We’re on the brink of a brand new year, and before 2017 passes, it would be good to look back on the year gone by, in terms of the fashion trends Bengaluru witnessed, some of which were loved and embraced, while others were loathed and discarded.
HITS
Florals
There is something soft and feminine about florals and 2017 has seen this trend in abundance. “Florals were everywhere, on dresses, tops, scarves, and even on bags. They brought a bit of a spring vibe to winter wardrobes too. Checks with floral appliqués is another cool trend which has been popping up,” says Roopa Reddy, Creative Head, House of Blouse.
Denim jackets
“Denim jackets have been a big hit this season and have been trending for a while,” says fashion designer Aditi Lal. “It is comfort wear that also looks chic. The general trend has definitely moved from printed clothes to more basic wear and solid colours, giving you a larger wardrobe to mix and match and play around with.”
AND Boho blue floral dress
White sneakers
They’ve been in fashion for a while now and it looks like Bangaloreans value comfort as much as they value style. While basic white trainers were worn with everything from denims and bodycon midi dresses to athleisure-inspired clothing and shorts/skorts too, customised white sneakers were also a hit with some brides and their entourage.
“There are so many options to choose from. Sneakers with cutwork, sequins, LED lights, mesh, tassels, pom-poms, and patchwork, seem to have been the top choices. There has also been an increase in the number of women opting for hand-painted versions,” observes ad stylist, Trupti Nambiar.
CHENNAI: TAMIL NADU13/10/2017:Desinger Mridulika displays her works of denim in anohki chemiers Photo : Aadhi
Velvet
This rich and luxe fabric has been a favourite on Fall Fashion runways this year and we aren’t just talking about the lushness of its texture but of the bold colours that are now trending. Move over those blacks and opt for deep blues, greens, merlot, and a host of other resplendent shades. According to Roopa, “Velvet is a trend which keeps appearing in year-end soirees in Bangalore. The plushness of velvet makes it a great fabric for winter dressing and party dressing.”
Handloom
With an increasing number of women wearing saris more regularly, thanks to social media initiatives such as the #100sareepact or smaller ones like ‘8 sareesinoctober’ or ‘9sareesinnovember,’ we’ve also noticed that sustainable fashion is the motto of the day. While cottons, silks, and cotton-silks are seeing more wearers, many women are also particular about the kind of weaves they wear, where they source it from. More women are now making it a point in some way or the other to support the local handloom industry. Moving away from saris, Roopa observes, “The more arty folk among us are opting for ankle-length layered handloom dresses that have made a grand entry in Bangalore.”
Ms Amrutha is wearing DesiTude’s natural non-dyed Khadi shirt and a tie-dyed Khadi denim skirt.
Indian Bollywood actress Dia Mirza showcases a creation by designer Anavila during Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) summer/resort 2015 in Mumbai on March 19, 2015. AFP PHOTO / STR
Long shirts/jackets/tees
“Street style has been super chic in 2017 and we’ve seen that shirts with comfort fit have fared very well. Sported with a well grown beard, Bangalore’s men will continue wearing this trend in 2018 too,” says Govind Kumar Singh, fashion designer, Rainush Design Studio.
MISSES
Harem pants
Roopa feels, “harem pants worn wrong is the worst kind of fashion miss. Unless you are super fit, harem pants with loose flowy tops, kaftan tops or poncho sweaters can be quite unflattering. A good and comfortable substitute for harem pants is the palazzo which flatters most body types.”
BANGALORE, 05/06/2008: Back to old fashion Harem Pants. A girl wearing harem pants in Bangalore on June 05, 2008. They're chic, baggy, and comfortable and they're back with a bang! Harem pants are the latest rage among youngsters this season. Photo: G.P. Sampath Kumar
Boots
“While boots do look amazing, Bangalore weather doesn’t call for boot season ever! It does get chilly, but not enough for boots,” says Aditi. And yet, we’ve witnessed this city-specific fashion faux pas a little too much since October/November.
Louis Vuitton legs in boots
Stagnant colour palette
Govind thinks, “Bangalore hasn’t adopted many of the favourite winter silhouettes or even colours. Through the different seasons, as far as street wear goes, the colour palette has not changed very significantly. It would be nice if city folk moved out of their comfort zones and experimented a little.”
Fabric chokers
Much like those floral crowns, these were cute for a while. But now it is time to break up with this trend. “They looked chic and even sophisticated. As cute as they still might be to some, I think there’s just been an overkill,” “says Trupti.
Peplum tops
A dicey trend from the beginning, it is not dying fast enough. “They are terribly unflattering on most Indian women and it doesn’t help that this year we saw off shoulder and cold shoulder versions too. They need to go now,” says Niyati Manoj, a freelance designer.
Unicorn everything
Again, when this trend took off in 2016, we loved it, and right through 2017 too. However, there is too much of a good thing from unicorn nail art to hairstyles, and is as good a reason as any to pick out a different mythical animal in 2018.
TOPSHOT - A woman dressed as a unicorn holds a rainbow umbrella at the 18th annual How Weird Street Faire in San Francisco, California on May 07, 2017. Several city blocks filled with thousands of people as they partied and danced in costume to electronic music and interacted with street performers and artists. / AFP PHOTO / Josh Edelson
