Here’s a fact-I hate the rains!!!{I think I heard a collective gasp from all the rain loves out there!} But, I just hate them! With all the insane traffic, water puddles, pollution and muck around, monsoon is my dark period, where I oscillate for serious mourning and sulking to major creative blocks and depressive ideas. Like I said not my best season! But, since I love everything else about Bombay, I have learnt to survive these 4 mad months on my own terms. As much I hate the rains I never let it get the best of me, especially in the dressing-up department. I make sure I am damn well dressed and prepared to combat the torrential downpour.Whether you love or loathe the rains, everyone need to be appropriately dressed to survive the monstrous monsoons! My mantra for the season is ‘keep it simple, keep it short, and keep it colourful’. Here is a list of my monsoon must-haves.
Office Wear: Opt for sleeveless or short sleeves shirts or tunic instead of full sleeves ones and preferably pick knee length skirts. If pants are a must, then go for blended fabric that dry quickly and don’t crumple easily instead of pure cottons and linens. Wearing white or very light pastel shades is inviting disaster, so pull out your summer brightest- tangerine orange, neon green, electric blue and fuchsia pink. Avoid layering as much as possible, cause once it stops to rain it becomes crazy hot and humid.
Ethnic Wear: Say no to all form of summer whites and neutrals. Flaunt your most colorful and liveliest kurtis, and pair them with snug-fitting churidars/ leggings. Ideally swap your dupattas for scarf or stoles. Heavy salwar kameez with trailing dupattas can altogether be avoided during monsoons.
If you must wear a saree, stay away from cottons {as they will crinkle up in no time}, and translucent and flimsy fabrics such as chiffons and georgettes {not only do they become completely see-through but also lose their sheen when wet}; instead go for light weight silk ones.
Casual wear: Maxi skirts/dress and light colour tops are not monsoon friendly attire at all. Instead opt for capris, shorts and tops in bold and happy colours. Remember, whatever you wear; make sure you have enough legroom to make a quick dash for cover when caught in a surprise downpour.
Footwear: Not to self: All monsoon footwear at all times must be slip-resistant.
Navigating those crazy puddles your footwear can barely be seen, but believe me, it is the most important part of your wardrobe. Seriously, you don’t want your chappals/ slippers {however cool you may think they look} plunging you nose-first into a puddle; neither do you want your heel breaking while you are crossing an uneven road. This is the season of sensible shoes. Opt for flat ballerinas with rubber soles {or made out of Neoprene or PVC}, rain boots, waterproof flip-flops or floaters. If you must wear heels in monsoon, then choose ones with heels no more than two inches high and having a firm base.
Make-up and Hair Style: Use only waterproof and smudge proof makeup. Apply soft shades with rosy undertones for your cheeks, dramatize your eyes with coloured eyeliners, and give your lips a matte look – in bright or soft shade.
Since hair is almost always a problem during the monsoons, don’t choose styles that require your hair to be straightened, blow dried, crimped or curled. All that humidity will make it limp and shapeless in no time. Make sure you get a haircut that helps you style your hair with minimum fuss. Also, avoid putting too many hair products in your hair as the humidity may make it greasy.
Accessories: Lock away your cloth, leather and straw bags for dryer season and go for the trendy water resistant bags. Umbrellas are a must have for this weather, so pick one that is sturdy yet chic to make a style statement. Avoid wearing pure silver jewellery, cause they tend to turn black when in contact with moisture, instead pick some funky costume pieces to spice up the look.
2012 Summer Trends that Are Monsoon Chic
Bright colored legging/ jeans.
Tribal or Art Deco printed outfits {on non white or light surface}.
Neon nails.
Ombre shorts.
Tangerine accessories.
Summer Styles That Should Never Been Worn In Monsoons.
Summer whites or very light pastel shades.
Clothes in translucent and flimsy fabrics such as light weight cottons,'chikankari' and lace.
Maxi skirts and dress.
Raffia wedges.
Pure leather or suede shoes and bags.
How do you deal with the monsoon season? And what is your fashion mantra and mus-haves for the rainy weather? Share them with me in the comment section.
Till then, tra-la,
Amena!!
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