THE SHADES OF BROWN

Ever felt that brown is an underrated colour? HT City speaks to fashion designers to find out ways to spruce up your fashion quotient with the colour

While black and white are the go-to colours for any occasion, we believe the colour brown is an underrated shade that needs to be out there too. And should it be in the forefront more than it is now? “Brown is definitely an underrated and underused colour. As Indians, we are afraid to use the shade as it is similar to our skin tone, when, in fact, it should be celebrated and used more often, as tone on tone is a widely-celebrated trend. It is also a versatile colour as it has so many shades that are suitable for both day and night events,” says fashion designer duo Saaksha Bhat and Kinnari Kamat.

Since it is a neutral colour, you can pair it with anything and it will look good. The colour brown is associated with a lot of things, for instance, tea, coffee, earth or the bark of a tree. When it comes to garments and designs, fashion designer Purvi Doshi suggests that it looks good in corporatewear, western or Indianwear. “Pair your brown pants with a white shirt or opt for a brown kneelength dress for officewear. For an evening function, opt for a brown evening gown with a clutch and accessories, and a hand-embroidered kurta with ijar pants and dupatta will work well for your Indian festive functions,” adds Doshi.

As a glamorous option, it can break the monotony from the blacks and whites. “Yes, brown can be as glamorous as any other colour. But it also depends a lot on the way the fabric drapes on the body and how comfortable one is wearing it. Everything that one enjoys wearing is glamorous,” says fashion designer duo Pranav Guglani and Neha Singh.

Left: Strut in style in this brown and black striped cotton jacket with hand embroidered motifs, paired with a brown and black striped shirt with white hand embroidered floral. Team with an allsequin skirt or formal trousers

A flowy button down brown shirt with white and red contrast embroidery and ikat piping details, paired with casual denim or offwhite bottoms

This is a button down skirt made in a breathable cotton linen fabric and is designed to lift your basic style. It’s versatile as it goes perfectly with shirts, solid tees, etc.

Spruce up your officewear or a lazy brunch with friends with this brown khadi hand embroidered cowl dress