Every season brings along with itself something new and exciting. Talking about the monsoon, everyone in the Indian subcontinent gets excited about the welcome relief from the scorching heat. There is also a host of fruits and vegetables that are available in this season. However, the one thing that bothers most women is how they should dress up to tackle the mess of the monsoon season.
The fashion trends of the monsoon season dictate that one must avoid specific fabric and stick to those that are easy to dry. Colors and patterns also have a role here, and those that camouflage the stains are preferred. The trick here is cutting down on the brocade or zari work while wearing a lehenga and going for appropriate designs. Also, talking of salwar kameez, it is best to give the Patiala or salwar a miss and opt for churidar. Do not go for the ones that have a lot of flares. Instead, in your best interests, stick to straight cuts or asymmetric cut kurtas that are not too long.
Indeed, there is a whole host of things that should be born in mind while dressing up for the monsoon. This article takes into account all of that and discusses the monsoon trends for the different types of women’s ethnic wear.
Different Types of Women’s Ethnic Wear
01. Go For Churidar Or leggings As The Preferred Bottom Wear:
Irrespective of the city you live in, the season of rains means the season of puddles and collected water. To survive that, one of the first precautions is to avoid wearing Patiala or loose salwar kameez. Stick to churidars and preferably go for ones that are well fitted. You may also choose to wear leggings. This will help you to navigate through messy puddle-filled roads with minimum mess.
02. Use Scarves And Stoles:
You can give the traditional dupatta matching your salwar kameez a miss and opt for contrast scarves. Multicolored ones or the ones with jungle prints are in vogue this monsoon. Not only will they give a completely different look, but they are much easier to manage. Since the conventional dupattas are really long, they tend to get wet more easily if you accidentally sweep the floor with it while not noticing. The smaller size of the scarves also allows you to cover your head with it if the situation such arises (thereby preventing your hair from coming in direct contact with the rain and moisture).
03. Avoid kurtas With A lot Of Flares:
The monsoon season calls for shorter kurtas that are light to carry and will dry off easily even if they do get wet. Try to go for kurtas that have a slit on either side as those provide you the maximum mobility. Avoid kurtas that come below the knee or ones that have a lot of flares. Simple, bright-colored straight cut kurtas are the most appropriate clothing for the moon season in a country that receives as many showers of rain like that of the Indian subcontinent. These days, asymmetrical kurtas are in fashion, and they call for the ideal monsoon wear as they are easier to maintain as compared to that of traditional fairy kurtas.
04. Choose the Appropriate Fabric for Your Ethnic Wear:
Wearing pure cotton clothes should be avoided since they take a lot of time to dry up. When wet clothes stay on your body for long hours, it exposes you to host of viral infections. To avoid that, try wearing chiffon, nylon or georgette clothing during the monsoon season. Poly-cotton is also accepted. You may choose to wear either saree, salwar kameez or kurtas based on your comfort level. However, make sure that you adhere to fabric preference.
05. Opt For Kurtas With lining:
Once a piece of clothing gets wet, it often assumes a transparent form. It is particularly true in case of clothing of lighter fabric or lighter colors. This may make you look indecent and prove to be uncomfortable for you. To avoid such a situation, always go for kurtas that have a lining.
06. Make Sure Your Kurtas Fit Well:
While it is okay to wear kurtas that are a size larger and provide extra air circulation during the summer months, the same will prove to be a nuisance to you during the monsoon. Once wet, the loose kurtas will stick to your body making you look very unsmart. Hence, to avoid that, make sure that you are monsoon ready by getting all your kurtas body fitted for the season.
07. Go For Culottes Instead Of Palazzos:
This point is particularly useful for those girls who are fond of wearing palazzos but are unable to do so because of the rains. Culottes are just as comfortable as ethnic palazzos but save you from the mess that is associated with the palazzos during the monsoon. You can team these with short kurtas to look glamorous while being your most comfortable self.
08. Keep Away From White, Off White And Beige:
These are the colors that are very susceptible to stains. Moreover, as the weather outside is very gloomy, you can add some color to your life as well as in those around you by wearing bright colors. Try to go for brighter shades of pink, blue or orange as these are known to be mood elevators in addition to being easy to maintain. If you are not fond of bright colors, stick to shades like black and dark brown as they hide dirt marks Try to go for printed materials as much as possible since it is easier to camouflage specks of dirt in them.
09. Saree For Regular Wear:
For women who are fond of wearing sarees regularly, there is no reason for you to avoid doing so just because the rains are here. Try to go for printed chiffon sarees. You may also choose georgette as these fabrics dry up easily during the damp weather making them very easy to maintain. If you are looking to wear sarees to formal occasions during the monsoon season, there can be nothing better than single-colored chiffon or georgette sarees.
10. Dressing Up For Monsoon Weddings:
Just because it is the rainy season (and it is pouring cats and dogs), it does not mean that you will have to bring down your style quotient while attending weddings. Get a good collection of crepe silk sarees with zari borders. However, try to avoid pastel shades while making your pick. Avoid sarees with heavy brocade or embroidery work as dirt and mud tend to stick to them making them very difficult to maintain.
11. Accessorize Your Ethnic Wear Well:
Normally one would wear long traditional earrings with ethnic wear. During the monsoon, you can give oxidized jewelry a miss and rather focus on accessorizing your look with rubber watches and plastic jewelry. Make sure that you do not put on too much makeup since most of it will get smudged in the rain and ensure that your kajal and eyeliner is waterproof. As far as shoes are concerned, go for low platform heels to accompany your ethnic saree or salwar.
RELATED QUESTIONS
What Type Of Bags Should One Carry With Ethnic Wear During The Monsoon Season?
During the monsoon, one should avoid leather bags as they take a long time to dry up once they are wet (and give off a lousy stink meanwhile). Try to go for canvas bags. While choosing canvas bags for the monsoon season, try to go for bright or dark colors as the pastel shades get dirty very quickly and can bring down the glamour quotient of your overall outfit.
Is It Wiser For Women To Stick To Western Outfits For The Monsoon Months?
There is no need for women to wear western outfits during the monsoon months. Pieces of Denim, which are an essential component of casual wear for both men and women are made from heavy fabrics. These take hours to dry and are incredibly uncomfortable during the rainy days. With a little bit of wardrobe management, it is easy to pull off the rainy season while looking your best in ethnic wear. That is why, many women who would otherwise wear western wear the whole round, choose to ethnic clothing for these few months.
Is It Perfect For Mixing And Matching Your Kurta Leggings During The Monsoon?
During the monsoon, you will be wearing more of dark-colored leggings and churidars. Now it is evident that you may not have too many of those in your wardrobe. There is no reason for you to worry here, and you can safely go for wearing your regular kurtas (that you would otherwise wear with light colored leggings)with these. This increases your clothing options by leaps and bounds, and you will be able to make style statements while ensuring that you do not spend a bomb on it.
