Embrace rain in style

With the monsoons setting in, a whole of us are left with mixed emotions. Rain can dampen the mood and the effort we put into dressing for work.

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain." is a quote well said. Here are a few practical monsoon dressing tips:

♦    Semi fitted silhouettes - Wear semi fitted clothing whether it is traditional clothes or western wear. The idea is that it should not cling on to you when you get drenched in the rain. Avoid fitted silhouettes. They can be quite a pain.

♦    Lingerie - You should ensure to wear firm, padded bras during the rains. This will keep you away from any kind of embarrassment.

♦    Raincoat and umbrella - Invest in a good quality wind cheater or long raincoat that will prevent you from getting wet as much as possible. Along with the raincoat, one can keep an additional protection with an umbrella. A larger one is recommended. Go for bright colours and vivacious prints.

♦    Length of your bottoms - Trousers and skirts should not be of the sweeping length, for it not only get wet but also dirty. Short to calf to ankle lengths are great options.

♦    Footwear - Choose to wear gum boots, ballet shoes, flat sandals made out of waterproof material such as plastic, rubber, PVC etc. Avoid all leather and suede footwear.

♦    Make-up - Rain can even smudge the makeup which you have applied over your face if proper protection based make up is not applied. Hence, use only water resistant make up products such as tinted moisturiser, matte lipstick and pencil liners rather than liquid liners. Keep your make-up minimal, which will make your appearance more graceful.

♦    Hair - Tends get very frizzy during the rains so regular oiling the hair will cut down the frizz. You can also use serum after a head bath to reduce the frizz. Keep your hair lightly tied rather than leaving it open.

♦    Handbags - A water resistant vinyl, plastic or rubber tote is a perfect rainy-day accessory to protect your essentials during your commute.

♦    Jewellery - It should be light, not too chunky nor heavy.

♦    Colours - You should wear something bright on a rainy day to keep your spirits high. This will not only create an interesting element in your outfit but will also make you feel cheerful in the gloomy weather. Alternatively, opt for darker colours as they can save you from embarrassment and not show the dirt, especially on the bottoms. Embrace busy, vivacious prints as well into your monsoon wardrobe. They can give you quite a statement looks.

♦    Fabrics - Clothing that you wear should preferably be made of quick dry material or natural alternatives like cotton, rayon, modal. Avoid sheer, thin fabrics such as chiffon, georgette which will look transparent or very thick fabrics like denim, which take a long time to dry.