60s fashion returns with palazzo pants

Palazzo pants which were once a fad during 1960s in Western countries, have made a comeback in India with WLFW Spring Summer Collection 2013, which concluded recently.

The Palazzo pants are trending out to be big this season as designers like Ankur and Priyanka Modi, Dev r Nil, Nachiket Barve, Rahul Mishra and others tried to revive the fashion on ramp.

Internationally, the trend of Palazzos is being explored by designers like Fendi, Ralph Lauren and Rachael Zoe this year. Thanks to the loose flowing silhouette and comfortable fabrics, the pants today are being worn by women. Quick on the uptake have been Bollywood actresses like Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, who have been sporting the fashion.

The history of Palazzos dates back to early 60s, when many restaurants followed a strict code of not allowing women to wear trousers. To find a way around this restriction, a group of women started wearing inventive waist pants with a very loose and a wide leg that flared out. This gave the impression of wearing a skirt backed by the comfort of wearing pants.

This style soon came to be known as Palazzo pants. Sported as evening wear and on formal occasions, Palazzos came into the spotlight when iconic actress started wearing them in Hollywood. This time WIFW -2013 designers also experimented with the style Palazzos to make their special statement.

Ankur Modi and Priyanka Modi used flowing fabrics like chiffon, jersey and georgette for their palazzos. Going with the monochromatic theme, the designer duo used miniature blocks on white base and a few floral prints near the waist line to make these pants look more innovative. The Palazzos were paired with either a black top tucked inside or using white jacket on plain back pants.

Designers Dev r Nil used honeycomb maze in the palazzos made out chiffon, while others like Nachiket Barve and Rahul Mishra used solid colours like orange, yellow and pink. Nachiket used georgettes for his creations and made them colourful by using a mix of peach and orange tones. The pant was teamed up with a printed floral yellow top and a sleek belt.

Talking about the latest fad, Anupama Dayal said, “Palazzos in different fabrics and prints can be a hit trend in the coming time. To keep the overall look stylish, one needs to keep minimal accessories. You can achieve a complete look while carrying off palazzos by teaming it with heels and stilettos. If you are wearing a jacket then a long metallic chain with a pendant will look amazing. A pleated Palazzo can look stylish as well.”