JOIN USAll you need is this wardrobe essential to add a spin to an otherwise drab or ordinary outfit.Has Katrina Kaif’s sequined black shrug in Ek Tha Tiger caught your eye? Well, the good news is you may just find a similar one at a mall nearby.
A couple of years back, the word ‘shrug’ would bring to our mind a black, three- quarter-sleeved, lycra garment which could be worn with a sleeveless kurti, a razorback or a tube top. But now, shrugs have created a whole new avatar for themselves altogether. Available in myriad colours, textures, sizes and materials, they have now become the favourite accessory of every girl.
Moving ahead from lycra, shrugs are now available in cotton, net, wool, chiffon, nylon, crochet and even satin, providing us with the option to mix and match our outfits with these shrugs. It is not just college students or young professionals who are addicted to shrugs — a trip to the nearby mall and I have found women of almost all ages flaunting a shrug.
Judging by the rate at which these shrugs have been gaining popularity, it can be confidently said that they have grown out of being just an accessory to being an essential.
“For me, shrugs are versatile. I can use one with a tank top for college and I can even use it while using public transport after a night out,” says Tapasya Mitra Mazumder, a media student.
If a pair of jeans and a simple top sounds boring to you, you can just throw a colourful shrug around you and transform the whole look and make it more interesting.
A shrug can also be an extension of your personality. If you love colours and enjoy carrying off a funky look, you can try shrugs in bright yellows, pinks or even red.
But if you like more subtle shades, then you can opt for honey, beige, lilac or even a moss green. Srijoyee Ghosh, a student of Mass Communication says, “Since they are available in a lot of colours and silhouettes, they go with a lot of outfits and transform your entire look.”
As far as designs are concerned, where once upon a time puffed-sleeved shrug used to be the epitome of fashion, now there seems to be too many to choose from. At the Tibetan Market in Bangalore, you can be spoilt for choice. Short, waist-length, jacket style, ones with bows, beads and sequins are some of the many existing styles. You even get shrugs that are modelled on trench coats. Shrugs come in so many varieties that you will find your perfect shrug no matter what your body type is.
If you are on the heavier side, you can try shrugs in cotton or chiffon with flowing designs which help in concealing that extra bulge. You can also try the clingy lycra variety or netted shrugs while the long-sleeved, flowing shrugs are best for those who are pear-shaped.
The interesting thing about these shrugs is that even though some of them are heavily layered, they can be worn even during summer because they are made of light, sweat-absorbent material. The wardrobe essential starts from Rs 250 and can go up to Rs 750.
“The sale of shrugs has improved a lot. More and more people, especially college students come to buy our shrugs,” says Dolma Chodom, a shopkeeper at Tibetan Market.
With new varieties of shrugs flooding the market every day, and with the versatility with which these shrugs can be used, it is certain that no matter what the material, shrugs are here to stay.