Diwali 2022: Layering is in vogue! Here are tips to sport the ethnic capes and jackets

While flowy dresses and lehengas remain timeless classics for traditional occasions, fashion enthusiasts never fail to experiment with the outfits to bring in a new touch to the outfits, which end up becoming the season's favourite. From anarkalis to ruffle or belt-sarees, one may have noticed a unique outfit making news during the festive season every year. This year, cape-styled dupattas and palazzo pants are definitely taking over the festive and wedding fashion markets.

"Who doesn't love layering up their ensembles? Some sophisticated long capes, pairing with flare pant sets and full flared lehengas are the best picks for winter festive wear," says Dhruv Taneja, CEO of Pratapsons, an online clothing brand.

With diverse types of comfortable pants and blouses, which clearly strike a balance between embellishment, elegance and comfort, making way to people's feeds on social media, there is a growing love for the ethnic in contemporary Indian fashion markets. In tune with Indo-western fad greatly embraced by Indians, the cape-styled dupatta and long jackets is convincing people to go beyond the traditional contours of what a lehenga or salwar suit should look like.


Photo Courtesy: Haania Manzar

According to Haania Manzar, digital content creator for fashion, lehenga jackets or cape lehengas are gaining popularity currently among other indo-western trends including crop top combos, dhoti pants and palazzos. Moreover, Taneja observes a different version of this epic trend such as pair a lehenga with strappy chic heavy blouse and a long sheer jacket with minimal work or pants with a short kurta and fully embellished cape are attracting many eyeballs.

Whether it is a plain jacket or perfectly embellished capes, people are pairing long-length jackets with palazzo pants and ditching dupattas or styling their dupattas as capes over lehengas and palazzo pants to sport the new trend.

Here are some tips, curated by Manzar and Taneja, to styling palazzo pants, blouses and dupattas:
1. Since the outfit is a layered one, flowy materials are a big yes. It can't be created perfectly on stiff fabrics like raw silk and organza.
2. To get a perfect silhouette with cape jackets and dupattas, the fabric has to be flowy and opaque so that the inner layering of the garment is clearly visible.
3. Focus on flowy flare cuts and try to avoid the shaped cuts for the complete three-piece outfit. Detailing has to be minimal to give it a chic and heavy look.
4. A pair of heavy earrings would be perfect and avoid over accessorising as it will clash with the layered look.
5. You can always pick your comfort with fashion because there is no rule book. The fabrics need to be soft and shiny which doesn't demand a lot of embellishments and comfort goes hand-in-hand.
6. Pairing palazzo pants and tops epitomises comfort and sophistication. When you want to seem put-together yet comfortable, layer a solid tank over patterned pants. Add some flair to the outfit with accessories like a cross-body sling or a sleek belt.
7. Dress up with a pair of palazzo pants and an open-front, embroidered jacket. Leave the waist buttons on your floor-length jacket undone, allowing your palazzos to gently show.
8. To give your outfit a flowing edge, use a fabric that feels opulent and silky. Put on some ethnic jewellery and a dupatta as accessories to add some classic elegance.

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