A girl like you...

This Women’s Day, embrace the fashion queen in you. Monica Oswal gives a low-down on the trending styles...

Flowing against the current’ sounds hard, right? And it is even tougher when is about going against what the world calls ‘fashion’. Fashion is a parade you cannot miss even on a rainy day or on a bad hair day! Looking good every day to stay inspired and give your individuality wings is no sin, so here are some essential style trends every beautiful woman can follow and stay ahead in the fashion game.

For the casual you

To bring out the style diva in you, casual wear is here to the rescue. To create your own fashion statement during a party or a movie night or a get-together, you can think of going wild and bold by trying new prints, accessories, fabric and colours.

• Puff shoulders: The vintage puff shoulder has made a comeback this season. Try puffed sleeve in tops, dresses and blouses. Wear black pencil dresses with puffed sleeves and become a head-turner at a party. Long length shirts and dresses with dramatically oversized shoulders and sleeves paired with ankle length boots create the perfect ‘cool’ girl look that you can pull off with elan this season.

• Rainbow prints: A riot of colours is the new subtle. Rainbow prints in stripe, checks and abstract are wearable this season. So, be it a dress or a crop top, exploring rainbow prints in the casual wear section for a perfect movie date sounds good.

• Fashion zeitgeist: Breezy white dresses, strappy sandals, silky midi skirts, smoked tops, checked pants and asymmetric necklines are in fashion. Feathers are making a comeback. Lilac is the new millennial pink this season and red and pink is the combination to incorporate into your wardrobe.

• Teddy coats: Teddy coats are as comfortable as they are versatile.

• Leopard prints: There’s no denying that the leopard print is timeless — but 2018 saw the trend reach boiling point, and it’s definitely time for a temporary ease-off.

• White tank top: A perfectly fitted white tank is a must for this season. Team it up with wide-leg culottes or palazzos, with jeans or sailor pants or Jodhpuris, and accessorise it with a printed scarf and a messy updo.

• Ankle-length boots: This autumn, invest in a pair of ankle-length, heeled sock boots and wear with bare legs and midi skirts for the perfect transitional look. Team them with boho maxi dresses or head-to-toe denim and get a sporty and fashionable look.

• Metallic magic: If you are not comfortable with metallic fashion and do not want to miss out on an integral part of this season’s fashion trend, then wear metallic nails. Golden, silver, purple or orange, choose what you like and mix and match them for some extra quirky style.

For the professional you

Women are really lucky. We get to play with fashion and take style to work in our office outfits. Workplace fashion needs a balance of glamour and subtlety. While corporates have a buttoned-up dress code, one can still play with style and fashion.

Following a simple guideline can glam up the everyday ‘front-button blouse and pants’ look for you and give your personal style a place in the work environment, too. Here are a few tips to nail the business formal dressing style and look appropriate and polished.

• Go low on colour: Colour plays a significant part in the professional image. Wear colours based on a neutral colour palette such as black, maroon, white, navy, cream, charcoal and grey. Most of these colours work well in pantsuits, skirts and shoes. You can also mix black with softer feminine colours that are appropriate like ice blue, lilac, soft pink and ivory.

• Mix complicated hairstyles & accessories: Remember, prints compensate for accessories. Skip dangly earrings, loud headbands and even bright glasses to keep the look more professional. Solid colours still give you some scope for accessories like diamond studs, pearl studs or neckpieces. Avoid using too many different colours in accessories. Try braids like fresh braid, side braids, French roll, etc. A sleek hairstyle is in right now, so try a neat wraparound ponytail. Keeping hair open is an option for those with short hair, so it is advisable for women with long hair to keep it tied up.

• Prints, smaller the better: You do not want to draw unnecessary attention towards you at the workplace, so playing low key on the prints is the best strategy. Thoughtful detailing of the prints is catchier than loud prints. Floral prints are in fashion, so try playing with them while choosing your blouse. You can choose small rose prints on a white base or on a pistachio base.

• Mindful pairing: A balance in bottom wear and tops is a must. Find the right balance of cutesy prints like flowers, cats or hearts with traditional bottom wear. Whimsical patterns can be appropriately paired with more conservative fare like cigarette pants, simple skirts, dark cardigans and solid-coloured tights. Present yourself as an organised, professional person by carrying a bag with structured styles in basic leather colours (black, beige or brown). Slouchy, or printed and colourful handbags can look sloppy.

• Cuts & curves: When talking about professional work clothes, all suits should be tailored to fit your body. Stick to items with a contemporary cut and avoid anything that is ill-fitting or too large. The perfect Indian body type is mostly the guitar or pear shape (slightly heavier bottom), so go for nicely fitted trousers and pants. Note that pants should be fitted but not too tight and should be free of visible panty lines. Skirts should end at the knee or below, and especially for straight styles like pencil skirts, they should be loose enough to sit down comfortably. Do not wear tight-fitting clothes to work.

So, what are you waiting for? Follow these fashion tips and become a fashion queen.

(The author is executive director, Monte Carlo)