Balancing fashion with modesty

Today’s women wear many hats — both at work and home. An outfit she chooses has to be fashionable yet practical, as her typical day would include commutes by local transport, meeting people from different walks of life and walks on busy streets. Besides, several offices and colleges have strict dress codes, which means that all women have a section of her wardrobe reserved for modest clothing.

So, how does one decide what is modest? Everyone has their own interpretation of modesty – for some, it may be covering their arms while for others it could be about how deep their neckline is. This season is all about modest fashion. One can see a lot of oversized clothing, longer hemlines, closed neckline and layering on the streets and all over social media. Let’s answer the basic questions that crop up in our minds during the whole balancing act.
 
Can longer hemlines be trendy? How can one style them?

Knee, midi and maxi-length skirts and dresses are a huge rage at the moment as the hemlines have been dipping lower with each passing season. Full-length, flowy skirts can be styled with crop tops, off shoulder or bardot blouses and loose shirts tucked in for a casual look. For formal look, high-waist midi skirts styled with oversized top or slightly looser shirts tucked in are good.

Midi dresses suit most women, but if you have a petite frame, make sure the hemline ends above mid calf. A-line silhouettes are universally flattering and one cannot go wrong with these. Maxi dresses need to be of the right length – one that just touches the ankle. While flowy ones are good for casual summer outings, column or straight ones are more appropriate for work.

How does one style fitted or shorter clothing which was in trend last season?

Layering is big this season, which means a lot of our expensive clothes from the last season can be put to good use. A blouse or top with a deeper neckline can be worn with a cute spaghetti or tank top. Same goes for sheer tops.

Shorter skirts and dresses can be worn with leggings, tights and stockings. A base skirt with ruffles at the hem in black or off white can be worn as an inner layer for see through dresses or really short dresses to give a trendy layered look. Make sure the colours are complementary and choose accessories with care.
 
How can one incorporate Indian wear in modest fashion?

The best part about Indian fashion is its versatility. Sarees can be styled with solid shirts, regular tops or oversized ones. Done right, the result can be quite fashion forward yet modest and super comfy for a woman on the go. Indo-Western tunics and kurtis can be worn with jackets, flowy shrugs teamed up with cropped trousers or cotton pants. Dropped crotch pants or harem pants go well with oversized tops, longer shirts, shirt dresses and shorter tunics.

(The writer is Chief Stylist, Voonik.com)