Say it with Colours
From the art summit to Valentine's Day, from Pohela Falgun to Ekushey Boi Mela, February looks are all about the return of cheerful articles of clothing appliqued with desi motifs and warm colours
During winter the gardens were quiet, muffled under a thick layer of fog. But the roots, as Jalaluddin Rumi rightly said, were experiencing a riot.
As we edge to the ushering of Spring, that riot is unfurled, on the branches and leaves, in the form of colour. February is the maiden month that welcomes that furore of fragrance and hullabaloo of hues.
But interestingly, February in Bangladesh is not just the beginning of Spring, fondly described as the king of the seasons. February is the month when we celebrate "Amar Ekushey,'' International Mother Language Day, and Boi Mela.
It is also the month that has Valentine's Day, a day when lovers around the world celebrate their closeness.
Interestingly, this year, the month is also important for the ongoing Dhaka Art Summit, when art lovers and social butterflies flock to the galleries in droves and dump a gazillion selfies and posts on social media.
Keeping all these in mind, the fashion houses have been working hard to put together their breezy, beautiful collection, which speaks of festivity in volumes.
The one cardinal rule of dressing up in February is to wear a saree. You can drape yourself in this extremely versatile, six-yard-long fabric for almost all occasions. The appeal of saree for February festivities never goes out of fashion.
Keeping that in mind, the brands have brought out various types of cotton, silk, and jamdani sarees – adorning motifs that represent the nature we see all around us.
If you wear it to the Art Summit, you can pick hand-painted ones; there are plenty of them embellished with floral or geometric or abstract designs.
For the first day of Spring, the Pohela Falgun, of course, yellow is the colour of choice. While the royal poinciana trees will be in their full glory on the streets, various shades of yellow, orange and even ochre sarees will please the eyes of the onlookers.
On Valentine's Day, their choice of colour is red, humming the tunes of the passion play. For Amar Ekushey, black and white are the colours one can opt for. The strong statement these two bold colours make resonate right with the message that this occasion reminds us of.
However, how one styles a saree varies vastly. While many would simply opt for the usual ways of wearing a saree; others would want to flaunt it with a twist. For example, wearing a belt with a saree, made popular by renowned fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, is all the rage among fashionistas.
Then some would want to give their look a more feminist facelift by wearing the saree with a sneaker or pairing it up with a full-sleeve shirt or jacket.
Whatever you do, always keep in mind that if you are wearing it for the first time, pin it up well so that it remains tamed when you hop around the city from one happening place to another.
Those who are not into sarees can simply wear fashionable tops or beautiful kameezes. Almost all fashion houses try to remain relevant by bringing out the same kind of cotton tops. The mantra here is to opt for ultimate comfort.
Silk tops with simplistic embroidery or colourful kurtis can be worn with a pair of pants or a skirt. Be adventurous when it comes to accessorising the look with the right belt, bag or jewellery, depending on the occasion.
Guys will wear their staple attire: Punjabis in contrasting colours. Just like sarees, Punjabi is one versatile clothing that is suitable for any of the aforesaid occasions. For Falgun or Valentine's Day, yellow, red, green or white are favourites.
Even though the fashion houses are churning out almost similar kinds of patterns for punjabis during this time of the year, it is the design that makes all the difference.
From leafy prints to geometric drawings to lyrical block prints, punjabis have come a long way in wooing the wearers. One can opt for denim or white straight pyjamas as bottoms and as footwear, sandals or sneakers are the best options.
For sunny days, T-shirts are super comfy and will be worn by many. Interestingly, gone are the days of mundane tees. Both brands and boutique houses supply T-shirts with funny, witty, intellectual messages or cartoons.
For those who prefer to look formal or semi-formal, monochrome or chequered shirts are suitable for all occasions. Wear something printed with chinos or corduroy for a more casual look.
Last but not least, lousy, baggy pants are back. Wearing them with a Hawaii shirt would be a chic option for visiting art exhibitions or theatre performances. Do not forget to wear a bracelet, a string of pearls, or a dog tag to look more street-appropriate.
Stylish sneakers or simple converse shoes are perfect to complete your look. For both sexes, totes are the it-bags of the season. Carry one to look cool.
