Care about style or comfort?

When it comes to fashion, does comfort always come first? I think there can be no definite answer to this ...

Delhi is blazing and Mumbai is sultry through out. When it comes to fashion, does comfort always come first? I think there can be no definite answer to this as I see men walk around in suits and neckties even in this heat, while women still flaunt skin tight jeans and body hugging tops.

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Perhaps, fashion overrides the sense of comfort for many. If style is all about comfort, it isn’t evident in what we see around us. Agreed, people nowadays are always in the confines of air-conditioned comfort, but there are times when they are outdoors braving the heat in clothes that are actually meant for winters. We know that black absorbs all colours of light turning it into heat. Still we see many wearing black in peak summer. Linen is one of the best fabrics for summer, but not many are seen in linen in this weather. Clothes should ideally stay away from the body in summer, but what we see is figure-hugging outfits in this heat.

No, I’m not attempting a discourse on what to wear or what not to in this heat, all I am stating is that style-conscious people often give the comfort factor a miss when it comes to choosing their wardrobe. So when style takes over, comfort takes a backseat. Even at fashion weeks often we get to see clothing lines by fashion designers that are not quite suited for summer. Models are seen sweating under layers of clothing on hot summer days.

While all of these may be true, the fact is that those who want to indulge in style do so regardless of the weather. At the recent Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, where the weather showed no mercy to those who dared to venture there, this was evident among the guests. Suits, jackets, full-sleeved shirts, fitted silhouettes, layers of fabrics… what the heck, when it comes to style, no one really minds sweating it out!