Don't let that injury cramp your style!

Fashion statement

A few years ago the trend of scribbling on the cast of a fractured limb toned down the ‘pain’ element associated with the injury.

As soon as one heard of a friend who tripped over and sprained his limbs, the first thought that hit the mind was – not to buy flowers and chocolates – but to call up and find out  the right time to visit them and doodle the ‘get well soon’ wishes all over the plastered limb! Flaunting a scribbled arm is still quite hip. But Bollywood celebrities have taken this trend one notch up by showing off their slings and casts like another fashionable accessory.

Following Priety Zinta’s last year’s appearance in a shimmery black sequin sling over her arm, it was Shah Rukh Khan’s turn to appear in a snazzy knee cast after he sustained injuries during the shooting for his upcoming film, Happy New Year.
While King Khan walked in the wedding reception of Ahana Deol, Bollywood veterans Dharmendra and Hema Malini’s daughter, wearing this ultra cool knee cast, Ahana’s elder sister didn’t show a hint of discomfort as she attended all the wedding parties and ceremonies wearing glamourous slings mixed and matched with her attires.
“If one has had an unfortunate injury just like Esha did, I think it is just another stylish way to move around with a matching sling, just like I designed for her for sister Ahana’s wedding!,” says designer Amy Bilimoria.

Perhaps you could also avoid being a party spoiler at your best friend’s wedding as the designer suggests. “It will definitely take off as a style trend, as many people may want to camouflage the sling in a way that it would match the ensemble worn and take away the attention that would make one uncomfortable in any way,” says Amy adding, “The best fabrics for the sling would be any cotton stretch fibre, dyed to the colour of the outfit to be teamed up with. It should allow the skin to breathe and let the limb move comfortably.

Contrarily, designer Karn Kapoor is not taken in by this trend. He cautions, “In my opinion, there is little you can do to camouflage an injury. Making it flashy by matching it to your costume would only attract more attention, so in my professional opinion it’s a bad idea. However if you want something fancier it can always be customised. But
I would urge to stick with white or black or maybe even beige and probably use trimmings and embellishments in moderation.”

And what about slings, shouldn’t people be open to experimentation in that area? Karn says, “The fabric for casts has to be pure and breathable cotton. Sling could be crazier as they have little to do with the internal injury. Stay away from anything that adds weight to your fracture.”