Boho Blues
When you imagine the perfect boho-outfit we are sure that the first few colors that come to your mind are bright shades of yellow, red, and pinks peppered with white. And not to forget embroidered detailing and layers of silver jewelry. While this sounds perfect, we have our eyes set on a more upscale boho-look.
A deep midnight blue is where our minds at, thoughts of being draped in sheets of serene blue, no clutter just visual harmony. We aren’t just picturing good old classic solid blue, our spring summer boho-vision is more along the lines of bursts of florals, mini-tassels, and complementary embroidery.
Some key pieces that you will need to ride the summer bathed in boho-blue, are a little like the list we have built below:
- Boss Pants: A pair of skinny fit ankle length pants in midnight blue, with embroidery or glass-work detailing at the waist or edges are a statement piece. If subtle boho is your thing then this piece is your baby. You can style it up with a floral top with tassels or dress it down with a button-down blue shirt. Accessorize with chunky bangles in salmon pink and gold.
- Ethnic Essential: Next up is long A-line kurta with button detailing and embroidery at the top in bright hues of pinks and greens. A piece like this can be worn traditionally as well as with a pair of denims if you open the buttons and let it fall like a duster. Accessorize with a layered necklace in silver and a few rings.
- Goddess Maxi: An all-time favorite in your spring-summer wardrobe has to be a vacation-ready maxi. Something long, something flowy, and something with a lot of drama. A midnight blue dress with crazy floral patterns is just what you need. Style it with a thick waist-belt preferably one with embroidery or metal detailing. And complete the look the with camel brown strappy flats and shoulder-grazing earrings. Tie your hair up in a messy bun or side-sweep your hair so that your earrings get their day in the sun.
The last thing and possibly the most important aspect of your look is the make-up, keep yourself hydrated, lather on some sunscreen, and keep those lips bright.
The perfect match
Have you ever looked at a piece of clothing so bright and bursting with prints that it confuses your mind a little, you’re attracted to it yet a little hesitant of how loud and proud it is. We say, take a chance, grab the most flamboyant piece which goes against all your current wardrobe habits, and style it in your own unique way.
The thing about pieces with brash personalities is that they do all the work for you, the mash-up of dizzying prints in contrasting colors, the tiny design details like ruffles and cut-outs, and the overall flattering silhouettes just do all the talking. All you have to do is throw them on and live vicariously through them.
With spring-summer blooming around every corner, you need a few boisterous pieces to partake in the joy of the season changing. And there are two essential pieces that you will need to start with. A dress and a skirt. Sounds simple? Well it is!
Keep your eyes peeled for a beautiful egg-yolk bright yellow dress and skirt. Each unique in their own way and each serving their own little purpose. For the dress, go for one which is cinched at the waist and flows out from there. An off-shoulder or cut-out shoulder is an add-on. In terms of print, the crazier the better. Complex prints always make for better instagram stories and meatier compliments. Style your dress with leather brogues, retro shades, and a compact box-bag. So that while your dress is insane your accessories are calm and collected to create balance.
For a skirt, depending on your body type go for either an A-line or straight-fit. Look for a piece with red and blue color prints as they will bring out the yellow perfectly. Style the skirt with a crop top in a similar color or if you want to turn it down a notch then choose a solid color like red or black. Just make sure the top is in the same color as one of the colors in the print of the skirt. Accessorize with light essentials in silver and slip-on shoes.
We can’t decide which look we like better and since we can’t help decide get your credit card out ladies, it needs a little greasing.
Impress With Prints
Styling ethnic clothes for the workplace is one of our favorite pet projects. We like to see women decked in strong prints and sharp cuts, immersed and passionate about their jobs and killing it with their wardrobe. It’s what fairytales are truly made of, not all that other fluff.
This season we are thinking, bold pay-attention-to-me prints like Aztecs. Usually this print is all over pinterest in shades of baby pinks, and powder blues sprinkled with gold and silver but that’s not what we are leaning towards. We are thinking strong palettes of blacks, red, browns, and yellows. High-contrast colors which make a statement when blended well together.
If you like where this is going, then here are the 3 styles you should play around with
- Aztecs at Work: A straight-fit long-length black kurta with a nehru collar paired with a burgundy red and bottle green aztec dupatta. Pleat the dupatta tightly so that it sits taut on your shoulder and pull the look together with a medium sized leather belt around your waist. Not too tight and not too loose. Complete this look with black leggings and a pair of black or silver kolhapuris. Accessorize with a silver cuff and a watch.
- Aztecs like to Party: Make your crop-tops and off-shoulders do a little of the heavy-lifting for this look. Pair a red top with pants or a midi-length fitted skirt in an aztec print, make sure that the dominant color in the aztec print is either the same shade of red as the top or a camel brown both of which will complements the top. Accessorize with chunky gold colored costume jewelry like big hoops, a waist chain, or stacks of sparkly bracelets. Don’t forget a nude lipstick or if you want to pull out the big guns, go for a shade of deep red.
- Aztecs on Vacation: The best time to experiment with a new style is on a vacation. Where no one knows you, you’re in a new land, and you’re bursting with enthusiasm. Next time around, pack a sheer aztec print dress which you can use as a layer on the beach over your swimsuit. Style it with a headband, a large hat, and shiny flip-flops. And of course, trendy sunglasses. Skip the additional accessories and keep it simple.
Pick a look, make it your own, and own it!
Embroidered in Style
Sometimes months pass by and you never get to dust out your decadent ethnic-wear, yet you keep collecting pieces with the hope that at the next big wedding you will look flawless. We ourselves have a mounting pile of sarees and lush kurtas which are too much for low-key events and just perfect for big blowouts which barely come our way.
The solution?
Smart-shopping. That’s it. It sounds simple in theory but wait till you’re skimming through racks of clothes and your eye only steers towards the Padmavat kind of pieces. However, to build an ethnic-wardrobe which you can get the maximum out of, go for fusion pieces.
The beauty of fusion pieces is that they blend in traditional designs with western silhouettes and cuts perfectly, thus creating a look which hits all the right notes. While shopping for fusion pieces there are 3 things to make a note of:
- Colors: Go for classic ethnic colors which not only work for your personal style but also complement the time of the year. Maharani pink, jodhpur blue, and aqua are perfect for the current season and can be worn year on year because they never go out of style
- Design: When it comes to the embroidery, print, or crystal-work, go for lighter details. Preferably on a part of your body which you would like to accentuate. If you have a flattering upper body look for pieces which have work on the top. Just make sure to grab pieces which scream- less is more. And this can also be true for pieces which have print all over, go for small prints which look airy and sublime.
- Add-ons: The icing on the cake with fusion pieces is that you have a lot of legroom to accessorize and you aren’t restricted to just traditional items. You can play around with mega-sized cocktail rings, shiny headbands, multi-layered necklaces in oxidized metals, and shoulder grazing earrings.
What we love most about fusion pieces is the flexibility to dress them up for a big shindig or dress them down for a small gathering.