Ace up your sleeve

Manpriya Singh 

A year or two ago, the uppity most in the fashion world refused to wear sleeves the traditional way. Just when it appeared that the outbreak, which once swept the streets of New York and front rows of international fashion weeks, had subsided, Meghan Markle, while at the Commonwealth Youth Forum earlier this year, showed that it’s cool to not slip your arms through the sleeves. 

While Julia Roberts most recently reaffirmed how casually throwing a blazer atop your shoulders is the cool thing, the draping technique has been practiced enough by the celebs; perfected by Kardashians and popularised by ‘it’ girls; Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Rihanna, you name it! 

Lasting trend

What makes it with fashion fraternity is more than just fad factor. Simran Arya, former blogger at The Silk Threads and freelance stylist, says it’s, “the artistic nonchalance that the style of draping stands for that resonates with those in the fashion world.” She adds, “This trend is only practical for a select few, for those who are shuttling in and out of places during cold weather a lot; since it obviates the need for getting in and getting out of your overcoat.”     

Little wonder that the trend, largely credited to Balenciaga, has stayed the course with several celebs stubbornly refusing to use sleeves.  Last to last year when Melania Trump was elevated to the status of First Lady, it wasn’t just her plaid, camel and pastel coats that made headlines; it was the fact that she never actually wore them. Rather she’d always coat sling! 

While it’s one thing to picture peacoats and overcoats over western silhouettes, quite another to picture the trend over brides and Indian outfits. Shrugs Naina Chatwal, freelance stylist with bridal photographers, opines, “We’ve have actually styled brides with slinging coats. In fact, you can’t really wear one with a saree or a lehenga, but during cold wedding galas, coat hanging off your shoulders over a saree or lehenga looks good.”   

Impractical, who cares? 

We know, we know, you can’t raise your arms and even otherwise the movement is restricted. Even the coat is not really serving its purpose of keeping the wearer warm. But then it’s cool, it’s chic and most importantly, it’s ‘in’! 

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