be chic enough and selected carefully by men to seamlessly gel with their garments tailored for festive occasions.

Brooches, cuff links, chains, bracelets, and elaborate and bejewelled buttons add an everlasting charm. You can’t go wrong with Kolhapuri chappals either. Even Prada’s (internationally-acclaimed Italian fashion house) recent line of footwear was allegedly inspired by India’s age-old Kolhapuris. Resurgence of sandals, leather slippers, mojaris, etc. also proves their immortal vibe.

A statement brooch pinned to glossy attire or layered malas (beads or pearls) and pocket squares undoubtedly exalt any outfit. For footwear, juttis, decorative loafers or even modish sandals provide perfect festive accents to the overall getup. Slip on a classic watch on your wrist to be that desirable debonair of every maiden’s heart or a figment of her secret romantic fantasies.

“The jutti has sort of taken a back seat as far as footwear is concerned. It is being replaced by more formal shoes and velvety, embroidered versions. To set your class apart from the rest, a Kolhapuri chappal will always rule the roost, so is its Peshawari counterpart,” notes Khosla.

“Jewellery is not just a gal’s best pal. Men too flaunt ornaments with aplomb. A neckpiece and rings can infallibly add that polished taste to their whole accessorising affair,” he further chips in.

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