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The traditional salwar-kameez and sari have given way to trousers, as the Indian TILL recently, Indian fashion designers did not bother much about trousers as long as only men wore them. It was conceded that gents were less adventurous than the fairer sex in trying out various modifications.
But the fact that modern Indian ladies have started dumping the traditional salwar-kameez and the sari for trousers has changed the fashion picture. Now gentlemen are also trying their best to try different possibilities in fabric texture/ cuts/colour schemes and the all-important quotient of fall, when it comes to their trousers. This has emphasised the development of trousers as casual wear. Fashion maestros attribute the increased sense of body care and physical fitness in both the sexes to this change. Women, for example, feel that wearing modern trousers makes them feel comfortable with a mental state of a physical high, which other dresses like saris/ghagra-cholies do not give. In addition to the fact that the changing lifestyle dictates the popularity of trousers as a practical wear, the more important realisation for ladies is that when taking up careers, the western wear of trousers spells an image of professionalism, in addition to modernity. Chandrika Chotrani, a Mumbai-based designer, points out that the main plus point about the trousers is that they are tough and comfortable, and one either dresses up or down with them. The main factor is that they are OK with the lifestyle and body of the modern women. As such, trousers with their Lara Croft style have become standardised with teeny hoppers in India. Chandra Kumar Bhatia, a boutique owner of Calcutta, has to say this when referring to trousers: "Although by world standards the Indian woman is conservative, her aspirations are today western in concept. In this difficult task of fitting into the global picture and yet retaining their Indian uniqueness, trousers are the ideal garment. They allow women to project traditional grace, yet tempered with macho physicality." This gain is the quality message being sent by the fashion industry. Ladies are told that it is the time for colour and fun. The youngsters already know that to be in swing with the times, one has to be seen wearing something flashy/sexy/decorative. This has given rise to fancy pants, the one of the low-slung type with animal prints. Then again there are the embroidered jeans so fashionable around the hips. Other spirited fashonistas prefer the lean trousered machine, made popular by Ritu Kumar. The trend has also meant the revival of the boot leg with little flared hems that flatter the womanly hip shape and goes quite well with heeled shoes. The tank-girl combat trousers are also having a comeback. As Krsihna Santoo of Santoo Design Studio, New Delhi, points out, the trousers for ladies have advanced far from the olden days (they had to find a way to ride a bicycle) to the elegant lounge wear of the sixties, bell-bottoms of the seventies and, of late, various experiments with elastic waists and drawstring versions. The film world has nurtured a wide variety, ranging from the transient varieties of pants — from drainpipes, to flares, to be followed by straight cuts and so on. Of course all these were passing phases, almost occurring with predictable regularity. Only the jeans have kept up their place in the trends constantly. Fashion designer Christina Fonseca, managing the Round the Year Boutique in Bombay’s Big Bazaar, opines that in the last three years, the different materials starting from gabardine/cottons to organza/crepe/light silks/rayon have had their effect on the choice of the pants, as women have started getting the tummy out for the cropped trousers. "When it comes to lighter fabrics, one gets a lot of options. These styles also encourage women not perfectly endowed to take to trousers," says Fonseca. But in the long run these styles do not flourish — namely hipster/ combats/ cropped trousers. But the utility and functional elements of the trousers are still their strong points. The good news is that
the trouser market has caught up, and today it is much ahead of skirt
sales, and is likely to catch up with the popularity of saris.
Clearly, the advantage of the trousers for both formal and casual occasions
have given them the cutting edge .— MF
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