Modern makeover for blouses

There was a time when simplicity was the key when it came to the traditional Indian attire, sari. Slowly, the trend shifted and heavily embellished saris with sombre blouses ruled the roost. But in recent times, blouses have undergone a major makeover, as t-shirts and loose kurtis have been used as blouses. Continuing this transformative tradition is the trend of draping a simple sari and teaming it with embellished blouses. This ageless garment has been revamped, by giving it a stylish fix and modern edge which is rooted in tradition. 

A little creativity with the blouse neck, its back design and the work on it can give a facelift to your simple attire. From halter neck to jacket style, to boat neck to backless; from asymmetrical neck to knotted back and from high collar to sheer, blouses embellished with zari, gota, swarvoski, crystals, thread work, kundan have become a rage.

And when Bollywood divas like Deepika Padukone, Kangana Ranaut, Sonam Kapoor among others wear this with panache, we all have a reason to believe that the trend is here to stay.

Blouses are also being styled more like crop tops that one can always team up with skirts, trousers, dhoti pants for different occasions.

“These blouses not only add glamour to your personality, but this trend has also minimised people’s concentration on jewellery. You can variate a lot in heavy blouses,” says designer Masumi Mewawalla, from the label Pink Peacock.

However, there are some pointers which one should keep in mind before adopting the trend. “This style should look balanced. The blouse should not be too heavy for the sari or for the person, neither it should be too light because that will make you look dull and unbalanced. Also, if you have a bright-coloured blouse, your sari should be of a neutral or a dull colour and vice versa. For example, if the blouse is red, the sari should be black or beige. These kind of combinations help one look balanced and beautiful when flaunted with good makeup, hairdo and accessories,” notes Delhi-based designer Ridhi Arora.

So, now that you have got the hold of this sizzling trend, here are some suggestions that are a must for your wardrobe. “A gold heavy stitch embroidery blouse will be a good bet. It is versatile and can be teamed up with various sari,” suggests designer Jyoti Sachdev Iyer. Also, the jodhabai blouse look or the heavy gota jacket blouses are a hot topic.