Campus Trends

Wrap It Up

Naziba Basher
Photos: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

Global warming seems to be ruining the hype of winter this year. I leave home cuddled in my favourite sweatshirt and end up sweating like a pig under the sun. The next day, I leave home wearing cooler clothes and end up shivering, surrounded by the sudden chilly breeze. It's absolute mayhem!

But recently, I've found a good solution. A great solution, actually—keeping a muffler or a shawl with you at all times, in your bag. Not the overly-decorated, 'makes-me-look-like-I'm-50' kinds of shawls, but the much simpler, softer material, easy on the eyes, kinds of shawls. These will definitely help you tackle the current weather problem!

Mufflers have always been a little underrated. I really cannot fathom the reason behind this fact. I believe, when put together with the right kind of attire, mufflers can be the loving sidekick, any day. For example, a full sleeved white t-shirt, with blue skinny jeans and a blue muffler is never going to put you down. Similarly, mufflers can go with other kinds of outfits too, whether it is with skirts or even shalwar kameez. But the tricky part with shalwar kameez is that, you cannot wear a dupatta and a muffler together-- that is just bizarre! What you can do is, instead of wearing the usual cotton or chiffon dupattas, one can turn to the pashmina shawls, available everywhere nowadays, and use it as a dupatta and muffler at the same time.

Mufflers are readily available in clothing stores. New Market and Doja, being the hub of student shopaholics, will have abundant collections of mufflers during the harsher winter days. But, from experience, I suggest you to rummage through your mom or dad's old trunk full of clothes. I recently went through my mother's old trunk and found the cutest mufflers she used to wear back in the 70's and they are very much back in style but very hard to find as well. So, take some help from the folks, for a change, to strengthen your fashion sense.

The pashmina shawls, on the other hand, have become quite popular over the years. Whether fake or real, they serve the same purpose. And if you can find something equally comfortable and warm, why go for the originals and end up stressing out your wallet? With a kameez, whether wrapped up around the neck like a muffler or just hanging by your shoulders like a dupatta, they all go! With the more western kinds of dress up, say jeans or skirts, it's best to wear it like a muffler but just let it hang a little in front of your neckline. It gives off a more casual but sleek look. Boys should keep in mind that with western clothing, you must really have the poise and confidence to pull this off. It is much easier to wear something of the sort with a panjabi or sherwani (now that wedding bells are ringing all around the city).

The best part about these pieces of clothing is that they not only add to your attire, but are, also, a great way to keep warm and protected during cold winter days. Keeping your neck from the cold is very important and with finals coming up for university going students, a broken voice leading to a headache and fever is just not acceptable right now. So, go ahead and load up on the ever-so-handy shawls and mufflers and greet the winter with style and poise!