Kallol Datta is a clothes-maker based in Calcutta.

Everyone who reads up on fashion and lifestyle knows my aversion to the word — ‘trends’. It makes no sense having a new set of ‘trends’ crop up every season to pacify design houses and retailers around the globe, while the consumers get dizzy trying to keep up.

There are, however, certain directions towards which people have to be pushed aesthetically and that’s where directional clothing brands come into play. These are not proclaimed by forecasting agencies or vacuous MDs of high street brands. These are put forward, much like points of view, through a few design houses. That’s how you look at a garment and realise that it’s an Anamika Khanna or a Marc Jacobs.

From my stable I bring forth a direction which gets updated every few seasons. For 2013 and beyond, these are a few I’d like to see adapted into people’s wardrobes:

Macro prints

Everyone’s jumped onto the print bandwagon. And everywhere you look you have the same boring prints staring out at you. Incorporate large print motifs into your wardrobe. Not flowers and the like but something a bit abstract. While it takes a self-assured person to do a head-to-toe, contain the print with a solid overlay like a jacket. This holds true for both men and women.

Monochrome

Never before has monochrome been so exciting! The challenge is to do it in a way that looks interesting and not run of the mill. Avoid clutter with accessories. Let the starkness do the talking. This works for both men and women.

For the Indian body type, a great way to go monochrome is to layer — wear something in white and then overlay it with black. This way, there doesn’t appear to be any added bulk. For instance, women could team a white ankle-length jumpsuit with a nicely tailored jacket in black or even a draped one.

Men, on the other hand, should avoid skinny trousers, especially in white. They shouldn’t end up looking like a restaurant’s F&B manager either. So, opt for straight white cotton trousers teamed with a leather jacket or even one in a leather look-alike fabric.

Twisted native wear

We have an advantage over most fashion markets because we borrow heavily from native wear to form the contents of our wardrobes. Women needn’t subscribe to standard tunics paired with leggings all the time. Saris needn’t be relegated to ‘special’ occasions only. New-age avatars of the sari allow you to wear it to work and carry on with it for an evening dinner.

I call it ‘twisted’ because it no longer has to conform to the traditional idea of what it ‘should’ be teamed with. It doesn’t have to be the petticoat-sari-blouse any longer. Go ahead and wear a sari with a waistcoat instead of a blouse — or even a T-shirt. Nowadays, there are a lot of garments that have you confused as to whether they are kurtis or dresses. Wear them without slacks and these kurtis transform into dresses. It’s all about what you team something with.

Statement silhouette

We applaud those who are able to reflect themselves externally as well — expressing individuality via clothes is brave, especially when we tend to seek comfort in uniformity. Everything is run of the mill nowadays; everyone opts for that pretty pink ruched dress.

Stand out! Take hold of an experimental garment and embrace it. If you don’t feel too confident, you can always ask sales representatives at stores for opinions and help. You could pick a garment with an exaggerated sleeve or one with a 3D fold. While a number of designers put the 3D fold on the low-waist or hip region, some are now even putting it on the shoulder or armhole.

Once again, keep the overall look simple. Avoid crazy hair and jewellery.

Embracing subcultures

With more awareness being created thanks to the Internet, people are exposed to how knowledge of subcultures in the fashion spectrum can help individualise a wardrobe. We’re talking not just Goth, but Visi-Goth, Edwardian, Ganguro and many others. This exercise is educational. Read up and apply the gleaned information to your wardrobe. As of now, a Punk-themed jacket with metal embellishments is your best bet.

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