Apparel April 2019 Apparel April 2019 issue | Page 95

TREND TALK
PALAZZOS WERE A CRAZE
FROM THE ’30 S AND ’40 S AND
BECAME POPULAR IN THE ’60 S
AND ’70 S TO COME BACK INTO
VOGUE NOW.
is teeming with palazzos, leggings, knit leggings,
Patiala salwars, dhoti salwars, harem pants, yoga
pants, jogging pants, shararas, ghararas, long
ghaghra skirts, trousers, straight cut pants, and
of course, cigarette pants. These are so popular
that from elderly women to teenagers, everyone
is enamoured of them and wears these styles
with panache. The good ole salwar and churidars
are hardly seen. One could recycle from one’s
own wardrobe, but to buy a new one, the newer
alternatives work very well.
THE PALAZZO JOURNEY
The story started with palazzos and straight pants
and it caught on. Palazzos were a craze from the
’30s and ’40s and became popular in the ’60s
and ’70s to come back into vogue now. In India,
the sharara or gharara was popular; several of
the wide pyjama-like bottoms can be seen in old
costumes of the Mughal era. The website
www.stylecraze.com puts it as, “Palazzo is your
rescue ranger, like no other. They are stylish,
flouncy, chic and supremely comfortable. But,
firstly did you know that these were a hit from
their inception in the 1960s? Yes, this retro trend
that has made a comeback is not really a new
age revolution. It was first sported by the famous
designer Coco Chanel on a beach back in the
day. She has been a pioneer and a pivot to
the fashion industry.”
Following the palazzo success, a plethora
of avatars have been put out. The full straight
trousers or straight palazzos as they are called
are extremely successful. What works for these
trousers is that they work with the elasticised
waist, with the dori or string for added comfort.
Two side pockets ensure that the-must-keep-in
mobile phone can be easily accommodated,
keeping the hands free. It is available in a host
of colours and can be effectively teamed with
any top—kurtas, kurtis, tops, shirts, and t-shirts.
A slightly shorter ankle-length avatar called
‘trousers’ can also be used as a bottom for the
same. It is called ‘parallel pants’ or ‘trousers’.
Extremely chic, it gives the humble kurta of the
salwar-kurta ensemble a modern twist.
APPAREL
I
April 2019
I
89