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You can find a dupatta to suit every mood, style, trend or budget, says Banalata Bipani WEAR it as a veil, sling it like a stole, or wrap it like a shawl; wear it with a kurta, a lacha or a bustier under a jacket; wear it in any season, for any reason, and any which way you like! Yes, dupatta — the most versatile accessory — can really be dramatic. From an ordinary odhni to a dazzling drape, the versatile dupatta has come a long way. Add a trendy dupatta, and you can turn a conservative office attire into a formal evening wear, or transform the entire get-up of an ordinary, dull and monotonous salwar-kameez into a stunning dinner outfit. In fact, this most ubiquitous fashion accessory is the quickest way of updating your wardrobe. What is more, you can find a dupatta to suit every mood, style, trend or budget, and there are so many fabrics, colours, textures and designs to choose from.
Dupattas can also be used as a bustier under a jacket or transparent kurta. Dupattas are again a favourite with all the designers as an accessory either to enhance a simple dress to give a rich look, or again to reduce a too rich a look into a simple one. Dupattas are also used as turbans, and to add drama to the whole look. When casually taken, the dupatta forms a cowl neck, which gives a wonderfully layered look. Dupattas become a scale of standard with women who show off their rich embroideries, to make a statement. These can also form a fabric belt to tie at the waist with a knot, which highlights a women’s body. The dupatta market is greatly influenced by seasonal and regional variations. If whites, pinks and pastels appear on store shelves during summers, navy blues, maroons and bottle greens find favour in winter. If chikankari is the offering of Lucknow’s craftsmen to the field of fashion, Kantha work finds roots in West Bengal. Not to forget the Punjabi community where chunni chadhana is a very special wedding ceremony. Heavy bridal dupattas have never gone out of fashion. Fashion maestros Chandrika Pali and Renu Randhawa offer a suggestion: "The dupatta could even be paired with a sari for a dressy look." Their traditional gear comprises heavy tusser and brocade dupattas. This summer the duo has gone heavy on chiffon, georgette and organza, and winter is about zardozi-embellished sheer net fabrics. The way you drape a dupatta is equally important. Use your dupatta instead of a stole. They look great when knotted at the neck on an Indo-Western salwar-kameez. You could also go
conventional and drape the entire length of the dupatta around your
neck and shoulders. — MF
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When
a thick fabric is used as a dupatta, it also serves a purpose of a
shawl. Dupattas are carefully draped in many ways to give the look of
a wrap/wrap skirt or a semi-sari, which a lady can actually play
around with her existing garment.