New Delhi, Oct 7
Pop in a hint of fluorescent green, shocking pink or coral blue to pep up traditional and ethnic silhouettes in your festive wardrobe. Designers believe in vogue neon palette lends energy, beauty and aura to the wearer, but don't go overboard as they don't blend too well with the Indian complexion.
A range of designers, both established and young up-and-coming ones, have unleashed a variety of ethnic wear - suits, saris, lehengas, shararas and ghararas for the fashion-conscious women, and jodhpurs, trousers, shirts, kurtas and sherwanis for experimental men.
"The bright and effervescent character that neon adds to a person's look appeals to most eyes - be it in the form of prints or as solids. Not only is this eclectic palette being used for street style, it is also being used in a big way in couture and Indian festive wear," designer Pam Mehta told IANS.
The neon colour palette is not only restricted to shades of yellow and green but it goes beyond them beautifully with blue, coral and red. The trick lies in pairing the apparels well.
"One needs to be careful while picking up a neon colour as these hues are not very flattering to the Indian complexion. An overdose can hurt the eyes and cause a big fashion faux pas. If you want to mix different shades of neon, do it stringently," designer Anjalee Kapoor told IANS.
"A neon yellow or a neon pink would look great with a grey or black. Keep the ensemble predominantly neutral and add pops of neon colours in the form of borders and detailing," added Kapoor, who believes the neon touch looks best when used in anarkalis, cocktail saris and Punjabi suits.
Remember not to mix too many neon colours together, advise the designers.
Which are the hit neon colours of the season?
"Neon numbers in hot pink-electric blue, bright yellow-lime green and loud pink-ecru beige will surely do the talking for its wearer. Bohemian, abstracts, floral, paisleys, batik prints and bright thread embroidery in neon hues can be coupled with any fabric to get a neon statement," designer Heena Malhotra told IANS.
You can also go for out-of-the-box combinations to make a style statement with palazzos, lot of shararas and gararas this season, feels designer Krishna Mehta, who says that "since most of the women go for kurtis and saris, one can make it different by teaming up a nice bolero (jacket) with a sari."
Accessorising these garments right is very important. The secret lies in neither to overdo nor to underdo.
"With neon ethnics, bright coloured bags, clutches, nail shades, rings, stilettos, bangles and danglers can be added. But remember - while incorporating bright hues, don't forget to keep the balance of the same. They shouldn't be too loud or ostentatious as they are going to be a part of your statement," said Malhotra.
With men getting conscious about keeping pace with fashion trends, the market caters to unusual neon options for them too.
"For men, till now neon and pop colours have been tough to accept but they are so much in trend this season that men themselves have started experimenting with colours. They have so adapted to the changes that it has become a part of their daily lives," said designer Kanishk Mehta.
For men, the most important part of the entire outfit is the trouser. Men should always opt for a brighter coloured trouser and pair it with a sober coloured shirt or jacket.
Accessories again play a key role for menswear market, said designer Josh Goraya, who has styled for the likes of Bollywood actors Riteish Deshmukh and Varun Dhawan.
"Accessories like shoes, belt or a wristwatch work, and neon can be highlighted in garments as linings and piping. Add a bright colour pocket square, stole or combine your outfit with colourful shoes that go with your festive outfit," he told IANS.
By:IANS