Patna, June 22: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Ajay Devgn may have found Rituparno Ghosh’s Raincoat to be a perfect venture for romance. For residents of the city, however, raincoats have become a necessity with the arrival of monsoon.

Fashionistas are taking the opportunity to pull a fast act and dress a little different to, err, soak in the spirit of the rains. While lighter colours are making heads turn, darker shades are best avoided, claim connoisseurs.

Nikhil Agrawal, 17, said: “I love to wear single-coloured kurta pyjamas in monsoon. They are comfortable and make you look different from other boys. Men, too, can make a fashion statement if they alter their wardrobe a little every season.”

Comfort, however, is on the top of Nikhil’s checklist.

“I believe one should wear clothes one is comfortable in. Only then can one be cool in what one wears,” added the youth.

Jagdish Khemka, an owner of a garments shop on Boring Road, confirmed the desi twist to the latest fashion trend among boys. Kurtas and pyjamas are selling like hot cakes, said Khemka.

He added: “White kurta pyjamas are passé. Boys prefer offbeat colours these days, like golden and pink. Many are also purchasing T-shirts and jeans.”

A pair of kurta pyjama can be purchased at anything between Rs 750 and Rs 1,100.

For girls, too, going desi is the call this season.

Most college girls are going for cotton kurtis and capris. Medium-length, pure cotton kurtis are all the rage. They are available economically for Rs 250 but if you want to splurge, you can go up to Rs 2,000.

You could have a branded capri for anything between Rs 599 and Rs 899.

Most girls prefer light colours but Rajasthani designs, Lucknowi chikan designs and frock cuts are the favourites.

Niharika Gupta, 22, said: “For me, the perfect monsoonwear should be blue jeans with a white kurti.” However, she prefers raincoats to umbrellas, as these look awkward.

“An umbrella is of no use when you are trying to manoeuvre through the rain on your scooty. Though your pillion can hold your umbrella, it looks awkward. So I prefer raincoats,” said Niharika.

Nidhi Singh, however, digs umbrellas. Floral-printed umbrellas are her favourite in the rains.

“I love my umbrella with flowery prints. It has a girly look. I love to match it with my clothes,” said Nidhi.

Babloo Kumar, an umbrella seller, said teenaged girls go for coloured or designer umbrellas. Bright shades like red, pink and blue are on the top of the list. Boys go for conventional black ones that have a retro charm of their own. They keep a safe distance from the designer ones, as many of them feel that these are meant for girls. Children, too, are choosy when it comes to picking an umbrella — they often go for the ones printed with Barbie or Hannah Montana designs.

To get wet in the rain is great fun but the precipitation often washes away make-up. So, girls, it is essential to be safe than sorry.

Equara Mohammadi, another 17-year-old, said: “Water-proof mascara and eyeliner are a must. I never put on heavy make-up but I like to put mascara and kohl in my eyes. I don’t want these to be washed away by the rain. So I use branded, water-proof make-up.”

If everything else is designed to beat the rain, why should accessories and shoes be left behind?

Easy-dry, waterproof slippers that are available for anything between Rs 105 and Rs 110, are great for taking on waterlogged streets.

Also, you can’t be late for an appointment with your girlfriend just because of inclement weather. She will probably not accept that your watch stopped ticking after it got wet in the rain. So don’t forget to get yourself a waterproof watch. You can get one on your wrist for anything between Rs 275 and Rs 555.