After getting scorched in the gruelling heat of summer, its finally time to bid the angry sun a farewell and welcome the ‘pitter patter raindrops’, if the weather forecasts are to be believed. But before the much-awaited monsoon sets in, there is a lot that you need to do – revamp your wardrobe and heighten your style quotient to suit the new season. Here are some tips and tricks to stock up a monsoon-friendly wardrobe.
Colours
Let the dreary monsoon clouds be an excuse for you to go bold and bright. Fill your wardrobe with colours like lime yellows, orange, bright pinks, greens and different shades of blue. For nights go for shades like turquoise, emerald green, jade or shiraz. Avoid white, no matter how regal or elegant it looks, it can turn out to be a disaster if you get drenched. You surely do not want to enter a party wearing a translucent or transparent dress. Go monochrome or wear stark prints like dense foliage, big floral or other nature inspired prints. Geometric prints somehow does not go with the mood of monsoon.
Take note
■ The moist monsoon air can ruin gold, silver, silks, leather and velvet. It is better to wrap them up in plastic sheets or protective jackets.
■ Avoid products with high oil content.
■ Don’t get any piercing done during monsoons.
Fabrics
Everybody is in love their old pair of jeans and life seems impossible without them, but do you really like to drag that heavy fabric throughout the day when you get drenched or catch cold waiting for it to dry? Definitely not. This season, ditch heavy fabrics like denims and bid farewell to trustworthy cottons. Instead go for lighter fabrics like, chiffon, georgette, linen or malmal and step out with confidence, because even if you get all up soaked these thin fabrics dry within minutes.
Make up
Skin in monsoon tends to get oily, and there is of course the threat of it being washed out and ruined in case of a sudden downpour. Keep base make up light and use oil-free products. Make sure eye liner, mascara, kohl are waterproof. Invest in bright and bold colours for lipsticks to compliment your clothes. For your hair, learn some fancy braids and rolls. Leaving your hair will make it look damp and lifeless.
Accessories
Take out all those chunky pieces of neck pieces, earrings, bracelets and belts that were pushed to the end of the wardrobe as heated metals in summer was not exactly fun. Invest in bright umbrellas with different eccentric and bold prints. Go fuss free with a colourful and funky rain trench coat. Wrap up the expensive leather, suede or velvet shoes and dig out those colourful flip flops. Splurge on a good rain boots that will be live saver during monsoons. As for bags, forget the fancy expensive leathers or comfy ‘jholas’. The best thing to do is to have a water proof backpack. Id that seems too boring opt for materials that are waterproof.
Cuts
All good and romantic feelings about monsoon wear off pretty soon when you struggle to get mud out from lining of your favourite dress or trouser. The best solution is to go short, preferably knee length. Grab a pair of scissors and cut off all your well-worn jeans and transform them into hot pants. Pair your favourite tees or tanks with these or mini skirts or wear a flowy short dress in bold prints and say good bye to the agonising process of rolling up your trousers or pulling up your dress gracelessly every time you wade through flooded roads. Rompers or playsuits are also a good idea.