Elie Saab’s spring 2016 couture uses a lot of white and delicate lace, which evokes a very Victorian feel. It also features a lot of intricate sequins work, which reminds me of elaborate, yet delicate Indian wedding wear. Saab makes the fusion of Victorian and Indian styles more obvious by layering soft Victorian fabrics to make Indian lehengas. Further, he uses sari silhouettes for a seamless, airy connection from the bodice to the shoulder but does so in a way that makes Indian elements stand out from popular Western ones. This prompted me to more actively explore a louder mis-matched fusion inspired aesthetic.
My dress here has the shape of an anarkali, a long, pleated Indian kurta which is traditionally worn with leggings. Instead, I decided to wear it as a maxi dress without any bottoms for more breathing room in the sultry Indian weather. I love the awkward ankle length, especially since midi skirts and dresses are huge right now. Next are my flats, which look a bit like oxfords pay tribute to the pointed Victorian Era shoes, especially due to the laces. The nude, pink-ish color perfectly fits my idea of the Victorian color palette. The shoes also remind me of ballet shoes, while my dress loosely reminds me of an outfit an Indian Kathak dancer would wear, which adds a lot more character to the the combination.
My necklace has the form of a choker—A huge trend right now associated with a gothic or edgy aesthetic. However, the silver beaded design renders it very Indian. This jewelry piece, unlike the rest of my outfit, has more of a seamless fusion. In contrast, my cat eye glasses, one of my favorite accessories, really stand out from this Indian get up—Especially in combination with the shoes. I definitely got the courage and inspiration to pick contrasting pieces for one outfit from Saab. I’ve always loved combining mis-matched items, but have been hesitant to wear them out. Seeing Saab critically acclaimed for doing this definitely gives me more courage to explore something that may not be considered traditionally fashionable.
Get My Look: 1. Indian style choker 2. Floral midi dress 3. Pointed, lace-up flats
