For Winter
By Limana Solaiman Mridha
Winter is almost upon us and it is time to bring out those sweaters and shawls you had put away. Although we may keep telling ourselves that we do not need more warm clothes, as the ones we already have are sufficient to get through another winter, our readymade garment industry has made available so many wonderful new designs that it could be worth your while just to take a look at what is in fashion this season.
This week, this correspondent scouted the famous Doja market, near Dhaka College, to see what is on offer and lo and behold, Aztec prints seems to be in big time this season!
Long sweaters
If you have always wanted to put on a trench coat, but cannot do so because winters are usually not that chilly in Dhaka, you can just don one of these fashionable long sweaters that will help you get the trench coat look, while keeping you suitably warm. It seems that Mexican Aztec patterns are in this season, and you can find a variety of colourful long sweaters, which would wonderfully go with solid colours.
In an interview with The Weekend, fashion designer Fayez Hassan said: If you are wearing a short kurti or a shirt, pair it up with one of these long sweaters to add style to your look. The tribal prints or Aztec patterns go wonderfully with dark solid colours, and do not be afraid to play with shades. Another thumb rule is that, since you get to put on layers, make sure your inners are of the same or similar colours, and then pair those with something different on top. If you have mismatching inners, and on top of that you put on another shade, there is a chance the colours will end up clashing and that would not be a pretty look!
Ponchos
If you like wearing shawls but are ham-fisted about keeping them in place, have no worry as there are many stylish ponchos out in the market. Aarong has some and so do some other highend outlets. But if you are on a budget and still want to keep up with the trend, you can find one at Doja market for just about Tk500. And whats more, there are many designs and patterns to choose from as well.
Cardigans
Winter in the city is usually mild and therefore, cardigans are a great option to wear on top of almost anything. And if you like cashmere ones, there are some shops in Elephant Road where they stock pure cashmere ones imported from India and other places. You will also find nice embroidered ones there. But keep in mind that those could burn a hole in your pocket!
Shawls
With so many options of this wonderful winter wear available, one can have a tough time deciding which one to wrap around.
In Bangladesh, shawls are used widely by everyone. Men wrap it on top of panjabis, or even with western attire, and look good in it.
Men can carry off shawls in a fashionable way and look manly in them. You can wear it off one shoulder, like poet Kazi Nazrul Islam used to, or just fold it and put it over your shoulder for a more formal look, said Fayez Hassan. Women can wear it with western outfits and pair it with a beanie hat to bring it all together. You can wear a shawl with a saree, but nowadays, long sleeves and longer length blouses are quite in. And since you have to wrap on a saree, I personally find it inconvenient to wrap on another piece of garment on top. But if you are into the traditional look, you can definitely throw on a nice shawl on top. Aarong, Rang and other Bangladeshi brands have quite a good collection, he added.
Jackets/ Vests
With a long kameez or kurti, you should pair it with a short jacket or vest (sleeveless short jacket). Since you are adding length to your look, you should complement it with something short to bring out the contours of your body. Add a scarf, preferably a crushed material one, to pull the look together, Hassan said.
Vests or gilets, commonly called coaty in Bangladesh, are quite in this season for men as well, the designer said.
You can put on a sleeveless one on top of a shirt and you are good to go. Do not be afraid to play with colours and mix and match to your hearts desire. Remember, it is all about confidence and the way you carry yourself, he added.
Another designer, Tahazib Opu, who is currently working for local brand Dorji Bari, said: For winter, we keep light apparels in our Dhaka outlets since winter in the city is pretty mild. One thing we are doing this season is adding length to our jackets. Although, traditionally, jackets are supposed to be above your waist, to keep up with the trend we have decided to make our jackets longer. We are also introducing shirts with hoodie in Oxford fabric and also some nice check-print flannel ones. You can just pair one up with jeans and since the material is warm, in light winter, you will be ready to hit the road.
This season, we are working with bold colours such as hot red, deep blue, navy blue, dark coffee, and some bright ones such as yellow, green, as the current trend is all about sporting colour the right way. We are using PVC/toppetta fabrics for jackets to give a shiny look, since winter is a dry season, this will add gloss to your look. Ribbing is used for decoration purpose in apparels, and we have traditional sweaters and cardigans as well. We have outlets all over the country and for other regions, such as the north, we have a collection of heavy winter jackets to select from, Opu added.
Party Wear
For evening or party wear, designer Rezwanul Islam is doing something different this time.
In a telephone interview, Islam said: I am designing capes to go with my party attires. For fancy ones, I am using raw silk. I also have cotton denim ones for regular wear. I love introducing floral prints to my designs and I am also incorporating floral prints to my mens clothing line.
Photos: Courtesy and Writer
