Esha Dutta is one of the best-dressed Calcuttans… classy and cool. What we also like about her is that she is a complete sport. She took less than two seconds to say “yes” for this fashion shoot and even less time to slip into the looks and pose. Shoot wrapped up in record time, the brainchild behind Burnt Garlic cafe bar (Priya cinema, ground floor) settled down for a chat with t2. 

You’ve always been a classic dresser…

I was always a jeans-T-shirt, blue jeans-white shirt kind of a person through school and college. So, my style hasn’t changed dramatically. It’s inherent in me. I prefer to be understated rather than over the top. That goes for my make-up, hair and look also… even when it comes to jewellery or a festive occasion or a wedding, I never go over the top. I prefer to be a little understated. Whites and beiges are predominant. Everyone teases me about it. I think three-fourths of my wardrobe are just shades of whites, beiges, off-whites. I am now heavily into anti-fits, it suits most body types… even if you go a little plus in the kgs department. I have never been a fitted-clothing person, but when it comes to jeans and trousers, I am particular about the fit. 

For any traditional occasion, I love wearing saris, for a wedding or a festive occasion. And I am little more adventurous there, so I do go in for colours there. 

I experiment a lot with western wear. I am a very shirt-and-trousers person. I wear very few skirts. I wear dresses. My favourites are cottons, handlooms and linens. Even when I go out, it could be a very simple outfit which I would dress up with a chunky neckpiece. I am a bit partial towards neckpieces. I also like to dress it up with a nice pair of shoes or handbags. Accessories play a big part in my entire style quotient. For Diwali, I normally don’t wear a sari. I’ll wear a suit.

What is the most adventurous you have dressed in your life, something that took you by surprise?

I have never been a fashion victim. I’ll wear what suits me. So, even if there is some wild phase going on now… like ripped jeans… I don’t own a single pair of ripped jeans because I cannot carry them off at my age, very frankly. I see my son (Agnivesh) wearing them and I am like, ‘No, mother and son cannot go looking like carbon copies of each other’! I like my classic blue denims, the straight-cut ones. 

But something your friends pushed you to try may be?

I don’t get bullied easily. No! I cannot let somebody else dictate what I wear. I don’t even consult anybody. I know what looks good on me. 

Are you an impulsive shopper?

I drive people crazy because I’ll go around the market 10 times and then come back to the first one. I prefer going alone. I look at myself for 15-20 minutes from different angles and then I buy it.

Let us in into your collection of accessories…

Oh! I have a big collection, envied by a lot of people. Wherever I travel, I go shopping for neckpieces first. I like chunky ones. I went to Darjeeling and I picked up some stunning ones in Tibetan style… the typical tribal jewellery. I got them in feathers, ceramics and also the jute and coir ones which I am wearing a lot recently. They are literally made of rope. I also have jewellery made of recycled items. I like adventurous jewellery. While I was buying one or two, my sister said, ‘Are you crazy?! You are never going to wear them’. They are big and chunky and look like armoury, but I wear them… may be with plain white outfits. 

What about shoes and bags?

I am not a high heels person. I own a few to wear with saris. I have a big range of jootis. In bags, I have the ones which I have picked up from a mela or Janpath (Delhi) and I also have my Guccis and Louis Vuittons.  

And make-up?

Very subtle. You will never find me in red lipstick. I am wearing red nail polish, but that is also once in a blue moon. I’d go for the French (manicure). I don’t own too many lipsticks… may be a couple. I just wear a bit of blush-on and nudes and pinks. I have one red lipstick which is almost new, it is lying there. I like doing my eyes… so, at night I would do a little bit of smoky eyes. I rarely go out without kajal. 

ESHA’S FAVOURITE SARIS

A Sabyasachi (Mukherjee) in black, ivory and red. It’s a classic colour combination. It’s partly brocade, partly net with a broad velvet border with his signature work. I have worn that a lot because I believe in wearing what I buy. 

Then there is this one I got made from a thaan that I picked up from Singapore’s Arab market (Arab Street). It has pearl and crystal work done on it. Every time I wear it, people ask me which designer. It’s a white-on-white.

I love my traditional Dhakais. I love my whites-on-whites, beige-on-beige… all the pastels. I have got the typical traditional one in white and red. Also, cotton tangails. 

Text: Saionee Chakraborty
Pictures: Pabitra Das
Styled by: Neha Gandhi; Jewellery: Citrine
Hair and make-up: Abhijit Chanda; Location courtesy: The Park