The Out-of-Fashion Guide: Wear At Your Own Risk

Let’s just begin with the obvious. Unless you have been vacation-ing in Mars this entire season, you cannot help know-ing that vo-luminous, tiered skirts are passé. As the sil-houette be-comes more pared down this season, out go the gypsy skirts and poncho tops. And if you still believe in wearing them, you’re living in fashion denial.

“Thankfully, the big-tiered skirts and poncho adaptations of tops have been sent to their grave. If you’re still crazy for tiered skirts, then go in for the ones with a fitted and straight silhouette,” says designer Puja Nayyar. If you are among the countless in-dividuals who have been suffering from the tyranny of extreme low-cut jeans, then you can happily consign them to the back of your wardrobe.

That is, at least till the next fashion cy-cle brings them out. For, the waist has officially moved up. In skirts, dresses and pants, the waist is gradually mak-ing its way up and in jeans, although it remains low, it’s not dangerously so. In colours, say goodbye to turk and fuchsia; say hello to muted pastels and molten metallics. Last year’s colour palette, with its overdose of colour, left most of us run-ning for cover. Also out in the bling-bling quotient is the over-embellished look from sequins to metallic work and heavy embroidery. De-signer Rohit Bal affirms: “It’s a re- prieve from over-embellishment to-wards a cleaner look.” In short, get rid of bling-bling. Pronto! And while you’re at it, don’t forget to hide the ani-mal prints you may have stocked last year. While they were the height of fashion last year, worn by everybody from Britney Spears to Liz Hurley (who, by the way, has still not given up on them), they are nothing short of be-ing a faux pas this season. If you’re still looking for a replacement, stock on florals, polkas and stripes.

Wedges might have been the buzz-word for last year. But not any more — wedges are waning out. To stay on top, go for flats, ballerina style, sporty or even flip-flops. Flats are the height of fashion this year. The big bags from last season make way for girly totes. Beads and layered necklaces, seen on leading fashionistas like Madonna and Sarah Jessica Parker, are also out, out, out.

Ditto for chandelier earrings. An-other staple with celebrities like Aish-warya Rai and Rani Mukherjee, chan-deliers, those most versatile of earrings, were every ‘it’ gal’s dream come true. Not anymore though. “In jewellery, it’s cool to wear either single drops and longer pieces, or no jew-ellery at all,” says designer Nikhil Mehra. Last, do not forget to get rid of that relic of a bygone era—hair streak-ing. “The new trend is either full hair-colouring or shading in dark tones,” adds Puja. As they say, ring out the old, bring in the new.