Splashing Colours

Unwilling to compromise on style,college students brighten up the monsoon with colourful umbrellas,flip flops and raincoats

Monsoon is famously associated with romance in the air. The rains tempt people to throw caution to the winds and dance in abandon and only the thought of muck on clothes and feet restrains enthusiasts. Some moan that monsoon and fashion do not go together and only weather-worn and rugged outfits are left to bear the seasons brunt. College students in the city,however,are fast busting this myth. Sporting trendy rain gear and teaming it with utility-based accessories,they show how to turn the tables on the unpredictable weather.

Arushee Kaur says that she has dedicated a shelf in her wardrobe to storing umbrellas of different colours and styles so that she can match them with any outfit to college. The idea is to stay protected from the rain and also look trendy, says Kaur,22,a student of National Institute of Event Management,FC campus. She also recommends flip flops as the best form of footwear when one is wading through water. Most people think that flip flops splash a lot of muck onto the legs. But if you buy those that have thick soles,the problem is solved. The straps also need to have a snug fit, advises Kaur. She buys her umbrellas from the shops on FC Road and reveals that one can get a great price if one knows the knack of bargaining. If I wear jeans,pants or anything that reaches the ankle,it is bound to get dirty,so I prefer wearing hot pants or shorts. I team these up with bright-coloured T-shirts to lift the spirits on gloomy days, says Kaur.

Sharmila Gomes is another fan of flip flops. She pairs them with Indian as well as western outfits. Neon is in vogue this year. I have two pairs of neon-coloured flip flops that I bought from a hawker on MG Road. One is pink and yellow and the other is blue and lime,and I can pair them with everything I wear,whether it is a pair of leggings and a kurta or jeans and T-shirt. But the outfit I am obsessed with this season are short jumpsuits, says 19-year-old Gomes,a student at Ness Wadia College.

Though umbrellas,available in a variety of colours and styles,act as a trendy accessory,handling it in style doesnt seem to be everybodys cuppa. For those who prefer to keep their hands free while walking through the rain,a raincoat is the fashion statement this season. From cartoon characters to the more classic variety of nude colours,raincoats are available in many styles to keep you dry during the monsoon.

Swati Jain,a student at Vishwakarma Institute of Technology (VIT),sports transparent raincoats with floral patterns. The raincoat gives a peek-a-boo effect. Since it is transparent,my clothes are not completely hidden and the floral patterns look pretty. Raincoats save me the trouble of handling an umbrella. With an umbrella,theres a chance of getting drench if a strong wind blows, says Jain.

Since the season is also infamous for hair fall and other hair-related problems,she ties opts for tight braids to fight the frizz caused by humidity.

It is an ordeal to keep my hair neat during this weather. It gets frizzy and out of control,but tying my hair up helps to keep it manageable, says 23-year-old Jain.

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