Clothing trends for the career woman

This fashion piece was contributed by Prabalika Borah. Prabalika heads the Hyderabad operations of Blue Lotus.

Clothing Trends

Picture yourself thus: in high heels, wearing a gorgeous silk sari, your hair left open, and with generous dabs of make-up applied on your face. You sashay into the conference room for a proposed meeting, only to discover that the air-conditioner is out of order. Forty-five minutes into the meeting, your make-up starts to come off in beads of sweat; your well-groomed hair starts to feel frizzy; and the silk sari only adds to your discomfiture. So what is the lesson learnt? It’s all right to dress this way if you’re out to impress your future mother-in-law, but definitely not in a corporate setting. In the last team leaders’ offsite, the instructor, Sonal Mattoo, had mentioned that silks are only meant for formal occasions like parties and weddings.

While it is most important to dress comfortably at work, one should never neglect the presentation quotient. Usually you’re given prior notice about a meeting and so are able to pick the right outfit. But what if a meeting is suddenly called for, on a day when you happen to be dressed in a pair of low-waist jeans and a bright tank-top. Take my word, you’ll feel awkward and out-of-sorts, especially if the others happen to be dressed formally.

So how does one dress for work? Easy friends. Just hit the stores and check out the many readymade options that’ll enable you to turn up at work, looking stylish and feeling completely in control. Personally, I love the W collection, especially their kurtis and regular kurtas. The tailoring is so impeccable that they make you appear several inches slimmer. Biba doesn’t make for great office wear. The material bleeds, even though they cost a bomb. Pantaloons is another great option. Their kurtas are really pretty but the fabric tends to wear out after a few washes. A pity really.

For cotton kurtas with nice, simple motifs, Westside is a great option. And if you’re shopping there, be sure to check out their stretchable churidar collection. These make look you taller and slimmer because they’re Lycra-blended and tend to hug your legs, almost like a second skin. If cotton is your fabric of choice, then FabIndia is where you should be headed. They also have a great collection of white and beige cotton shirts for men.

In western wear, brands like Wills Lifestyle, Allen Solly, Anabelle and Mango will never let you down. The linen-blended trousers at Wills Lifestyle will keep you several degrees cooler when you are in the direct line of fire from clients and journalists alike. Women with great bodies can opt for shirts from Anabelle. Try them on once and you’ll know why. Allen Solly has coats for women which are also worth a dekko. Though Patialas are very much the in-fashion thing, it’s best to avoid them unless you are vertically endowed. But they’re definitely not recommended as office-wear.

What really caught my attention the other day were classy handbags from Samsonite and Hidesign. Girls, never mind if you have to scrimp and save to be able to own one of these smart bags. If saving doesn’t come easily to you, then be sure to demand one for your birthday.

And for those of you who’re in no mood to go in for a wardrobe makeover, there’s no harm in indulging in a bit of window shopping. It’s the best way to relax and unwind after a day’s hard labour. When doing so, make sure you try on several outfits. This will tell you whether you need to hit the gym or whether there’s still room for another Big Mac.