Monsoon, here they come…in shorts, bright colours, chappals

NEW DELHI - Lift your spirits with brightly coloured attire this monsoon, in case the dark clouds are making you gloomy. Splash around in puddles if you want, just make sure you have shorts or three-quarter pants on along with plastic chappals!

“Everyone loves the monsoon. It gives you such a relief from the sweltering heat. But at the same time, dark clouds do loom over and bring in a phase of depression,” designer Alpana of label Azara told IANS.

“To get rid of this feeling, one should opt for bright and citrus colours like yellows and oranges,” she said.

According to designer Nida Mahmood, one should team bright coloured tops with three-quarter pants.

“Shorts are definitely in, but you can’t wear them to office. One has the option of wearing three-quarter pants to work. They look cool, chic and comfortable at the same time,” Mahmood said.

With unexpected monsoon showers, it is always advisable to carry an umbrella with you. But if you are one of those who like to get drenched in the rain, here are some more style tips.

Designer Amit GT said one should go for “layering” during monsoon.

“Layering during monsoon works! You can simply wear a T-shirt and a nice jacket over or may be a shrug. This will allow you to get drenched in the rain without feeling guilty,” Amit said.

While cotton is the best fabric for summers because it soaks sweat and doesn’t rub with the skin as well, he said, one should stay away from using 100 percent cotton clothes during monsoon.

“Pure cotton fabrics soak a lot of water and take a lot of time in drying up. So one should opt for dry fit clothing available in sports wear brands like Nike and Reebok,” Amit said.

Though these dry fit clothes are not fit for formal wear, Mahmood suggests one can opt for linen fabrics blended with cotton.

“Linen blends are becoming very popular. They are nice, airy and comfortable and you won’t get the sticky and muggy felling as well - something you always feel when you wear nylons,” he said.

Now comes the most important item for the rainy season - the footwear.

According to footwear designer Swati Mehrotra, plastic chappals are your best friends for the season.

“There is a myth that feet get dirty if you wear slippers during this season. But the fact is, you can easily wash your feet, clean and dry it immediately - wherever you are,” Mehrotra said.

“But if you are wearing shoes, you have to wait till the time you get back home to clean and dry up your feet. As a result, one sees a lot of cases of foot infection and corns during this weather,” she added.

Mehrotra suggests to carry a pair of slippers in your bag, so that you can use it when you are out in the rain.

“One should also avoid wearing sandals during rains because you never know when you get stuck in a pothole. So better take precautions,” she said.

Designers also suggest that one should go less on accessories during the monsoon as too much of jewellery can lead to skin irritation.

Also, make sure you use minimal makeup.

“Minimal makeup is the key for the season. Try to be as natural as you can. Choose compacts over foundation because the humidity will spoil the foundation base,” said Nidhi Arora, owner of the beauty saloon Soft Touch in South Extension.

“One witnesses acne on the face at this time of the year. Make sure you wash your face every few hours to keep it clean. One can also go for face washes and soaps with medicinal value neem and aloe vera to clean the face,” she added.

Also, make sure you use waterproof make-up to have a long-lasting effect.

(Shilpa Raina can be contacted at shilpa.r@ians.in)