Being trendy with caution

Splash it

The monsoon is just a few light showers away and the lazy summer vacation is already becoming a memory. It’s now time for trendy teens in the City to get their wardrobes in shape for the new academic year. Stringent dress codes in certain colleges frown on bared arms, midriffs or knees and even insist on dupattas being worn on a daily basis.

But  teen years are the time to get experimental with fashion, to try out new cuts and designs and develop one’s individual personal style. So how do trendy colleges goers work their fashion statements into their daily wardrobes without raising any red flags on campus?

Tara Mathias likes to vary her wardrobe staples between ethnic chic and formal Western. “Colourful short kaftans, tunics or even short dresses paired with leggings look great and feel comfy. They are modest yet trendy. Ethnic styles are versatile, affordable and easy to wear. I like tight-fitting churis or harem pants paired with ganji tops or bright cotton tops. Worn with Kolhapuris which now come in an eclectic range of colours and designs they look pretty cool,” she says. As a management student she sometimes swaps her smart casual look for the corporate power dresser look — tailored and professional.

“That’s when I opt for high-waist pants or skirts with fitted collared shirts in a neat pinstripe or solid colour. For a more casual and breezy image, long loose shirts cinched at the waist with a broad belt and worn over leggings work nicely,” she adds.

Rrushmi Paul just out of Pre -University says that breaking “the dress code” is the last thing thing she wants to do while getting her college wardrobe in order.

“I like to be myself and dress comfortably. Mix and match pieces like knit churidars in jewel tones and a variety of smart tunics in different colours and prints are perfect. Then you can have a nice practical wardrobe without any hassle,” she explains.

For degree student Shraddha Patel, the buzz word for college fashion is kurtas. “You can find them in all kinds of colours, styles and fabrics. Short or long, they are versatile and can be worn with almost anything. Besides they work within the most picky dress code,” she says, adding. “I like kurtas in linen, cottons and natural fabrics that breathe. They come in all kinds of shades from neutrals to earth tones and from bright peppy colours to sober blacks and greys. Wear them with a striped dupatta or a block printed scarf for some extra pizzazz.” But as an eye-catching accessory, however, Shraddha says that nothing works better than a bag that makes a true fashion statement. Bags come in all kinds of styles and designs, with bold prints, embellishments or jewelled accents. They can be the perfect mix of practicality and fashion sense if chosen right she feels.