Cyclical trends
Fashion
By Sumona Roy

TIME was when you went to the disco, dressed in your favourite bell-bottom jeans and singlets with patches and stickers stitched all over. Then came shiny pants and you didn’t know the songs you danced to, but knew that John Travolta had something to do in Saturday Night Fever.

Thereafter, we have witnessed the Abba revival, retro going in and out and music moving from new age to the current explosion of acid rock and punk. All this while, bell-bottoms have come and gone, and come back again.

This is just one instance of how some styles never fade out. Fashion pundits might choose to attribute this to the cyclical nature of trends, if only to justify that the only thing constant in haute coutre is change. But what about the old and the new co-existing, and both remaining equally hot?

It happens all the time. For instance, there was a time when bell-bottoms gave way to shorter flares and pleated trousers in menswear, while plain shirts with long collars were replaced by prints and stripes with short collars.

Today, all these styles are back on the racks with prestigious designer labels. The only other visible difference is that there are far more choices open — from branded jeans and T-shirts to shirts with buttoned collars and drainpipes as well as flared trousers.

Likewise, sarees and salwar-kameezes never really went out of fashion. The style of tying sarees has changed though. Moreover, there is a good deal of exposure these days, especially after tank tops, mini-skirts and shorts have become popular.

In the category of kidswear too, from a time of simple colours and a limited number of brands, we see bright colours and accessories like designer watches, caps and shoes. The general styling of the attire remains unchanged.

Effectively, nothing seems to change in fashion, except the look. The basic cuts, fall and drape remain the same. And in a culture that boasts of a rich sartorial heritage, where the past constantly catches up with the present, the cyclical turn of fashion is a natural outcome.

Designers suggest it has all to do with making statements. Thus, western wear was considered perfect on formal occasions for men, and at home, they would revert to casual ethnic wear like kurta-pyjamas, or even dhoti-kurtas.

Today, jeans and trousers are worn at home and dhoti-kurtas are reserved for an occasion when the need to make a style statement arises. This works best for most Indian outfits — what was casual wear yesterday, becomes formal today and vice-versa.

Probably, the only exception to this principle could be seen in executive footwear. First, men wore only black. Then they began wearing brown also, depending on the shade of their trousers. Later, double tones came in as well. But today, formals typically mean "with laces".

Ultimately, the only determining factor is the weather. Indian designers cannot turn as forward-looking and internationalise their creations as their western counterparts because of tropical conditions. Even blazers and overcoats are irrelevant in a city like Bombay.

This also explains why international brands like Pierre Cardin and Yves St Laurent could not make much headway into India. The only foreign labels that work are limited to casuals, such as Levi’s Pepe and Nike.

But then, these have also had an influence on attitudes as women go about piercing their navels and sporting bindis while wearing jeans — an inspiration from Gwen Stefani, no doubt. The western influence is also evident in men growing ponytails and sporting earrings.

Yet, the kurta remains the standard for a fashion statement — only that the colours are getting increasingly brighter. Significantly, the role models for men are classical musicians like Amjad Ali Khan, Shivkumar Sharma and Zakir Hussain.

In women’s wear, hemlines of skirts go up and down with changes in temperature. Minis and shorts make periodic appearances. In designer sarees, bold floral prints have once again made way for smaller prints.

Flared salwar-kameezes, lehenga-cholis and jackets have acquired the status of ceremonial wear, to be sported on weddings, festivals and religious functions. It is only a matter of time before these are once again seen in parties and dinner dos in restaurants. (MF)