Are you summer ready?

Fashion designer Alan Alexander Kaleekal explains what is cool in summer

Alan Alexander Kaleekal’s designs

Idealistic summers in books and cinema often come with the promise of bright sunny days, luscious greens all around you, a bounty of ripe, plump mangoes among other fruits, cool lemonades and iced teas and the occasional smattering of summer rains. But in a tropical region like ours, you rarely have the luxury of enjoying all of this when the entire year is one long drawn out summer. And what you definitely won’t enjoy is sweat running continuously down your body, the sticky clamminess that haunts you all day long, and the general irritability you are left with due to the sweltering heat.

With each passing year we see the mercury rising further. That coupled with the intense humidity in a coastal city like ours dictates that clothing in summers should be practical and comfortable. The first thing to realise is that fashion and style are not just about the clothes but also about ownership and how well you carry off what you wear. Comfort and practicality should be key.

Alan Alexander Kaleekal

Stick to natural fabrics that let the body breathe. Cotton, linen, lightweight jute, hemp and chambray are sensible options.

As Gandhiji used to say, Indian handloom fabrics are unique in the fact that they keep your body cool during summers and warm in winters. And since they have a much more open weave in comparison to mill made and powerloom fabrics, handlooms are more skin friendly. Cotton mul fabric is probably one of the best summer options available in the Indian market, it is light as a feather and doesn’t irritate the skin at all. Traditional Indian weaves such as Mul, Kota doria, Chanderi and Maheshwari, are all extremely light fabrics that are ideal for our climate. Linen is one of the best options to combat humidity. The fabric continuously wicks away sweat and keeps you dry.

Opt for the natural colours of the fibres, which ensures that there are no chemical dyes that might irritate your skin. If opting for colour, stick to a neutral or pastel colour palette that reflects light the best and keeps the body cooler compared to the darker shades.

The preference should be for loose fitting roomier silhouettes that flow better and facilitate air circulation and lets your skin breathe.