Meet the original style mavens, Gauri Khan, Sussanne Khan, Twinkle Khanna

They straddle the worlds of literature, decor, fashion, and glamour. They’ve charted their own path and have proved their mettle in their respective fields. It’s rather commendable how they’ve achieved it all — family, kids and work without skipping a style beat. Also, the lives they lead and the choices they make reflect in the way they dress. Gauri Khan is a mother, an interior designer, and also shares a partnership with a sari brand. Twinkle Khanna is a best-selling author, producer, design maven and also a hands-on mom to her kids — Aarav and Nitara.

Sussanne Khan, too, has struck a balance between her myriad roles — a cool soccer mama to Hrehaan and Hridhaan and an ace decor diva.

All of them have a strong sense of casual dressing and don’t glamourise themselves for every photo-op. Designer Payal Singhal observes that all three of them have stayed true to their personalities and they also understand their bodies well. “Gauri has good curves and Twinkle dresses in a certain way which complements her body type. Denim pieces and Adidas x Stan Smith sneakers have been their go-to essentials. They keep their hair, make-up real and even on the red carpet, they are not trying to be actresses but best versions of themselves — be it Twinkle in an anarkali and churidaar, or Gauri in a sari,” says Payal.

One sees them cultivating a nuanced dressing game — which is a clash between high street and super luxury, formal and casual, laidback and avant-garde. Perhaps this delightful tension between the contrasting thought processes and influences makes their overall style cumulative, multi-layered and cerebral.

EPITOME OF LAIDBACK GLAMOUR — GAURI KHAN

Stylista Gauri Khan oscillates between two parallel aesthetics — body-con sequinned numbers for evenings and beaded kurtis and skinny pants for casual dos. SRK’s better half has time and again shown a penchant for Monisha Jaising’s sari gowns and kurtas. “Gauri is the epitome of laidback glamour. Her style is never in-your-face but understated. She exudes an air of ease — whether she’s in a pair of ripped denims and a T-shirt or track pants. She even wears suits with a relaxed attitude and never comes across as a prude. She has worn a lot of my sari gowns with panache and stayed loyal to MJ kurtis. She once teamed my black silk kurta with a pair of leather pants bringing back ’70s rock and roll,” recalls Monisha. For Eid, Mrs Khan has worn kurtas teamed with dupattas and on other occasions, with denims, thus adding an inherent GK touch to every appearance.

There’s also a corporate edge to Gauri’s rich styling canvas. Aastha comments, “There’s a certain corporate sharpness one sees when she’s working. That’s when she opts for jackets and clean-cut pantsuits.”

When she is out entertaining with her girl pals, Gauri warms up to a body-conscious silhouette. “For evenings, Gauri takes the more glam route. She’s petite, carries off fitted mini dresses very well as she has great legs. She likes a lot of lace which lends a touch of femininity. Also, she’s experimental in terms of her colour choices,” says designer Nishka Lulla.

COACHELLA-MEETS-BUSINESS STYLE — SUSSANNE KHAN

Stylist Isha Bhansali, who has styled Sussanne, sees her as a cool soccer mom. “Sussanne is understated in her approach to dressing. When I shot with her, she had brought her own clothes. Of course, she also wore clothes which we had sourced. She’s classic and likes simple outfits like a BCBG Max Azria or a pair of Armani jeans. She likes to team her denims with a classic white shirt and pearls. She does make a statement when she steps out and has shown a penchant for chiffon dresses from Dolce & Gabbana. Overall, her style is relaxed luxury.” Besides the sportified femininity, one can also sense an air of bohemian when one sits down to dissect her style. Payal interprets her style as Coachella-meets-relaxed-business-executive style. “Sussanne’s personal style also reflects in her work at Charcoal Project — be it her liking for animal prints or textures,” she says.

She likes to mix different materials which comes in her dressing. It’s very unique - the way she puts looks together and mixes and matches very well. Her bracelets and bangles come to mind instantly,” says Payal.

Nishka seconds that. “She’s slightly more boho. Now with her association with The Label Life, she has been sporting a lot of white shirts. However, she likes to dress in a comfortable manner and accessorise her looks with sling bags, jeans or cargo pants,” adds the young designer.

AGE-APPROPRIATE STYLE WITH A HINT OF QUIRK — TWINKLE KHANNA

Author and columnist Twinkle Khanna continues to inspire women across the social spectrum through her litany of books and columns. Her inimitable wit and infectious sense of humour make her truly the icon in every sense of the word. Perhaps, her humour also comes across in her dressing. Mrs Funnybones clearly has a penchant for different shades of blue — whether she’s brunching with husband Akshay, catching movies with Aarav and Nitara or just chilling with bestie Gayatri Oberoi. From a trench dress and a denim tunic to a pantsuit and a fully-beaded Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla — Twinkle is always elegant, practical and on point.

“That’s how I want to look when I am in my 40s,” says designer Arpita Mehta. “She comes across as the most approachable person,” she adds.

Her social media posts are something which you can relate to. Not surprisingly, her dressing always reflects that some thought has been put into it. She’s an intelligent woman, very observant, picking little quirks from daily life - from what’s happening in her house to what she experienced on a holiday,” adds Arpita.

Mrs Funny Bone’s red carpet appearances too have been understated and never trend-driven. She’s been loyal to Diane Von Furstenberg’s chainlink numbers and BCBG’s easy pieces. “Even for a formal do, she’d pick a clean and minimal outfit which works for her personality,” observes Aastha.For a L’Oreal outing, Twinkle had stepped out in a sleek pantsuit teamed with a lace camisole which again proved her liking for something that is classic and timeless.  

Designer Nishka Lulla shares, “It’s amazing how Twinkle puts very simple pieces together - from her palazzo pants and blazers to tunics.”

It’s easy to deduce that Mrs Khanna’s style is more approachable and she’s often seen in high-street labels like ZARA. “What strikes me about her is the fact that she is the most chilled out person. For a woman who has so much wealth, she is very subtle and elegant,” says stylist Isha Bhansali.

Designer Monica Shah of label JADE also relates to Twinkle’s style the most. “Her style is very grounded - be it her trench coats or jackets. I can totally relate to her appeal,” says Monica.