Indian women are often caught in a catch-22 when it comes to festive and traditional dressing—they need to strike a fine balance between propriety (read: elders) and high-octane glam (read: dapper groomsmen). So how does one ace a look that turns heads rather than raise eyebrows? With the off-shoulder blouse, of course.
After becoming a permanent fixture in celebrity wardrobes and on street style blogs, it was only a matter of time before this trend of the moment crossed over to Indian wear. And as the wedding season approaches, it’s the one silhouette that begs to be included in your repertoire. Luckily, the runways of Lakmé Fashion Week provided ample inspiration.
Manish Malhotra reinterpreted it with a white wedding gown spin by pairing this au courant blouse with a floor-sweeping trail lehenga, ideal for a reception look. SVA by Sonam and Paras Modi made a strong case for cold shoulder blouses to complement voluminous lehengas. Bonus if they come with cascading cape sleeves, giving brides a winning hassle-free sangeet ensemble. Payal Singhal advocated the style for both, the bride 2.0 and the millennial bridesmaid—worn with a pearl embroidered lehenga or a cropped lehenga and churidaar set respectively.
Ridhi Mehra combined two favourites and gave us the off-shoulder cape blouse. Wear yours with lehenga skirts, embroidered shararas and saris alike. If barring those collarbones is not up your alley, take a cue from Anushree Reddy and create an illusion of the same by simply baring just one shoulder. Turns out, with a little inventiveness, this trend works for just about every style sensibility.
