Trends

Accessorise!

Sheemtana Shameem

You have the right attire and the right attitude to make a statement, but you may still want to ask yourself honestly, is it complete without the right accessories? Often people have the best of clothes, yet end up looking average due to the lack of embellishments. And sometimes even if they have the right stuff, they don't know what to combine them with. Let's talk about some latest trends and some 'don'ts' when it comes to accessories.

Jewellery:
Most of us prefer faux or costume jewellery over precious ones for casual wear and everyday outfits. This is absolutely fine, especially since they come in the most varieties and materials to suit every taste. However the mistake that we make is we don't get which material goes with what. For example, colourful, thick plastic bangles or plastic hoop earrings are a definite no-no with shalwar kameez, unless you are a twelve year old. I personally cannot accept the idea of matching plastic jewellery with traditional wear. Instead, try out eastern styled jewellery, if not in gold then definitely in silver. Try eastern motifs like peacocks, paisleys or intricate floral designs on the jewellery. Please refrain from wearing costume jewellery with stones that sparkle, especially with your everyday clothes, and during the day! I have noticed, quite a number of times, girls attending to class wearing tacky, non-precious stone studded earrings, necklaces (oh yes!) just for the sake of matching them with their clothes. Please don't do that, for your own sake, and for the sake of others. The key is not to match all the time. Rather it is to make the best possible combination, even if you are going for contrasting colours.

This season is a lot about chunky jewellery. Materials like wood and metal are being used on bangles and rings. Gold is definitely the warmest colour to go with and antiqued works wonders. If you are pairing them with shirt dresses, you could look for oversized perspex bangles in deep purple or dark browns to flaunt your wrists. I would suggest making one statement at a time though. It is perfect for your daywear and your busy lifestyles too. So try and keep your outfit neat and low key with just one huge asymmetric cuff in a contrast colour, or throw in a pair of futuristic, edgy earrings. Reserve the dangled ones for evening unless you are attempting something that I call 'the miss-match trick'. The miss-match trick goes best with funky western clothes, where you wear a really long earring (long chain shaped ones work best) on one ear and small stud on the other. Instant attention your way! (Tried and tested!) If you wear necklaces and neck beads, then this would your time to show them off. Again, keep the keywords in mind,

'chunky', 'bold' and a lot happening on them. Wear long necklaces with the cardigans and keep your hair loose, and carry a chained shoulder purse to complete the look when you chill with your friends.

Shades:
I intend to write a piece dedicated just to sunglasses, come summer, still I will give you some pointers, since we have the sun almost all year long. Stick to the basic rules of what suits your face shape, and then focus on what is in. My personal favourites are the oversized ones in squares, ovals, and 'squovals', although they're not ideal for all types of faces. This season though, the mid sized ones rule the fashion scene. The 80's shapes are back again, hence this is the perfect time to borrow your dad's old Ray Ban aviators to wear with western outfits and your mum's colourful, and bug-eyed ones to go with your indi-wear.

Bags:
Backpacks! They are the healthiest option available to students. However, some of us girls cannot imagine the idea of a backpack on our shoulders beyond early teen years. And yes, it never goes with a kameez. So however painful they are to carry around, we prefer the one shoulder satchel and the oversized shoulder bag. My advice is to take bags to class that you would take to lunches and dinners. Yes I am referring to the little purses that you carry around, and you have a huge stack of books and folders clutched in your arms. It's impractical and looks totally unprofessional. Nowadays, all the international designer brands make the oversized bags even more stylish than the smaller ones. So to follow suit, this season, take big bags with a statement handle instead of straps.

Aside from the conventional accessorising, you could also spice up your look by focusing on things that people tend to not think of. One such adornment is a key ring. I love pretty key rings, and you can even get ones with jewels, faux pearls, and other such pretty trinkets that would go lovely with eastern styled clothing. Next you could get pretty stationeries to complement your campus wear. The decorated folders, the pencil cases with motifs etc. But make sure you do not get carried away and go out bejewelled every chance you get. Have fun while you are at it!

Photo : Internet