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Style update: Casualwear is getting a glow-up
Who killed skinny jeans? Should blazers be fitted or oversized? How big should a tote be? A quick style update before you step out
At FDCI India Couture Week 2023 there were gowns everywhere you looked. Hair was slicked back. There was enough shiny fabric for India to build its own James Webb telescope. But Tarini Manchanda, entrepreneur and Instagram’s favourite fashionista, wore a simple white shirt and embellished fishtail skirt. It was casual, but somehow dressed up too. “I only feel fashionable when I’m comfortable,” she says. “I believe in wearing clothes your way.”
Casual chic has become chicer since we all emerged from pandemic exile. Those in the know seamlessly pair their lived-in Levi’s 501s with an of-the-moment T-shirt. Trendy summer dresses are setting off Nikes so vintage, they were acquired at auction. It’s everyday wear made special. Experts weigh in on what’s in, out and in again.
Bottoms up
“Jeans at the moment are still mom style which means they are neither skinny, nor boot-cut flare. They are wide,” says Manchanda. Shivalli Jaggi Bhatia, founder of trendy and affordably priced fashion label Pink Soda Edit, says that skinny or body-shaping bottoms are best left back in the cupboard. Instead, pull out the culottes, flared bottoms, and baggy, barrel-shaped jeans, with hemlines that sweep the floor, or denims with lots of cuts and rips.
Low-rise, to everyone’s despair, is back. And even fashion folks are fighting it with all their might. “On the runway, low-rise jeans are the rage but in real life people won’t be giving up on high-rise jeans so soon because of the extra coverage and tummy control it provides,” says stylist Riza Rizvi.
Full coverage
Even the most casual of dressers now slips into a blazer when the occasion calls for a more formal, put-together look. It’s easy to dress up or down and therefore an important part of every wardrobe. This season’s blazers are bright, easy and fun to style. As for their cuts, experts are divided.
Aisha Saraf Kothari, founder of AiSPi, an e-commerce website for international fashion labels, says that oversized blazers have been the rage for the last few seasons and will continue to be. Manchanda says that they’re preferred for how flattering they are. Think of Princess Diana’s blazers, worn over shorts, dresses and trousers.
Other stylists believe that a structured and polished blazer cut will hold casual looks together. Rizvi says the cinched-in waist brings a look together in a sharper way. “We should be investing in blazers with power shoulders right now,” she says. “It’s a big trend for the extra edge it provides.” There’s royal endorsement too: Catherine, Princess of Wales loves them.
Cut it out
Fashion has been so obsessed with cut-outs on dresses that even if you’ve been living under a rock all this time, that stone is probably sporting a few cutouts. “We are seeing more cut-outs on the front now as opposed to the sides,” says Manchanda. Jaggi Bhatia has noticed this too.
As for the silhouette of the outfit, the biggest trend this season is a dress with an asymmetrical hemline. The extra leg room and easy movement this style of dress or skirt provides, tie in well with the comfort trend too.
Denim dresses up
It was missing from chic looks these past few seasons. Now, everywhere you look, denim fabric and textures are taking over. There are denim hats, denim-coated jewellery, denim dresses and jumpsuits, denim thigh-high boots and more.
“Stock up on it, I’m sure this trend will last for the next four-five seasons,” says Jaggi Bhatia. Rizvi too refers to denim as her go-to outfit this season. If the denim-on-denim look feels like it is too much, pair it, as Rizvi does, with a solid-coloured shirt or vest. Denim handbags are another way to play with the trend without making a serious commitment.
Supersize it
Oversized everything is the biggest style trend this year, says Jaggi Bhatia: “Bodycon and clinging dresses are definitely out”. The look for the coming seasons will be fitted on top and loose on the bottom.
Even bags are getting bigger. Oversized totes, inspired by the cane and jute designs of beach bags are trending. Accessories are scaling up in size too. Sunglasses are larger, hats are bigger and sneakers aka “ugly shoes” are massive.
Kothari points towards one exception to the trend: the diminutive baguette bag. Originating on the high street, this tiny bag shaped like the French bread, has taken social media by storm as it claims to offer plenty of space while being light to carry and easy to use.
Stealth wealth
When casualwear gets luxurious, it essentially creates wearable style that is comfortable but still looks high end. “People want to step away from giant brand logos,” says Rizvi. “They want to avoid looking like billboards.” One way to do it is to invest in top-quality fabrics and impeccable tailoring. Look to the cast of HBOs hit show Succession for inspiration – the office suits, the resortwear, the cashmere sweaters for pouting about daddy at home, all look high-end with no brand names in sight,
“Old money aesthetic is the keyword this season,” says Manchanda. “We’re seeing fewer logos, less bling. The trend has been to keep it clean, low key and nicely cut.”
Staying put
Some basic looks have stuck around. Kothari and Jaggi Bhatia say you can never go wrong with black. Rizvi says that co-ord sets are so versatile, they’ll stay a fashion favourite. “You can wear them together or pair each piece separately with a different garment.”
Bend the rules a bit, urges Kothari. “Don’t be afraid to push boundaries. I’m seeing a lot of inter-cultural exploration in fashion. Looks by Rahul Mishra and Gaurav Gupta being worn by the likes of Leonie Hanne, Cardi B and Aureta.”
