Menswear Edit ft. Ramzan

The month-long period of Ramzan is marked by fasting and prayers but as dusk descends, people gather around in celebration to break their fasts. Distributing food, exchanging sweets and dressing up become part of the evening festivities. Heirloom jewellery pieces are polished, treasured garments are revived and a great deal of effort is put into looking festive-ready. When dressing up, some sartorial innovations can spruce up any outfit, especially for men for whom a whole world of prints, textures and colour-play awaits.

“It’s great to see men consciously making an effort to dress well. During Ramzan at Iftar dinners, men can go for classics like pathani and chikankari kurtas. And for a contemporary twist, they can add a well-tailored blazer. Ivory, cream, beige and pastels work the best but deeper blues, greens and burgundy can work for a larger, more formal gathering,” says stylist Bharat Gupta.

Looking good, however, should not come at the cost of comfort. As Parag Goswami, assistant professor, fashion styling and image design at a leading fashion institute says, comfort is the key. “Avoid body hugging clothes. Additionally, fabric and texture can elevate the wearer’s look further. Handloom shirts, jackets, bundis and kurta pajamas are the best bet,” he says. To elevate the outfits, choose from an assortment of footwear that are functional and fashionable. “Choose from ethnic juttis, loafers, brogues and classic oxfords. If you are a sneakerhead, give your ethnic look a modern twist with a pair of sneakers. But make sure you pair them with a straight-cut pyjama;a churidar won’t complement your sneaker look. It’s all about the game of sartorial balance,” suggests Goswami.

Here are five picks to brighten up any festive wardrobe.:

Designer Wajahat Rather’s label Raffughar features Dastawaiz, a menswear capsule with calligraphic block printed textures on traditional silhouettes. Literally translating to documental evidence, Dastawaiz is a tribute to the designer’s hometown Kashmir’s literature, art and culture. This handwoven charcoal black and grey tussar cotton kurta with calligraphy block print, side mehraab pockets and folded sleeves can be styled with a churidaar or straight-line chinos.

Couturier Tarun Tahiliani launched a premium menswear label Tasva Fashion late last year with an assortment of bandhgalas, kurtas, bandis and stoles in luscious fabrics like velvet, silk jacquard and linen. This pink handwoven mulmul stole embroidered with aari and zardozi threadwork is elevated with sequins, making it a perfect pick-me-up for a traditional dinner wardrobe.

Designer Jenjum Gadi’s statement-making pieces give a man’s closet a fun room for experimentation. This intricately hand-embroidered metallic bandi in red with an abstract sequin pattern draws on Indian heritage and fuses it with a classic silhouette. Pair it with a solid kurta and pants set.

Designer Kunal Rawal takes functionality and marries it with his unconventional aesthetic resulting in garments that have a play of colours and textures. This braille knotted straight cut kurta in a festive gold tone easily goes from day to night and can be styled with a stole.

Reimagine your festive wardrobe with designer Gaurav Khanijo’s colour-blocked carnival shirt. The red and black duo-tone printed cotton shirt features two pockets at the sides and artisanal design elements. Pair it with pleated trousers or dhoti pants and take a flight of whimsy.

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