Haute fashion to beat cold climes

If the Celsius has climbed down a few notches to make you go "brrr", you can be sure that it's time to pull out your favourite coats and finest silks from wardrobe. Considering the weather conditions, top designers of the country have put together some basic as well as few out of the box fashion ideas guaranteed to make you feel warm and comfortable.

Designer Sharbari Dutta says that her sherwanis and bandhgalas made in wollen fabrics are flying off the shelves fast. "Half jackets and Nehru coats in woollen material are also doing extremely well. Blazers and coats using tweed and kantha embellishment are equally popular among my male clients", added Sharbari. The designer advocates all the heavy silks for her lady clients…kanjeevarams, satin silks, zardozi silks in right festive colours can now be draped to suit every occasion and mood.

Dutta says it's also the season for shawls and not just the Kashmiri ones. "Go for the tribal makes, the Gujarati, bandhni, party shawls. The options are endless", she said.

Accessories are also big this season, so the designer suggests plenty of colourful scarves and socks for men as well as women. Designer Abhishek Dutta advocates jackets of all shapes and sizes for the girls: from the shorter boleros to be worn with dresses and gowns to the trench coats that can be teamed up with boots to beat the cold.

Dutta says that leather jackets which would be worn in cooler places have now become popular in Kolkata as well. "A faux leather jacket is priced between Rs 3000 and Rs 5000 whereas an original is priced between Rs 8000 and Rs 10000. Combinations of tweeds and leather is also popular," he mentioned. Colours vary from camel to aubergine and blue. As far as shoes are concerned, Dutta says that thigh high boots are in for girls and leather shoes are in for men.

Designer Agnimitra Paul who works with trafficked women says that girls can wear capes and jackets and depend on layered clothes to keep them warm. Those who want to flaunt their saris can also wear cardigans to keep them warm and fashionable. Caps with colourful pompoms can be used as an accessory. While jackets look good with boots, shawls can be cut up into skirts and dresses to give it a smart look. So far as the colour palette is concerned, Paul says that pink and lavender are trendy colours.