If there was one fabric that was common among all the fashion designers at the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week (LFW), it had to be sheer. It made its appearance in varying degrees in almost all collections — some used it in bits and pieces, some made it into a whole garment, while others used it to enhance a dress’ sleeves, bodice or the back. LFW was not the only fashion show to pay tribute for the fabric; fashion shows from around the globe, New York to Karachi, used sheer extensively.
The best part is that almost anyone can sport sheer, but with a little thought. While we may not be able to use and wear sheer like Beyonce, Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez do — which have come to be known as ‘naked dresses’ as they are strategically embellished — but we can take a cue from Bollywood actors like Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif and Sonam Kapoor. They have shown how we can wear sheer by keeping in mind Indian aesthetics and cultural sensibilities. Sridevi, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Rani Mukherji, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sushmita Sen and Madhuri Dixit Nene are some of the celebrities who have made sheer saris quite a hit.
Looking classy
“Sheer is an excellent way to showcase your womanly side while making your outfits look more complete and classy. In fact, the outcome is brilliant when sheer is layered with several fabrics,’’ says acclaimed designer Ritu Kumar who uses a lot of sheer in her designs.
With this fabric, a woman can look ethereal, gorgeous, sensual, elegant and mysterious. As a fabric, sheer isn’t something that is new to Indians — there has been a vast tradition of using the material. The Amrapali costume, dhotis, Chanderi and Maheshwari saris as well as Bengal Jamdanis are some of the finest examples of sheer that have been a part of the Indian woman’s wardrobe for a long time. Chanderi, Kora, thin voile, mul, net, tulle, lace, chiffon and georgette are some of the popular ones used today as they have a rich and beautiful translucent quality.
Elaborating on sheer’s popularity, fashion designer Shruti Sancheti says,“Sheer fabric looks sensuous, feminine, yet delicate and elegant. It imparts a regal, yet exquisite feel
and adds a hint of glamour, class and sophistication. They are best used with opaque inners and look lovely as layers or drapes and can be used for almost any occasion depending on the colour, texture and silhouette.’’ The added advantage of sheer is that one need not sport an entire attire in the same fabric for it to make an impact.
Sheer can be used in a variety of ways and styles. It can be used as tops, sari blouses, skirts, dresses and, of course, gowns. Saris in net and lace look very sensual and colours best suited are red, black, deep blue, blush, mint, custard, green, lilac and powder blue. Nude and pastels are the most popular colours of the season. Given that most of them have a base fabric, nude and pastels are best used on a richly coloured base.
Bride’s choice
Sheer is also fast becoming popular among brides this wedding season as they are lighter than the traditional wedding attire. As most bridal wear revolves around couture, there is no fun in wearing heavy clothes which restrict movement and come in the way of the wedding celebrations.
With the use of fabrics like sheer silks, reshams and tulle, the ensemble becomes lighter and gives an ease of movement. Naturally, the modern-day brides are making the shift to lighter outfits. “In volume, technique, construction, visual impact and more importantly on the body, an attire should appear to be floating rather than dragging. It should be light, not cumbersome. Even the draping techniques are so designed that they work with the dynamics of the body and let the fabric echo the shape of the body as it moves. And sheer does this well,’’ says ace fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani, best known for his bridal
attires.
One way to ensure that the fabric looks graceful on just about everyone is to place sheer on a good background fabric. Sheer’s charm lies in the fact that it does not need any additional accessories to enhance the look. Due to this very fact, it has caught everyone’s eye.
“If a sheer fabric outfit is well-tailored and has interesting detailing, then there is no need to overdo it by wearing accessories. One should let the sheerness play its game of enticement,” says designer Vani Vats.
One of the most popular sheer variants in India today is the fully embroidered net sari. As its embroidery helps to hide the body silhouette, it can be worn by any age group, depending on how one treats the fabric.
However, before jumping on to this bandwagon, one needs to be absolutely sure that they are comfortable with wearing the fabric. It’s not a good enough reason that
because someone else looks beautiful in it, you will too. Hema Malini or Sharmila Tagore may very well look very elegant, yet ravishing in a sheer sari, but will it have the same effect on you?
Not unless you have the confidence and poise to wear the fabric with ease, warn the experts.
So, may be, it’s a good idea to start small — perhaps, a sheer sleeve or sheer back for that little black dress or wedding blouse.