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Trousers to pant for PACESETTER
VRISHALI WAIKAR Centrespread Bling it
on
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Trousers to pant for The change started happening at the beginning of this decade. Men's trousers have not only become bold, exciting but experimental, too. Globally, men are going in for bold and bright colours, once considered feminine — pillar-box red, flaming yellow, fiery orange, leaf green, cobalt blue, etc. Once staid and plain, trousers are now using prints with a vengeance — batik, military, floral and even polka dots. Styles, too, have gone radical with loose, ankle length, harem to low-crotch trousers. Small polka-dot patterns and other geometric patterns can be seen not only on shirts but also on the pants, albeit in a subtle manner. Camouflage prints in various colours are also a big draw. Trousers and denim jeans are also coming with various wash effects, like cold-marbled effect on denims, heavy twills, acid-inspired dyed tones on denim, bleached-out jeans and others. The fitting of trousers, too, will see a change. A slim fit would be the look this season. Narrow bottoms and cigarette pants are going strong this season. Wide-leg and voluminous trousers are also entering in casual and outdoor-wear segment. Harem pants or low-crotch pants are popular with the younger lot. Mr Smarty pants Eye-catching trousers, in-your-face shirts are the key to keep the rest of your look fuss-free and neutral. If you pair your printed items with classic wardrobe staples not only will you avoid creating a patterned mess, but you will also allow your statement piece to take the centre stage. If you're looking for inspiration about the key motifs look no further than the season's favourites: floral, tropical, camouflage, ikat, bandhani and aztec-inspired designs. Neutrals always rule. "A bold statement from an international celebrity can be beautifully translated to our native Indian styles, customising with subtle detailing and yet staying with international trend. However, fashion and trends shouldn't be followed blindly. These need to be integrated with one's region, lifestyle and preferences,'' advises Dhanya M, designer head of Blumerq clothing retail outlet. An underlying element in all these experiments is comfort. With this key factor in mind for summer, men should go for loose-fitting pants. The younger lot can opt for chinos.
Showing a bit of ankle with chinos and ankle-cropped pants during the winters, too, is okay. And if it is too cold use a bright pair of socks to finish your look. The styling is kept simple but the key is the play of fabrics and patterns. The trend is to keep it casual even with your formal pieces by choosing slouchy fabrics and oversized outerwear. The best fabric for the summer season is cotton. Fabrics like linen and stretch cotton are also trending now. In terms of silhouettes, there are ankle-length pants and loose linen pants with elasticised hems. Textured fabrics are also in. High-street brands like Zara are showcasing a variety of printed and textured fabrics now. Though prints, as well as colours are the new trends, there is slight drawback. These can't be used for formal office wear, or formal lunch or dinners. These prints and textures work well only for casual wear or while rejuvenating in your own space. However, it also depends on the institution where you work. A blogger or stylist may experiment with their looks at work. Those who don't necessarily have to wear formals to work place can also experiment with these trends for office wear. According to Neha Shah, manager-marketing, Pepe Jeans India Ltd, “These trends are more for a weekend, pool-beach parties, mall hopping, late-night drives or an all boys nightout.” Because it will take a few more years for men to completely come out of centuries-old dull-dressing-style.
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PACESETTER
VRISHALI WAIKAR With the support of family and friends, Vastra became a reality. Tribal art forms like Warli, Madhubani etc. have always been a great source of inspiration for Vrishali. She sees deep devotion, sincerity, hard work and perseverance in every piece of art that is created by original artists who do it for just the love of art. Innumerable stories are/can be depicted in the form of motifs through these traditional art forms. Vrishali wished to introduce these beautiful tribal art styles to people through a medium which they could enjoy them to the fullest. Hence she thought of the idea of putting this craft on wearable dresses - sarees, dupattas, stoles, kurtis and tops. Hence, Vastra is an attempt to make the tribal art a part of people's daily lives. Vastra began its journey as a tentative infant. Initially it was only about creating designs and motifs. Then came the stage of searching and thinking about a medium through which it could be reached to maximum number of people. Facebook and e-stores work as boons for small set ups like Vastra. Many other aspects came into picture gradually, from getting it registered to printing labels and much more. Vrishali says, “While doing all this, I underwent a long learning experience, which made this journey adventurous and fulfilling.” Vrishali was adept in the art of painting on paper. But when the canvas changed to fabric, it was a completely new field and dotted with many new challenges — experimenting with different fabrics, understanding the textures, checking durability and longevity of various paints, understanding the techniques of preserving the art work, knowing the changing tastes of people and much more. She says, “The idea behind creating Vastra pieces was that people should feel happy and satisfied wearing their vastra.” The feedback from clients, their encouragement and kind words, their happiness and experiences that they share - are a few things which work as motivators for Vrishali. She calls her clients' positive feedback - 'Vastra's Energy Drink'. Every piece that comes out with the Vastra label is one of its kind and is handcrafted with love and care. Every step of the process which is undertaken till the final piece gets ready is done with a lot of involvement, from choosing the fabric, deciding the combinations, getting tailoring job done, deciding the main motif which portrays the richness of our Indian heritage and finally putting it on the fabric. Vrishali says, “It is not only about creating, buying and selling. It is more about building and maintaining relationships.” Vrishali has great future plans for Vastra where she sees her Art World spreading its wings and soaring high in the global market as well. She envisions giving more and more beautiful pieces of art and thus making people happy wearing tribal art.
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CENTRESPREAD If you too like to push the boundaries of fashion, go for the hottest trend in these sizzling summer months — a pair of classy sandals. Or mandals, if you happen to be a man! These may not have been the first choice of footwear a few decades ago but today these are making a sartorial statement. Well-designed sandals will keep you on the trend in hot summer months as well as the rains, while making you look cool. Classy & lightweight Though in the past few years, top global labels like Steve Madden, Dolce Vita, Jimmy Choo, Salvatore Ferragamo, Prada, St. Laurent, Marc Jacobs and many others have been including these in their haute annual collections, sandals have not always enjoyed good press. In the past, many a trendsetter has cast a disdainful eye on them and labelled them as feminine and a fashion disaster. Men who have worn these with socks have been derided, those who have supported velcro-strapped ones have been the subject of disdain and ridicule. But all that seems to be changing even as top designers ranging from Dolce & Gabbana to Vivienne Westwood, Steve Madden, Valentino and Michael Kors featuring men’s sandals on their summer runways. Social respectability It must go to the credit of sandals that these have stood their ground. With styles ranging from buckled-in to criss-crossed straps and from natural leather to rubber and other synthetic fast-drying materials like polyurethane, vinyl and foam, these come in bold, bright colours and have now attained social acceptability and a certain respectability. These are functional with an element of fun and comfort and are summer essentials for countries like India that have a long and hot season. These are far more breathable than shoes and definitely more elegant than flip-flops. And these are lighter and easier to pack when going on business trips or a vacation. Some like the floaters are ideal for a beach holiday while others made of leather can look graceful even with formal wear. Sandals come in myriad styles and materials. There are the sporty type that are sold by companies like Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Puma and others that can be worn casually with jeans and cargo pants. Many companies make special sandals for golf that come with soles resembling a golf shoe. Then there are sandals for beach activities, which are made from waterproof material. In many western countries, one can also get the Fisherman’s Sandals that cover most of the foot and are made in such a way that any water that accumulates can easily be drained out. Then there are the colourful floaters, which are a recent phenomenon to capture the imagination of the elegantly attired men. These are casual sandals made of rubber and other textured material with patterned grooves and velcro closure straps. These are usually paired with jeans and sporty shorts. These are also best teamed with loose, light and summary trousers. Finally, there are the dress sandals which unlike the casual ones are acceptable in formal occasions and complement a crisp semi-casual shirt-and-pant ensemble in summer. Dress sandals are mostly peep-toes made of refined leather — in black or mahogany browns — and cover the entire foot securing it from the ankle. These are infallibly stylish and though there can be variation in material, you may find these in suede, patent leather or other refined fabrics but pure leather by far is the most acceptable. Price variations Like the material, the prices too can vary greatly. While the reliable Bata offers a reasonably good pair of sandals that can start from as low as Rs. 499, the price can go into tens of thousands when it comes to global brands like Givenchy, Dolce Vita or Bottega Veneta. Some of these designer sandals for men can cost a whopping Rs. 50,000 and more. Thus, sporting these trendmakers may be a costly affair as their prices sometimes fall in the five-digit range. But then, even if these burn a hole in your pocket, these spell style and come with a promise of making you look natty and dapper. In short, worth the small fortune you’ve spent.
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DULL, monotonous and boring! That was men's trousers till very recently. This garment was only featured monochromes. And the style was pleated; pleat less, cigarette thin or loose. The trend was universal. From blue-collar worker to billionaire, from common man to film stars, from adolescents to old, each and every male wore almost the same thing, looking equally dull. The only difference was the fabric and the number of trousers one possessed.
Active-inspired tailored pants will be a big thing before 2015 starts. In fact, older men are also now experimenting with coloured bottoms. Colour works more than print for the 40-plus men. Colours like ink blue, bottle green, maroon, red, mustard, etc. rule the season. 
Men's wear designer Rajat Tangri has been showcasing his creations in the Lakme Fashion Week for several seasons now. Rajat says, “Whatever you wear as an individual, you need to have the confidence to carry it off. Yes, older men cannot wear the same prints as the younger ones. But they can always experiment with minute prints that look as if it has passed though texturing. They can surely experiment with colours depending on how they team it up. Teaming up coloured pants with a nice shirt or blazer is a good way of incorporating colour in your outfit.”
Vrishali Waikar
IF you are a style-driven man, trendy footwear should be a vital accessory. Gone are the days when footwear was just black or brown — a boring essential you slipped into whenever you went out. Today from corporate honchos to cool dudes, all are sporting sleek pairs of footwear and making a personal statement. No matter how the summer shapes up, the idea is to be prepared for the best styles of the season.
Choosing the right pair for your feet is the first step to a chic new you. Subtlety is the new buzzword. Pure leather spells class. Resin material is lightweight, casual and bold. A pair of quality sandals serve a twin purpose. These will make you look chic while shielding your feet from discomfort and provide a firm grip while walking. 
It is your feet that make the sandal and not the other way round. If you have overgrown or shoddily cut nails,
open-toed sandals can be a fashion disaster. So it is important to get a pedicure. Here’s a list of other dos and don’ts for the right sandal look this summer...
ST. LAURENTS STUDDED straps
WOODLAND CASUALs
JIMMY CHOO HAYMAN GLADIATORS
BATA GREY SPARX
ALBERTO TORRESI LEATHER SANDALS
feel sporty with MERRELL MASTER
UCB LEATHER with click clasp
GIVENCHY BLACK PEBBLED CALFSKIN
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO GLADIATORS
KRISVANASSCHE LEATHER & GROSGRAIN SANDALS
HUSH PUPPIES’ COMFORT AND STYLE
REEBOK FLOATERS
sleek INTRECCIATO BOTTEGA VENETA
PAUL SMITH FRINGED LEATHER
NEWPORT hook-and-loop
JOSEF SEIBEL LIONEL 06
PIERRE HARDY BLACK GLADIATORS
anti-microbial footbed FROM TEVA
LANVIN BLUE CRISS-CROSS ADJUSTABLE STRAPS
IN JERUSALEM-STYLE
DORAEMON GOES BLINGY
IT’S THE TIME OF THE DIVA
BENTLEY REWINDS BACK IN TIME
GIANT SMALL SCREEN
VAN BEACH COOLER
SCENT OF A DRAGONFLY
SADDLED WITH A MASERATI
VERSACE WALKS THE TALK
CREATE YOUR OWN STARBUCKS