Checkmate!

Manpriya Singh

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The day stripes feel too straight and dots way too spotted, it’s cool to be square. The summer calls for cool, anyway. Long season, longer hours brings along the days when one wardrobe is not enough. Staple winter checks for inspiration have been the age-old spring detour. Blown out plaids, colourful hounds tooth to the darling of the season, gingham; checks for the summer, why not?

“It’s the reverse trend. The patterns associated with kilt and plaids, which are a staple winter wear are being experimented with as summer wear for quite some seasons now. Likewise, we have summer jackets and classic sweater patterns on summer tops. There is something inherently attractive about mixing seasons. It’s a similar story with checks,” shares Payal Gurwara, of the label Out Box, who’s just finished a collection comprising trench summer dresses.

Like Michelle Dockery (of Downton Abbey fame) did by sporting a tartan printed cotton blend dress at the Golden Globes kick-off party last year. The summer dress in winter colours provided the much needed respire from the usual florals and spring pastels.

Meanwhile, Rihanna deemed it right to don one in bubblegum pink at a cosmetic giant’s charity event.

Gingham style

On the International ramps and wherever the collections follow, gingham has been the pattern to be excited for—as the designer’s muse for spring 2015 and as the celebrities resort for red carpet alternatives. Popularised by the likes of Audrey Hepburn and Brigitte Bardot, gingham, the checked cotton fabric, suddenly had fashion heavyweights declare gingham as the print of the spring 2015. Oscar de la Renta, Altuzarra and Michael Kors drew a horizontal and a vertical against the red, pink and blue. Closer home, celebrated designer Aneeth Arora has explored and incorporated the pattern, rather consistently in newer ways in almost every collection since she revived the pattern way back in Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2013.

“It’s not about trends for me. I work on the pattern because it inspires me. In most of the textile traditions, be it from Mongolia to India, check was the first pattern to emerge after plain fabric. So, for me it is a basic textile with graphic appeal,” shares Aneeth on how, personally for her, the inspiration has been endless.

She adds, “If you look at something as basic as a gamcha, every state has its own checkered pattern.” The endless inspiration brings along countless possibilities.

Trend-o-meter

There can never be earmarked rules in fashion, much less in matters of style. Shares Aneeth Arora, “A lot of people say that checks are not for those on the heavier side but that’s not true. There’s a right to wear anything and if you feel like it, go ahead.” 

• When opting for gingham or other checks, the basic rules of any print apply. Gingham is essentially for the summer and teamed up best with all white trousers/skirt/shirt as the case may be. 
• Do not overdo the trend. While print on print has been spoken about currently, this can’t be true of gingham on gingham or even check on check. Unless it’s a full gingham suit, preferably in black and white. 
• While opting for plaid (or tartan) pattern in the summer, prefer an obvious summer silhouette or garment. For instance, a sleeveless short dress rather than a full sleeve shirt.

manpriya@tribunemail.com