Decoding wet-weather style: How to remain chic during Mumbai Monsoons

Mumbai rains are more often than not rather unforgiving. Even if you’re a car-to-carpet person, your precious leather shoes have to often bear the brunt of slush and mud, while your clothing needs a protective layer which spells style without any compromise. Thankfully, this season, a plethora of brands offer cool footwear and nifty layering options, which let you effortlessly glide from work to a party without being a frumpy dumpy. Spring Summer 2018 is all about plastic raincoats and PVC trench coats. 

From Chanel to Valentino, Marc Jacobs, Balmain, Sonia Rykiel and Calvin Klein, brands across the board have made the mundane plastic look impossibly fantastic! We get a panel of style experts to suggest some cool ways to brave the monsoon without putting fashion on the backseat. 

Sandeep Gonsalves, co-founder, SS HOMME, suggests, “In terms of footwear, suede or velvet loafers are not the ideal choices. Opt for a heavier fabric with a rubber sole instead. It not only looks slick but also prevents you from any kind of accident due to the rubber sole’s durability. Fabrics such as linen cannot be worn during this season as they will stick to the legs in no time when the downpour begins. Moving forward, a waterproof trench coat is a perfect garment to protect you other than a raincoat. The reason being, it is a lighter fabric which ensures more functionality. The trench coat is extremely dapper and can up your style game daily without looking monotonous.”
Dressing in darker tones such as navy, steel grey and burgundy is preferred due to less exposure during heavy showers. “For the youth who commute daily, a parka jacket or a shorter hoodie jacket are two good picks. Whatever the weather is, the aim is to create a statement,” adds Sandeep.

Nail the PVC trend 

With the new sports luxe and street-wear trends that have taken over part of the luxury as well as high-end brands, comfort and easy chic is the stylish way to go. According to designers, current trends are quite sufficiently serving the rains. Designer Shehla Khan says, “A cool windcheater, bomber jacket or light and easy trench in PVC that are trending serve as protection. In terms of accessories, PVC handbags, which are waterproof, can salvage our leather bags that tend to get ruined in the monsoon. Footwear such as a chic pair of slides or patent sneakers protect our feet.”

Embrace lamination 

Bear in mind to choose lightweight clothing that can be dried easily. Nylon, silk and synthetic blend cotton are ideal options. Designer Arpita Mehta feels the coolest layer for the rains would be a PU laminate fabric jumper. “It not only looks stylish but is also rainproof. The best way to wear them would be in metallic colours. Ankle-length booties in a darker shade in a rainproof fabric like rubber would be great for your feet too — they are stylish and durable. Utilitarian styles, in terms of culottes, midis and T-shirts should be your wardrobe staples. The shirt-dress is a go-to outfit this monsoon because of its versatility,” says Arpita.  

It’s really hard to function in a wet outfit. And if it’s denim, it becomes harder due to a heavy fabric. It’s not easy to entirely cut them out from your wardrobe, so instead opt for styles like cropped jeans in lighter denim. Wool blends or woollen fabric tend to get damp as well as musty, so it’s best to stash them away for after the rains. 

Designer Rhea Pillai Rastogi says, “The key to smart monsoon dressing is to invest in interesting, albeit practical staples to carry you through your day-to-day looks. Opt for jackets — from military, to printed cotton blends and sports luxe in waterproof fabric. Throwing a jacket over your outfit immediately amps up your style, keeps you cozy and is your first line of defence in case you get slightly wet in the rain. Settle for skirts, skirts and more skirts. With endless options to choose from, it’s one of my favourite things to play around with. Choose fun colours, prints, and experiment with offbeat patterns paired with basic tees or shirts.”