Simply shrug it on

Shrugs, be it long floor-length ones or short ones, are perfect for anyone, no matter their body shape or size.  It’s just a matter of balancing out your proportions to make an oversized shrug work for you. It has been sported often in recent times by Bollywood stars like Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt and Shraddha Kapoor. In a chat with designers we find out ways in which we can make shrugs work for us.

Shrugs are a great trend this season, feels Madhura Joshi, “Winter is nearing an end and summer is approaching. I think shrugs are perfect for this weather as you won’t feel too hot or too cold while wearing it. Long silhouette shrugs are a great way to accentuate any outfit. Shrugs really stand out when teamed with a plain white top and blue jeans.”

Designer Anjali Sharma suggested adding bright colours to accentuate the outfit. “No matter what your shape and size, when styled correctly, shrugs look good on everyone,” she says. Designer Prerana Sarkar suggests, “Shrugs give out a bold and sporty look. They go well with almost any outfit. I would pair a shrug with a fitted dress, boyfriend jeans and crop top or shorts with a tank top. Knitted shrugs are really in vogue now and can be worn with spaghetti tops.” For those experimental fashionistas, Prerana suggests teaming it up with a saree. Madhura adds to this by saying, “People can opt for white lace or embroidered shrugs to pair with outfits.”

While wearing a shrug, ensure that when the inner top length is short, the shrug should be longer and vice versa. “Keeping the shrug hemline away from the widest part of the body is the simple mantra to follow,” adds Anjali. Madhura adds to this, “When shopping for shrugs, look for lightweight material and stay away from thick shrugs as they do not compliment the weather. Print on print is a big no-no for shrugs. The outfit should either be plain with printed shrug or vice versa.”

White sneakers, when worn with a T- shirt and jeans, gives a very sporty look, suggests Prerana. “Accessorising with shrugs can be tricky. Chunky neckpieces will add the right amount of bling to the outfit. When in doubt, match the colour of the top with the bag and team it up with a shrug in a contrast colour,” adds Madhura.