Desi Diva

By Shilpa Arora

Summer Splash

Keep Cool with These Warm Weather Essentials

With summer right around the corner, keeping cool and looking fab is a must do. With a little creative thinking, and maybe splurging on a few key pieces, you can make your presence known this season. Read on for the low-down on how to add some zing to your summer style.

Tank Tops
With an overwhelming variety on the market, it’s easy to find one or two tank tops that suit your style. If standard designs won’t do, check out the increasingly popular lace cami—a good hybrid of a tank top and a dressy evening blouse. Lace camisoles, with their embroidered edges and delicate fabrics, are wonderful blends of comfort and grace. Cotton or fitted lycra are both good options for casual tops while semi-formal and formal tank tops should be a little more dressy; blended silk, crepe, and other delicate fabrics are all chic options to choose from. One caveat: make sure your tank doesn’t look like daytime lingerie. If you choose to strut your stuff in a lace cami during the day, pair it with a jacket or cardigan that you can easily remove for the evening. A soft jean jacket, an open button down shirt or even a khaki blazer can keep you cool and chic.

The Basic Tee
Get three to five of these and you’ll drift your way through the dog days in style. If you lean toward a classic look, choose two black t-shirts, two white ones, and one in cream (or an extra black or white). If color makes you happy, go ahead and get funky: daffodil yellow, carmine, watermelon, deep blue greens—whatever strikes your color chord. If you have a penchant for softness, aim for peachy and pastel shades: pistachio greens, buttery yellows, and gentle pinks. Get at least two in a good weave, such as a cotton-polyester blend that won’t wrinkle too easily. The other two or three can be simple cotton to get you though that July heat wave. However, remember pure cotton is more likely to shrink after two washes, but if they’re good quality they won’t fade after those necessary multiple summer washes, making them one of your best summer splurges.

Long, Billowy Skirts
Pull out that old trunk with all your summer clothes from last year. Chances are you already own a gypsy skirt or two—and what better way to celebrate your wardrobe than to hold a repeat performance of these still-in-style numbers. Bohemian not your thing? Remember, long skirts don’t have to make you look like a flower child. To make the look more sophisticated, choose from a medley of gossamer fabrics, such as georgette and ruched silk, with delicate bells at the waist. If you’re headed to a South Asian country this summer, you can find these anywhere on the street, though the ones you find in boutiques might give you more bang for your rupee. For a twist, try a long, wrap-around skirt to accentuate your curves and top it with roomy tunic or fitted lace cami.

Cool Kurtis
As a Desi Diva, if you don’t own a kurti yet, this is the summer for you to jump on this hot trend. Kurtis are South Asia’s answer to t-shirts: they can be worn with almost everything including capris, jeans, skirts, and even shorts. These tunics can be casual, elegant, embossed with bandhini, sequins, ethnic block print, stones or beadwork—the possibilities truly are endless, making them a great fashion choice. If all you want is a little spice to a western look, pick a cotton or silk kurti with minimal accents and heat up your summer east-west style.

Stonewashed Denim
Summer doesn’t mean saying no to denim. In fact, there are some extremely lightweight variations of denim that almost feel like cotton capris because they’re so soft. The actual term “stonewashed” means that the garment has been processed using pumice pebbles to soften the material though repeated friction. Today, manufacturers are making incredibly supple, soft denim designed specifically to be lightweight. Deep indigo or cobalt stonewashed jeans will fade less easily and keep you relaxed and radiant summer after summer. These are the ones you’ll want to grab and wear to those cool summer evening barbecues and get-togethers with friends. And even though summer has to end, these denim looks don’t—they can be worn anytime during the year, keeping the memory of summer alive all year round.