Winter ready with haute accessories

The Fall/Winter season in India is often associated with weddings, parties and fancy events, which gives us ample opportunities to dress up. When we think of styling for cold weather, winter accessories play a very important part. Here’s a lowdown on reinventing your winter wardrobe by putting together an excellent ensemble with some interesting accessory ideas.

Thinking hats  
Hats are the best way to update your look and with timeless pieces in new styles, it’s easy to change the look. Designer Ranna Gill recommends investing in quality accessories such as hats, scarves, bags, and shoes for a stylish season. She says, “You could wear hats with tiny sparkles which add a little spark to your face or experiment with different pom poms that can be attached and detached. If you plan to wear a black hat, add ivory pom poms or multi coloured pom-poms for more fun. I would suggest if you want to upgrade your wardrobe, the best would be to invest in neutral bags and shoes that can be paired with most outfits.”

Wrap it
Scarves are an important part of everyone’s closet – they keep you warm and add pattern to a plain outfit by working as a colour block accessory. There are multiple scarf styles and options for casual, formal and work looks. Fashion expert and COO at Ravissant, Malini Chawla Saigal says, “A plaid wool scarf, a blanket scarf, shawl scarf, pashmina, and long scarf are the best options to be worn in the cold season. Scarves that are trending currently are hand paint scarf, digital print scarves with various motifs in themes like a blossom, paisley, small figurative motifs (like animals - tiger and elephants), Madhubani, etc. One can pair silk fusion scarves with a shrug, an oversized scarf with a dress, floral print scarf with asymmetric short Kurtis and embroidery scarves with wedding attires like off-shoulder gowns and saris to look stylish in winters.”

Be-jewelled
When the weather is cold, one is bundled up in a coat, scarf, hat, and gloves. Our neck, wrist, and fingers are all obscured from view, in other words, none of our jewelry is visible. No matter how gorgeous the coat is, the importance of accessorising your clothes with the right jewelry will appeal to your style statement, points out jewellery designer Ageerika Hari of jewellery brand. She says, “Unlike the rest of your body, our ears are still visible when we are wrapped up. The type of earrings one should choose to wear will depend on whether or not one is wearing a scarf. If you’re wearing a scarf, it’s best to stick with ear studs because they won’t clash. If you’re not wearing a scarf, feel free to experiment with earrings that dangle or drop in pearls. Brooches are one of the jewellery trends that stand out and add a vintage look. Brooches are the perfect ornaments, especially when you are wearing coats and other types of outerwear. For instance, one great place to wear your brooch is the center of your collarbones, when you are wearing a button-down shirt as it can be an alternative to wearing a necklace.”

Adding further, Ageerika informs, “The rope chain jewellery links that are twisted or looped together in a pattern are quite popular textural chains this season. One can wear rope chains as necklaces or bracelets and can be safely used for everyday wear. Invest in coloured stone jewellery made of semi-precious stones like aquamarines, corals and tanzanite. Pair a statement ring with your long blazers or an off-shoulder layered jacket for a complete look.”

Statement watches by Gaurav Mehta

Arm candy
World-over, watches are no longer used to just keep a tab on the time. They are often seen as a piece of jewellery for women and an interesting fashion accessory for men. Vintage-style watches have made a comeback globally and India is cottoning on to the trend. Both men and women can sport vintage with semi-formal and formal looks, remarks watch expert Gaurav Mehta, CEO of watch company. He says, “Vintage watches work well with both Indian and Western wear. The classic watches trending currently are mechanical, automatic and quartz, accentuated with solid gold or rhodium or silver casing. Jewellery watches studded with diamonds and other precious stones or watches crafted from 24-carat gold work quite well for formal occasions, and so do watches with interesting dials. Bespoke is a trend that can be enhanced by uniquely concepts like ancient coins, monograms, stamps, emblems, flags, insignia, motifs and more, thus bringing to life history and creating unique timepieces. Hand-painted dials, enameled dials, pieces with 3D prints, striking dials with mother-of-pearl and age-old enameling techniques also work wonders for semi-casual look.”

Accessories and outfit by Ritu Kumar at Lakme Fashion Week

Best foot forward
The transition from summer to colder months can be noticed with a change in footwear trends. Since cold feet are the fact of winters, the trend of shoes gets affected the most with new styles believes shoe expert Tabby Bhatia, founder of shoe brand. He says, “Every year, the type of shoes remains the same with some additions for an upgraded look. The demand for high ankle sneakers and boots will be the same but the pattern and designs will be changed. The latest trends are the designed boots in monk and tassel and can be called the ‘must-have’ for the season. In winters, leather boots give the most classic look by styling with a leather jacket or long coats. Add a matching scarf and hat, and you are good to go.”