THE progression has been gradual, but decisive.

It all began with the talk of understated elegance. Much as designers continued to be extravagant and increasingly opulent in their creations, the trend towards dressing down had already begun. Somewhere along the way cottons became cool. And now is the time for casual tie-ups.

Loose drawstring pants and pyjamas have suddenly become hot favourites this season. From movie stars and models to advertising executives and college kids, a whole generation of youngsters is going back to relaxed dressing — only that, this time it is with a touch of class.

"You look best in what you wear only when you know how to carry it off," says Bombay’s top ranking model, John Abraham. "And when it comes to attitude, nothing can come even close to the casual, loose and laidback pair of tie-up trousers, or simply pyjamas."

"It is a matter of comfort above everything else," explains Sonali Das of an upmarket department store in Bangalore. "A pair of loose drawstring pants is far more comfortable than a pair of tight pants or jeans... .The idea is catching on."

Pyjama-styled pants have become the perfect alternative not only to conventional trousers, but also to drawstring skirts (lehngas) and even salwars. Women are also combining them with traditional kurtas and kameezes, apart from the usual long shirts.

These pants are available in both knits and woven cotton as well as a variety of synthetics, silks, wool and their blends. The predominant colours of the season are the deepest shades of blue, red, green and brown, besides prints and bold checks.

"Modern textile design technology has contributed to the popularity of tie-ups in a big way," explains Ritesh Pandya, an upcoming designer in Bombay. "We are constantly experimenting with different fabric blends to create a perfect picture of easy comfort and cultivated formality."

Pandya’s latest is a set of pyjamas in magenta and burgundy with multiple pockets and white buttons in the front. He is teaming them with white knee-length shirts having sharp side slits and heavily embroidered matching jackets.

"This combination has become popular because of its unisex appeal," Pandya points out. "The entire outfit gives you a roomy feel and yet, is not strictly casual wear. It is another matter if some people choose to live in them."

Apart from Pandya, there are several leading designers like Tarun Tahiliani (harem pants), Rocky S (starched khadi drawstring pants) and Abraham Rathore (linen and silk pyjamas with pleats) who are making the most of this new fad.

Not all of them are positioning them as formal wear though. As Das points out, the emphasis is on comfort dressing: "Being stylish, regardless of what one is wearing, figures high on the agenda of the conscious dresser these days."

Model-turned-filmstar, Dino Morea, a well-known "pyjama freak" agrees: "What I wear does not matter so long as it is stylish. The only time I am dressed very formally is at a private party or social gathering. At all other times, I am dressed very casually."

He argues that the style of loose dressing originated in India. "Unlike the West where tailored suits characterised formal wear, here in the East, drapes, robes, wraparounds and loose roomy dresses were the order of the day. The word ‘pyjama’ itself is Indian in origin. It literally means, a ‘cover for the legs’."

Adds Pandya: "As compared to the eighties when lace and broad shoulders were in style, the nineties saw a lot of deconstruction and liberalisation. It does not matter to young people now whether you seat them on the floor or the sofa. Tie-ups go very well with this attitude."

Nevertheless, since no designer wants to be slotted into creating only casual wear (the economics does not work out right), a good deal of ‘value additions’ are being given to drawstring dresses and in effect, elevating them to the level of formal clothing.

Apart from using expensive, imported fabric, they are experimenting with heavy embroidery, glass and bead work as well as bright, bold prints. The market leader, however, continues to be the pure raw silk pyjama in bright summery colours. (MF)