Generally, people residing in the tropics are used to wearing cotton pants which is renowned for being ‘breathable’ gives easy passage to air-circulation and thus cuts humidity which is common to areas with excessive heat. Cotton wins hands down as the more preferred fabric but there a couple of other contenders too which equally manage to make a mark in urban quarters. Corduroy, crepe, denim, fleece, Georgette, kashibo, summer cool and many more are just some of the other popular options explored by people. Loose fit trousers besides being readily available in the market also offer a wide range in different cuts and styling options. Women particularly have rocked Palazzos last season and were done to death with by various fashion labels and gurus while exploring it, however if fashion forecast is anything to go by, then it’s believed they are here to stay a little longer. Such trousers are not only a delight to wear but look good as well and pieces perfectly with any blouse shirt, tee or shirt saving you a lot of your wardrobe time.
Guys or Gals, one thing which anybody would swear by is the easy comfort offered by the casual loose fits in the sweltering sun. More so, Trousers go with almost anything and you can go about your work without a care in the world. Generally, people residing in the tropics are used to wearing cotton pants which is renowned for being ‘breathable’ gives easy passage to air-circulation and thus cuts humidity which is common to areas with excessive heat. Cotton wins hands down as the more preferred fabric but there a couple of other contenders too which equally manage to make a mark in urban quarters. Corduroy, crepe, denim, fleece, Georgette, kashibo, summer cool and many more are just some of the other popular options explored by people. Loose fit trousers besides being readily available in the market also offer a wide range in different cuts and styling options. Women particularly have rocked Palazzos last season and were done to death with by various fashion labels and gurus while exploring it, however if fashion forecast is anything to go by, then it’s believed they are here to stay a little longer. Such trousers are not only a delight to wear but look good as well and pieces perfectly with any blouse shirt, tee or shirt saving you a lot of your wardrobe time. But when it comes to men’s wardrobe well, it’s all choppy waters. Since everything seems to be working just fine, there’s nothing which reserves exclusivity. However, last season, though Chinos did cause quite a stir in the fashion-scene, it’s always the dependable men’s cotton pants which men really bank upon. Apart from men’s penchant for easy-wear and rough-use, this particular piece of garment has somehow managed a staple spot in every man’s wardrobe across ages and time. Its simplicity is quite alluring and they are generally easy on the pockets (pun intended) with large rooms to fit in one’s wallet and paraphernalia. These cotton trousers have seen variations with design too and easily makes it for an apt formal wear for your everyday office.
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If you’ve ever been to a Muslim Nikaah ceremony, chances are that you must have seen the bride decked up in a Polki set. Polki sets are very much synonymous with Asian weddings especially in the sub-continent and the neighboring countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh. They are rumored to have been brought in the Indian peninsula with the advent of Mughals and are carved out of uncut diamonds of the time. Some polki sets also feature precious stones like rubies and emeralds and many of the Millennial brides go for these colorful sets to co-ordinate with their wedding trousseaus. Women’s jewelry is much celebrated in the Asian culture where it’s often gifted and much cherished on many occasions and forms a part of many religious rituals and cultural ceremonies. One can easily find many such rituals in Asian wedding ceremonies where jewelry is laid out to display for people to admire. For long, Gold has been the ‘Gold standard’ when it comes to Asian wedding shenanigans however, come Millennials and things go for a twist. Polki sets are increasingly becoming popular with the younger crop owing to its versatility. It’s dynamic, light colorful and befit several occasions like from cocktail parties to six yard Sarees -it surely complements a whole bunch of activities in a busy life. Another jewelry which comes to close quarters with the Polki set is the Kundan set which again is made of polished colored glass and in appearance is more dynamic and sports a myriad range of colors. In India, jewelry with Islamic motifs come under the belt of Islamic jewelry and some of those popular designs are Paasa and Nath which predominantly resonate with the sentiments of a decked up Muslim bride and are essential Islamic bridal-wear. These ornaments too, are rendered in intricate molds to form exquisite collection. Contemporary modern brides try out many variations of the Paasa and Nath which traditionally was made only out of gold. Polki sets render an effortless charm of royalty to the wearer and manage to bring out the grandeur of its craft. You’ve probably noticed that this Fall, Dusters are going hit in a massive way. Not only have they been in rage on all the mega Fashion shows and events, many brands have been banking upon their popularity by mass producing them in variations. Be it different fabrics, lengths, cuts or intricate work done on the shrug, it sure seems you just can’t get enough of them. Layering is fun and that’s trebled when you have the company of winter delights. The sheer joy of wrapping yourself in warm fuzzy sweaters, knee length boots, skinnys, shawls and scarves, hoodies and what not comes readily into play. And Layering with Long Duster shrugs just puts your ensemble on fleek leaving no doubt in the air. Of the many popular dusters in fleece, woolen knits and chiffon, the more popular ones this season have been sheer lacy shrugs which give a peek-a boo into your inner garments. Wearing them, you can always milk two not too complimenting colors giving you a very defined and sharp look with coordinated hues. That’s right, the often-dazzling bright innerwear with a see-through Croatia motif of the lacy knit, infuses the right amount of contrast with the subtle outerwear. You could also wrap it around like a maxi and accessorize it further with a clincher waist belt. The straight Rompers and dressers have been a favorite to sport this look. Moreover, you have eclectic colors to choose from, to mix and match your wardrobe with these lacy beauties which these long shrugs are. The women find it much easier to care for these lacy front open Dusters as they do away with the buttons, simple and are non-fussy when it comes to washing instructions. The best part about these lacy dusters is that they complement a lot of your luxe wear with much comfort and ease without the need for incorporating any other accessories. Be it your long flowy skirts, or flairy palazzos, jeans or English dresses, you can always source a lacy Duster to give your monotonous ensemble a boost of life. Believe it or not there’s little to nothing which can discount or outdo the supercool comfort of a cotton jersey. Almost each one of us has a cotton jersey clothing item in the form of jackets, sweatshirts, T shirts, sweats and what not. Since it’s a mixed blend of cotton and synthetic, it’s especially helpful during the sultry summers to ward of the sweat and heat while the knit weave in synthetic lends itself to provide for stretch fit. Thus a lot of bodycon dresses are manufactured using this stretch weave technology of the cotton jersey for accentuating the silhouettes around the curves of the women. Thus, it’s a great relief to see Abayas donned in cotton jerseys as they- cotton jerseys Abayas spell comfort from the word go. For long, Abayas have been experimented with, with major tweaking and adding a lot of flair to make up for many varieties of English or Arabic dresses. They have been donned in the shape of gowns, frocks, tunics, maxis and many such hybrids. Traditionally, Polyester or Rayon has been used for making many such Ornamental Dubai Abayas while cotton fleece has been roped in for making a simple Black Abaya. But this Jersey Abaya is a different ball-game altogether as they give you the feeling of a long drawn T-Shirt in its fabric, comfort and look. Apart from looking super comfy, it’s a blessing for women from warmer climate zones who get to experiment with such fabrics in their traditional attires. Nonetheless, it also makes up for a style statement as it gives in a lot of room to experiment with layering. Whether it be sleeveless long shrugs, a light scarf round the neck an ornate top styled with a waist belts clinched high on the waist line are just some of the ways in which women have been styling this particular Abaya. Apart from its style quotient, such Abayas also make for a comfortable, daily –wear and have some sort of a sporty vibe to it as well. Certain Abayas or long jersey tunics have sport trims at the shoulder. The long jersey tunics are another favorites of the ladies at the moment for it gives in endless possibilities to experiment with the bottoms, whether it be tights or jeans, and thus customize their overall look with the occasion they are looking forward to. DIY tricks consisting of jumpers, rompers, tunics and tracks for long have been used as an alternative to Muslim/modest swimming suits which weren’t available a decade back then. Ever since the Burkinis have hit market, life seems a tad bit easy for the water babies who just couldn’t keep off water earlier for the sheer kicks it gives.The search to find a piece of modest swim-wear for long had been a continuous battle especially for Muslim women. And also to add the introduction of symmetric designs and patterns only leaves one with a complete sense of satisfaction of wearing something appropriate as well as customized to suit the needs of the women who want to cover their bodies on the beach. Standing in stark comparison to the itsy -bitsy traditional bikinis on the beach, the Burkinis have fashioned their own circle of users comprising of women who are modest dressers or who just want to escape the sun-tan while whiling away by the beach -side. One realizes, one can’t become a complete beach-bum and not get tanned even after mulling the entire sun blocks on to the skin. Thus it’s times like these when such Burkinis or modest swimsuits if you may call so fulfill that purpose, point blank. Now to answer the question of what does a modest swim-suit comprise of? Well, that’s generally pants a blouse levelled tunic. Most Burkinis also offer a head cap for the women who wear Hijab in most cases. Sometimes it even comes attached to the top or separate as an accessory. What makes Burkinis so cool is the fact that they are made of the same material as those scuba diving suits i.e. of lycra and hence are light-weight, efficient, easy to dry and keep the body cold to feel the water current. They are great for women who engage in water sports as well be it skiing, diving, swimming or just laze around with your friends playing a hand at beach volleyball. The tight fit of the garment ensures easy movements of the body. Women’s modest swimwear for long has been contested as a piece of clothing befitting only Muslim women but what many don’t realize is the fact that there are many takers for Burkinis from other communities as well. Women who prefer to wear modest clothing or are conscious in exposing themselves to love handles. Anarkalis probably have never gone out of fashion. Ever since The Mughle-Azam era where the twirl of the trousseaus got immortalized on celluloid in the song ‘pyaarkiyatohdarnakya’ and got quite etched in the collective memory of South East Asians, we women have fancied a lil’ bit more of those Umbrella pleats since then. When you open your social media repositories you’ll not at all be surprised how the Indian Anarkali or The umbrella pleats as you may say have found their way into every popular, cultural, ethnic dresses. Be it wedding lehengas or white gowns, Bohemian Skirts, salwarkameez, Churidar or even your modest Sunday Dresses with a hint of umbrellapleats, takes the church- wear a notch higher in style department. Thus It’s only natural that umbrella pleats have been experimented with the simple modest Abayas as well. For all we know Abayas have come a long way from being a mere drab black cloak of an over garment to being fashioned into frocks and gowns, the inclusion of umbrella pleats just adds to the charm of celebrating your prized Abaya for a variety of occasions and purposes. The Anarkali Abaya has been much fusioned with regal intricate embroideries, stone work, and expensive silken fabrics which alludes to the austerity of the garment which is quite popular in Middle East. The easy frills of the Umbrella pleats on the garment carry a fun vibe on to the Abaya making it a more likely candidate of being a daily-wear. Your lazy brunches have a new companion now.They also come out in different materials with color block patterns or a color play of two or more fabrics and prints. This also doubles up as your festive dress which is high on bling and colors. Modest fashion enthusiasts have never had it so easy with so many options to choose from when it came to Abaya, a decade back. With more women delving their interest into Muslim fashion, the upsurge to fashion such needs has only added to the diversified milieu of Islamic fashion. The eastern influences on such trousseaus seems to have had a global acceptance in its reception. In all likelihood, if you are a Hijabi sister then you must have suffered through the anxiety of wishing for a Go-To Prayer dress which solves all your existential crises. It’s a no-brainer to say that more often than not, Hijabi sisters are seen resorting to morequirky DIY methods or tricks up their sleeves to increase the modesty of their trousseaus. It’s often the short hemline of the crop top which doesn’t go well with the bottom or short sleeves which needs to be camouflaged by maybe a long cardigan or a full sleeves tunic top to cover that bottom abundantly hence making your dress sharia compliant. Now with the advent of a Prayer Abaya you no more need to constantly tackle and debate the halal-quotient of your outfit in which you are praying as all gets covered up with a Prayer Abaya. Perhaps, the biggest bane of any practicing Hijabi Muslimah is offereing Fajersalah. Getting up that early and then to fend for more suitable clothes to replace that night-wear seems like a tall order for many, early in the morning. Thus, a Prayer Abaya sets right into your comfort zone. Such sets could be a long A line Abaya dress with an additional piece of head cover or a long head cover extending to your knees covering your bottom and neck sufficiently. These are generally paired with long skirts. It’s also interesting to note that many countries in the middle east offer a range of Abayas in this domain to suit the time and occasion of the day. For Instance, a morning Prayer set could be made out of a more warm fabric to brave the morning cold while a regular day-wear Prayer-set could be made out of a more light -weight material to easy facilitate as being an over-garment. I might as well add that Islamic prayer clothes for women are not a ‘Millennial thingy’ but they have been in use for ages thriving in different Islamic cultures to help a Muslimah perform her Salah much better. One would often find these Abaya sets in two’s fours in the houses of the Practicing sister as it greatly helps women who have a more nuanced work-wear attire which they need to adhere to like a chef or corporate worker. Needless, to say they form great gifting options.
Now don't get me wrong if I say that I am not much into 'Arab swag', agreeing that the traditional Jubbas and thobes carry a charm of their own when it comes to modest attires for Muslim men but equating that with being the 'be all and end all' of what the muslim world has to offer in terms of men's fashion aesthetics is a bit too far- stretched limiting one's definition of inclusive fashion. Often such blanket statements fail to encapsulate men of different regions and ethnicities to acknowledge a parallel narrative of fashion in the men's world. From the traditional Pakistani Kurta -Pyjama to zardozi (embellished) Shervani-churidar to Band gala shervani (reminding one of Nehruvian era), brushing teasingly the eastern strokes of colourful hues found in pan south Asian hinu-muslim cultural pot-belly, it is found it has clearly carved a niche in the international and domestic men's fashion world rubbing its influence into the Middle East as well. Muslim men clothing for now has found a calling with the pinterest- driven Instagramming millenials who do not shy away from being particular about their attires and paying the extra attention to their overall looks. From caps to waist- belts, watches to shoes, every accessory now forms the part of the overall 'look'. Even the traditional black and white checkered arabian safas with co-ordinated jubbas and thobes are now found with zanny color blocks and embroiderey. The western guys couldn't be less similar when it came to Avant Garde fashion sensibilities. The three -piece suits with co-ordinated pocket-square or the rugged muffs round the neck does in no way reduce the muslim -quotient of an outfit. Now one can possibly argue that chinos do make the perfect cut for ideal juma'h prayers as they fall short just above the ankle but then there will always be naysayers. Muslim men clothing will somehow always weave in standard dress-code for men in the particular region they live in by assimilating the cultural islamic milieu which makes them create some interesting fashion statement one that lives long in the repository of instagram and memories alike. And not to forget that though the halal-code regarding the sharia dressing largely remains the same for both men and women with mandated covergae of body -parts, you probably can't discount the occasional cring-worthy vests and Bermudas flaunted both offline and online. Till then shop for your man from stores which you can bank upon when it comes to men's fashion. It is a truth universally acknowledged that ‘diamonds are a woman’s best friend’. Right from the days of Jane Austen to the erroneous present of Lady Gaga one can probably not fathom the amount of love a woman bestows on her studs. So be it a well-endowed studded diamond necklace or Swarovski crystals encrusted into the many layers of a wedding ensemble (skirt /gown) this never ending romance between a woman and her stones could make any guy go red in envy. Probably this is one of the many reasons that the stones now manifest in various other items of accessories and art pieces such as Louis vuitton diamond studded stilettos or a diamond clutch or the very ordinary wrist watches manifesting into statement jewelry owing to the inclusion of diamonds in its make. If we are specifically talking about accessorizing then little comes to mind to throw off balance the indispensability of a clutch. It not only complements any attire but also adds to the value of that perfect look which you want to engage in. A diamond clutch further adds to the missing bling quotient if there’s any in your attire. In south Asian cultures where a wedding is not only a ceremony but a gala event of different people and cultures partaking in it, it becomes of paramount importance that bride be the one giving the ‘white-shine’ when it comes to reflecting glory. Even in case of white-weddings which generally takes place sans drama, you’ll often spot the brides with their shimmery white diamond clutches. (Sometimes they have American diamonds but then who’s checking) So it doesn’t matter which geography you belong to, one can never go wrong with diamonds or a clutch and the lethal combination of the two is a sure call to make you a head-turner. In this age and time one is lucky enough to find such clutches online. The best part about the whole deal is that in lieu of the scores of competitors out there, one gets offered attractive competitive prices which do not burn a hole in your pocket and still keep intact the glam-quotient. For women who’ve been donning Abayas all their life, will probably get teary –eyed if asked to part with it. Partly, not only because an Abaya grows on you, but gets so finely woven into one’s life that it actually becomes next to skin. (They can probably have rhapsodic episodes if asked to enlist the pros of wearing this piece of garment, such is their love!)While for the freshies starting anew with the Abaya can often be conflicting/complex as well as confusing regarding the age old question of what-to-wear, where-to -wear and how- to-wear. Assuming my role to be of a fairy God mother let me lead you on to a secret of Dressing almost everything perfect to the ‘T’ and i.e. Layering, Accessorizing and just K.I.S.S. Yup, that’s it there, spelling out the holy trinity of Abaya Fashion. If you’ve not exactly been living under a rock, you must have realized the sudden explosion of Islamic fashion; and Abayas have really come around with a coming of age motifs with more flair cuts, designs and eclectic hues and prints and is no longer a black loose drab. Let’s explore 1. Mastering the art of Layering- Muslim women have subconsciously been adding ‘layers’ to their ensembles often without realizing that it adds a cool quotient to their trousseau. Not only Abayas, scarves and short jackets or long cardigans have also been used religiously by women to cover the low necks of a blouse or cover the body-hugging top or for that matter mask the inner camisoles which exposes hands and shoulders respectively. Now, just a bit of co-ordination and voila your Frock Abaya is ready as Gold with a co-ordinated Hijab and chic breast jacket 2. Accessorize with the right kinda bling- When it comes to bling, women never seem to get enough of it and more often than not, instead of quenching it they bring it all out and about with the Abaya. Remember, less is more and hence just carry only set of bling to complement your look. Be it a shimmer make-up, bling clutch, a bling dress or blingy stilettos just keep one and discard the rest. 3. KISS-(KEEP IT SIMPLE, SILLY)- And the most important bit, try and be comfortable in your skin , for there’s really no need crying over the lack of a size-zero figure or slender body frame. You’ll realize that once you’ve styled it correctly size just becomes another number. Your inner comfort radiates as the deflecting grace out of an Abaya. |
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