Sheer magic

Hyderabad: The midsummer fashion diary is luring you to play a game of hide and seek and the fun lies in playing it within the sartorial limits. The rules are simple, all you require is to strategically club sheer with opaque. That’s the S/S ’14 style wonder.

Vera Wang, Helmut Lan and Mulberry Calvin Klein are exploring the transparent and opaque track in layers, while Moschino, Prabal Gurung and Felder Felder are creating a more prominent effect as outer wear. Elie Tahari, Burberry Prorsum and Osklen are happy to settle for the usual dresses with a transparent summer jacket, structured or oversized. Phillip Lim is offering the subtle sensuality mantra with a playful sheer presence at the hemline.

Designer Gautam Gupta is more than game for a peekaboo fashion parade. His ‘block juxtaposed with see through’ mantra: “Stripes stand as firm favourites. The one solid reason being with stripes the scope of designing automatically goes on expanding mode, not to forget, the glam factor is a welcome add on. I always prefer sleek sheer than just layering element used as sheer and looks like the laser cut look is the clear cut winner.

A minor warning, don’t be mistaken, the sheer opaque combination can be a tricky affair but if executed with precision it does the job fashionably well. My pick of the season in this style segment will be crop tops or jackets. Skirts also make sheer look fabulous especially by playing with colours of the inner.”

Gautam wants you to try the trend in a sea of colours, yet he couldn’t resist pronouncing his clear favourite. “Nothing as good as black and white,” he declares.

Designer duo Kiran and Meghna of brand Myoho labels the opaque fabric meets sheer style statement as “classy yet sexy.” Kiran says, “Currently the most predominant style is having opaque fabrics as a singular knee high garment while the legs offer a sheer sight. Playing with the lengths and getting the proportions right is a key factor.”

Designer Shradha Murarka loves the long veil skirt. “A brilliant way to balance sheer and opaque and flaunt a trend that’s the current red carpet darling. The mid sheer length detailing is what makes it special. For the sake of modesty, you can also go for some bling embellishment in the sheer portion. And those who can dare to bare, a truncated version of veil is a complete headturner. Bring as much opaque as you like in your attire and use sheer with liberty or restrict it to sleeves, panels and a midriff show. In every way, sheer and opaque make a perfect team.”