Chanel's Paris-Bombay collection held in 2011 brought the matha patti into international consciousness followed by Manish Arora's epochal line for Amrapali. Then it filtered down to runways and the racks with young designers playing with this old Indian classic giving it a contemporary edge. Bollywood, over the last one year, has been swamped with this head accessory if red carpet pap shots of our actresses are a yardstick to go by. Sonam Kapoor has often worn her maang patti and tika with Indian ensembles. Recently, Parineeti Chopra accessorised her Nitya Arora embellished dress with a headgear and not long ago, Deepika Padukone had worn an ornate maang patti with a floor-length sequinned dress at Zee Cine awards. One look at magazine editorials and it's hard to miss maang patti, maang tika, haath phool and baajuband. A case in point being Alia Bhatt's shoot for Verve magazine.
Reinterpreting the classic
Currently, maatha patti and haath phool are the two dazzling it-boys on the jewellery galaxy. Fashion columnist Sujata Assomull Sippy says, "I think the young Bollywood and the up-and-coming jewellery designers are looking into the past and reinventing it with a contemporary and edgy twist. Maatha patti and haath phool are the two by-products of this trend. Also, the vintage style jewellery goes well with contemporary clothes."
Rock it well
Jewellery designer Nitya Arora of label Valliyan observes that this trend has taken some time to really catch up in India. However, she cautions, "Since it pretty much sits at the centre of your face, you have to be really sure while buying one. Make sure you're wearing the maatha patti and the maatha patti is not wearing you. If you're fashion-forward and experimental with your look like Sonam then a three-layered one right on the forehead can look great. If you're fierce and confident with a strong personality like Priyanka Chopra, the big ones work too."
Nitya feels that they look best with a lehenga or a cool Anamika Khanna drape with dhoti pants and a cape. If you have a small face and a feminine personality like Alia or Deepika a medium-sized, more delicate version away from the forehead looks better."
She adds, "Most women prefer delicate ones because they can be worn often and at various occasions, without being too conscious, starting from music festivals, to beaches, brunches and of course to weddings."
Tune it to your hairstyle and face-cut
Designer Mrinalini Chandra, who has created a few maatha pattis and headgears in her line says, "One's face-cut and hairstyle should be kept in mind when buying a maatha patti. There are a lot of options for everyone to chose from."
Revival of the classic
The trend of maatha pattis and tikas and also haath phools is not just big in India but also internationally. Designer Queenie Singh sees it as a revival of what we've had in India. "Besides, phool pattis, people are also wearing it as a floral accessory on the head. We've never stopped doing maatha pattis and tikkis in our collection. Baajuband or armlet is another big must-have," says she.
How to style it
Nitya Arora shares her tips:
1. You can go in for a smaller centre-piece or a big one depending on your face and personal style.
2. It's best to always choose a flowing garment while wearing a math patti.
3. For a formal evening with a heavy maatha patti, keep the earrings simple. Just studs work best.
4. A choker along with a maatha patti also looks great .
5. For a wedding, you can opt for maatha patti with jhumkas as well as waist belt and layered necklaces in South Indian style.
6. For a beach party, brunch or music festival, team it with some stacked rings and a long thin chained necklace /pendant.
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