From retro to fashion bizarre

"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man" – Heraclitus' (Greek philosopher) quote implies that you cannot step into the same river twice because you are changing and the river is changing. It is the same with fashion; it is always in a state of flux. And once you step into a new pair of shoes, you never really go back to wearing the old ones. Fashions come into vogue and then fade away because humans are restless, they love change. Different styles, colours and looks, make one feel confident, fresh and novel so one is always looking for the next trend, the new fad.

Breaking the monotony of daily life is necessary. While living life in the fast lane, we demand whatever comfort we can get. And when you are working for the whole day, what's better than wearing comfortable yet stylish clothes. Alexander McQueen has said, "Fashion should be a form of escapism, and not a form of imprisonment." If you are comfortable in something, walk around in it as if it's your own skin. If you are confident in what you are wearing, people will notice you, and who knows, you may well become a trendsetter!

Something strange has been happening in the past few years. We have become social media prisoners. 2016 was all about the '90s, 2015 was obsessed with the '70s — this time, things are getting a little bit more out there. 2017 is a mix of trends from the '80s, early 2000s and a little bit of the '90s.

It's not even six months into 2017 and we have already seen some really weird fashion trends cropping up (some continuing from previous years) and believe it or not, people have been following these trends. A few of these which made their way into 2017 are:

Marble lips: It is amazing how these beauty bloggers always come up with such piece of artwork. Marble lips are the newest mesmerising makeup trend going viral on Instagram, with makeup artists puckering up to show off their glam creations in this trend. And if you want to try this picture-worthy makeup look, just google 'marble lip art tutorial' and dozens of youtube videos will pop up. Meanwhile, I can barely even apply regular old red lipstick without messing it up.

Fake mud jeans: There is absolutely no explanation for this. Fake mud jeans are a thing now and they will cost you $425, or Rs 27,000. Twitter slammed these jeans by Nordstrom saying, "Just go roll around in a pair of Walmart jeans, you fool!" and no sentence can better describe such idiocy.

Feather eyebrows: Why would anyone copy such a bizarre thing in the first place? It was makeup artist Stella Sironen who started this trend on Instagram and people came up with their own different versions. Well, at least it's a relief for those who hate threading those long eyebrows constantly, right?

These are only three out of hundreds of bizarre fashion trends out there on social media. Some are curated by fashion bloggers and some are born out of sheer monotony. But it is not all bad in the trending sphere or as Aashmeen Munjaal, a celebrity make-up artist puts it, "Be it make-up, eyeliner, hair-do, the old era is coming back with a bang. Fashion is something which is always revolving in a circular manner, whatever goes away comes back. If we talk about make-up, nowadays, more matte bases are in. Even winged, angled and thick eyeliner with thick kohl are very much in fashion. Thick brows are in trend, along with pale and metallic lip shades. Hair trends like huge bouffants, curl extensions, braid extensions and elaborate wig hairstyles are back in fashion again. To sum up, fashion of the bygone era is the fashion of today's time."

Carolina Herrera, a Venezuelan-American fashion designer known for her "exceptional personal style" and for dressing various First Ladies, including Jacqueline Onassis, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, and Melania Trump, has said, "Fashion has always been a repetition of ideas, but what makes it new is the way you put it together." Numerous designers and stylists are trying to bring back the 'classics' in their own way, from different draping styles of a saree, to fringes incorporated with laser cut hairstyle.

Nostalgia hits us really hard. People born in the '60s or '70s know all about the vintage trends. But in the 21st century, how some of these old world trends are coming back is interesting. Even on fashion ramps, it is almost as if designers have exhausted all their innovative ideas and have decided to merge the grunge with modern looks.

High-waisted straight denims: Straight denims are what most of the young girls are seeking. Teaming them up with cute crop tops and contrasting bellies is what's trending today. These are comfortable, stretchable, compared to the so called 'flexible jeans' and looks cool if worn with the right attitude.

Denim overalls: Fan of F.R.I.E.N.D.S? Then you must remember the style diva Rachel and her denim overalls are what stole the show. It is a treat for the people who love their comfort zone and still want to look sexy.

Round glasses and collars: Chokers of the '90s are "in." Go out on the streets and you will see almost every girl wearing a black collar: laced, solid, with a pendant or anything. And during a sunny afternoon, sunglasses are a must. After Lisa Haydon wore those quirky round glasses in the film Queen, girls went gaga for them.

Fishnets: If you are not wearing fishnets under your ripped jeans this year, then what are you doing? For some, fishnets are a Nay but for many it's a Yay - it depends on your personal choice.

Checked shirt: In the late '90s it became obvious that checked shirts don't look good on just men. They look super cool and casual if paired with the right accessories like aviator sunglasses, ripped jeans and boots.

Cold shoulder sleeves: Such tops feature a flash of skin just on the top of the arm. The style is gorgeous and is a hot favourite among women who want to look slimmer and stylish.

Platform shoes: There isn't a single lady left now who doesn't own these chic shoes or boots. There are two versions of platforms – one is space age and the other simply flat platform boots. Remember those giant shoes the Spice Girls used to wear? The towering space age footwear made a huge comeback on the runway this year and is adored by its loyalists.

The list goes on, if you pick out everything that has made a comeback lately, including black leather jackets, floral dresses, tracksuits, leggings and military boots. But there is one fabric that has completely taken the fashion industry by storm and that is Khadi. It had been popular among the masses before Independence. Recently, Khadi went international, with rising popularity among foreigners. It is becoming a style statement amongst youngsters, who want that modern look with a desi touch.

As the saying by Ralph Lauren goes, "Fashion is not necessarily about labels. It's not about brands. It's about something else that comes from within you." At the end of the day, you should be comfortable with what you wear, be it Khadi, bell-bottoms or a skirt.