ARTY ICONS: Ustad Zakir Hussain with Rahul Sharma and Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma; (below) Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash. Picture below by Aranya Sen

Not a navy pinstriped piece and definitely not a red sporty tee. An arty man is one who is at home in his collection of kurtas, teamed effectively with denims or churidars. His demeanour and his style are arty to the hilt. GoodLife fills you in with further details, straight from his closet.

Who is he

Designer and style consultant Sunipa Samadder links an arty man’s style to his profession. “An arty man, invariably, comes from a professional background that somewhere deals with the arts. He has learnt how to appreciate art in any form, be it abstract or material.”

So, it is hardly a surprise when an arty man prefers a herringbone weave to a lycra mix and picks a cotton with silk blend instead of a nylon. “He chooses grams of linen instead of ounces of denim, but even if it is denim, it must carry remnants of his workplace, be it an art studio or his study,” adds Sunipa.

Director, art critic, painter, musician, writer, singer? the arty man could walk any field of life but when it comes to his wardrobe, his style boasts a strong earthy look, always favouring matte-finish over sheen or glitter.

Prateek Raja from Kaniskha’s, an arty man’s style shop, feels the style code for such a dresser accurately reflects character. “Essentially, he is a confident man and that comes across through his body language. His gait and posture reflect that sense of confidence.

According to designer Suchismita Dasgupta, an arty man is definitely not the type to wear what his wife or girlfriend asks him to. “They are the ones to take it upon themselves to look good. They must stand out in a crowd with their individualist style statement, rarely blending in with a black shirt,” says Suchismita.

Looking up

• Ustad Amjad Ali Khan
• Rituparno Ghosh
• Javed Akhtar
• Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma
• Ustad Zakir Hussain
• Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash (getting there)
• Rahul Sharma
• Sanjay Leela Bhansali
• Leslie Lewis

Theme talk

The colour palette of an arty man is quite restricted ? try and catch him in a sunny orange! “These men are most comfortable in subdued tones. They prefer neutrals like off-whites and whites, being okay with at most a grey or a rust,” observes Prateek from Kanishka’s. “More than prints, they tend to favour fabric detailing in terms of texturing like pin tucks or stitch lines that define fabrics,” he adds.

An arty man would rather exude elegance than draw attention by overdoing a style statement. And he is hardly fussy about his hairstyle; he is quite happy sporting a casual look. Suchismita feels that an arty man’s ensemble is almost a piece of art, every day. “He has an amazing sense of mix and match, putting together something special each time.”

While the trademark accessories are chains, hats, bracelets, they also lay store by their eyewear. “Their choice of frames and glasses is a statement by itself,” observes Prateek.

Must haves

Though an arty man has a great sense of mix and match, there are a few basics his closet always houses. Here is Sunipa’s list of wardrobe essentials for him:

Long and short kurtas in weather congenial fabrics like khadi, linen, tussar and silk

Shirts, either in basic hues or printed or hand-painted, but boasting differently-styled collars like Mandarins, overlapping or angrakha

• Plain churidars
• Exquisite Pashminas or jamevar shawls
• A few hakka border dhotis
• Silk dhotis
• Blue denims in regular cuts
• Bags, not portfolio but sling
• Open sandals, a pair of walking shoes, and jootis
• Various jackets in all lengths and textures
• Kurta buttons in diverse metals and designs

Shop stops

Like his arty woman counterpart, the man too picks up a piece or two on each of his trips abroad. Haunts back home are FabIndia, CIMA Design, Kaniskha’s, Anokhi and Khadder. He also frequents state exhibitions and handloom houses. With an eye for detail, shopping for him, usually, is hardly ever a chore.