How to work the 'Quirk'!

If it's not colorful, attention-grabbing and fun, it's not worth wearing! Fashion trends are predominantly prescribing this. Fashion fads do come and go by the scores but then there are some that will stay for a little while longer. And Fashion being a multi-billion dollars industry undeniably affects each one of us today, especially now that media is getting increasingly influential.

Some fashion accessories and apparels strike a chord with your inner persona and become your instant favourite and you want to style them, include them in your 'OOTD' despite what the fashion Gurus might have to stay. 'LS' or not, you love it, want to keep it and wear it. How do you weave these fun pieces into your everyday styling?

Some pieces on their own are visually very appealing but when it comes to styling them, it can get a tad bit tricky.  Take the Quirky printed clothes and fashion accessories trend that took the world by a storm all over again, only recently. Triggered by a runway success fashion designer, there were cameras and table fans on every fashionable, wearable piece possible. Bold colours, quirky prints and daring new silhouettes in the apparels. It's a tempting but very thin line to walk between looking Haute and a Hot Mess, for those fashionistas sporting such quirky clothes and accessories.

Working the 'Quirk' trend is not only about making a fashion statement, it's also about self-expression. Your choice in the piece also goes to say a lot about you. What colours you club it with, talks even more. Now you wouldn't want to go overboard doing that, would you?

Although there are no strict rules governing the fashion industry and everybody's personal style is well, their personal style! Sometimes however, following the basic principles of design does make a huge difference in the look you want to pull off. Especially for those who love to experiment with their silhouettes, its most essential to know when and where to draw the line.

If one can work it, one must flaunt it. However to get it just right, is essential.

How do you include quirky pieces into your everyday wear? Quirk at office sounds next to impossible? So let's try and ditch the basics and work the quirk in 5 fashionably easy ways.

1. A Witty Handbag:

International Designer Anya Hindmarch brought out her 'Counter Culture' Tote Bags at the Fall 2014. My favourite piece being the one with the Frosties tiger on a roomy blue number. This bag is 'IT'! How would you dress up with a witty bag like this one? I would let 'IT' talk! Keeping the dress monochromatic and plain,  no prints, I'd let my bag give me a field of a day/night. Owning one good handbag that can turn heads makes things easier. It spares us all the rummaging through the jewellery to find matching pieces for the look, too.


  
2.The Crazy Print Dress:

Closer to home, our Bollywood celebs have been sporting dresses, jumpsuits and sarees that have a full body of quirky, crazy prints. Be it Priyanka in a Masaba Gupta outfit or Katy Perry's outfit by the other 'Master of Quirk'-Manish Arora, both have played by one of the basic principles of design 'Simplicity'.




Sans excessive jewellery, structured silhouettes for the dresses, monochromatic footwear guarantees a well turned out look. Call it 'playing-safe' if you like but that's how you rock it, by me!

3.Whacky Hair Accessories:

 Mentioning fashion and hair accessories in the same breath, one cannot help but think of one name. An iconic persona, Frida Kahlo's floral wreath is the best example of a quirky style carried well. Contradictory to popular belief, I would say her kind of hair accessories would work so beautifully with our Indian apparels too. Imagine a pair of Kohl lined eyes, that nose ring and a head full of flowers. This definitely spells an Indian beauty, so alluring!

4. Maddening Footwear:

Since we are talking about fashion pieces that are wearable on a daily pieces to various occasions, I will skip right past Lady Gaga. She's an absolute Quirk-aholic but what we want to see is how we could do justice to the quirks in us by translating quirk into everyday styling and making it comfortable, chic and wearable all at the same time.

Comic style accessories had caught everyone's fancy and this is how Keisha Cole debuted her design from the Steve Madden collection. She prefers to send those eyeballs rolling at her feet. The dress remains as white as a blank canvas and all the pops of colour have seeped down to her feet.This funky patterned strappy heel, sure is a must have for those days when you see nothing interesting to wear in your cupboard. Bring these babies out and give your feet some serious wings.

5.Eccentric Jewellery:

From Owls to edibles and even moustaches, almost everything under the sun is worn in the form of charms on  bracelets, pendants or earrings. The quirkiest piece I came across was a pair of earrings with Ryan Gosling's face as the 'Stud'. What a quirky idea! I dare you to get your STUD's face onto a pair of earrings and wear them. Whether the idea's a hit or a miss, whether you rock it or you don't, that quirky piece is surely going to get some tongues wagging. Go do it. Just for kicks!

For the less intrepid there are always those handcrafted silver pieces with Gods and Goddesses etched,  embossed or hand-painted .Colour- cordinate them with your Indo-western fusion wear and Voila! you have an interesting ensemble.  

 Isn't it a known trick that you play your cards one at a time? Carrying too many quirky pieces at the same time may just result in a visual chaos.

 So my fashion tip, work the quirk, a piece at a time!

This story had been first posted at http://wearethecity.in/how-to-work-the-quirk-vibhuti-bhandarkar/