It’s time you went fearless with bright colours. Master the trend of the‘80s and make a splash, says Deepika Nandal.
Who would have thought that a neon satchel bag on a regular jeans and top would be enough to cause a stir amongst the fashion-conscious people? Neon hair clips, wristbands, strappy flats, stoles, sunglass frames, phone/tablet covers, necklaces, sling bags, blazers, umbrellas have rocked the fashion scenes on the streets, at colleges, office cubicles and parties. Clearly, neon is here to stay.
The basic rule
“Neon is huge in India. People love everything from neon apparels to accessories. It is no longer a newborn fad and we see it becoming a wardrobe staple too,” says Manvi Singh of the online fashion store, Fashionatclick. Singh points out the thumb rule for women who are still gathering courage to try the attention-grabbing pieces. “For an interesting neon look, couple it with pastels and neutrals. Nude, black or white work best with it,” advises Singh.
Don’t go overboard
Lend a fitting dose of neon for a stylish appearance, without looking funny. “Avoid going overboard, when wearing a neon dress or top. Opt for accessories in tones of gold/silver/copper,” says stylist and costume designer Nidhi Dalmia.
A solid colour should be enough. If you feel only teens can make a fashion statement with such energetic colours, think again. “Age is truly a state of mind as long as one can carry it off well and feels comfortable in the same,” says Dalmia. “If you are pear-shaped, team up dark denims/bottoms with flowy neon tops or long neon kurtis. Or, try its reverse. Wear neon palazzo pants with a neutral kurta,” says the stylist. For a traditional evening look, you can pick up a lime green sari or one with a neon lace border. It is, however, essential to choose the right shade that goes perfectly well with your skin tone. This could be an acid yellow, bright red-orange or electric blue.
Mix and match
Neon looks great when worn in a fun and unfussy manner. If you love fashion, experiment with varied colour combinations to set the colour-block trend. There are many options to choose from. Mix fluorescent pink with lime green or cobalt blue with bright yellow. Or, go for a pair of strappy, colour-block heels available in the market. What’s more, one can clash neon with prints.
Say, a neon top and printed trousers. For the first-timers, the easiest way to try the trend is with make-up. Look for electric blue eye pencil, hot pink lipstick or a bright yellow nail polish. “If you are fashion shy, inject the trend into your closet with neon earrings and bracelets or chic bags with neon border. These will make your outfit pop and add colour to it,” says stylist Kanika Karvinkop, who also runs the fashion blog Fashionstirred.com.
“A bright, citrus neon dress is a must-have, if you love the trend. Neon denim shorts, a clutch or a bag with neon detailing looks great as well,” says Karvinkop, who prefers to keep her neon look low-key with subtle accessories.
Once you learn the trick, you can create cool looks with your imagination. “I recently made neon laces for my canvas shoes and they made the whole outfit stand out!” says Karvinkop.
