One drape, various forms…
Every season brings in truckloads of new trends to watch out for, but the one that has enjoyed a relatively long run while surviving across seasons is the ‘dhoti drape’.
Dhoti, per se, is a traditional Indian garment and still is the rural man’s staple in some parts of India. Although technically it is a men’s garment, the modern Indian women are putting this technique of fabric draping to the best use known to sartorial sorority.
Recently, Shilpa Shetty wore a printed dhoti inspired draped skirt with a lace off-shoulder top for Indian Idol. Her ensemble incorporated the drape technique in the form of a skirt with pleats on either sides. A silver coin choker and traditional mojris gave it an ethnic edge.
Sonam Kapoor’s ensemble resembles the traditional Punjabi outfit of kurta and tamba. Here, the fabric has been manipulated using the traditional pleating technique to form a skirt. The plain pastel look is brought to life with a chunky silver neckpiece, drop earrings, finished with a pair of nude pencil heels. We can’t agree more with the style mavens choice of sleek footwear for the roomy silhouette.
No one quite wears the dhoti style like Sonam Kapoor. And this sartorial favorite Anamika Khanna design for Filmfare awards in 2015 created quite a rage among fashion obsessed. Our memory was refreshed from Kishwer Merchant’s wedding when her model friend Prayanca Talukdar wore a smart translation of Sonam’s ensemble. While Sonam’s outfit was more conservative and chic, Prayanca’s ensemble was more edgy and bold. If you fall in the bold category then Prayanca’s adaptation is the one for you.
Sanaya Irani’s ensemble from the Roshni Chopra label is chic and classy. It comprises of a silk crepe side draped skirt, layered with a lightly embellished ombre cape and embroidered crop.
Television hottie Nia Sharma wore her own adaptation of the drape in a metallic gold color paired with a high neck crop. She gave a modern touch to her outfit by accessorizing it with an embellished little purse, matching shoes and a watch.
At the recently held Amazon India Fashion Week, ace designer Tarun Tahiliani presented an intricately printed dhoti pants which was accentuated with fringes paired with a versatile kaftan style kurta.
Alia Bhatt’s traditional ensemble from Payal Singhal is tulip pants (modern version of dhoti pants) and a short kurta combo paired with a dupatta.
Although this style has been around for a while, it sure is not going out of trend anytime soon. It not only offers comfort but also a unique twist to normal outfits. Nailing this trend is actually very easy. Wear it with confidence, top it off with quirky accessories and last but not the least, this drape works the best with softest and the silkiest fabrics.
