I have been in love with gowns since childhood. They are such classy pieces of clothing. My sister and I would get at least one gown stitched every year for the annual school party, and we felt like princesses when we wore them. Ever since my fascination and attraction to gowns has continued. Back in India, it was a very stylish garment and not everyone wore them (of course times have changed and now a lot of women are seen adorning the elusive garment). But here in the United States, it is an apparel most women enjoy wearing and it so heartening to see that.
In my last trip to India, when we went out shopping one evening in Bombay, I chanced upon a small store in the mall that sold ethnic clothes with a modern touch. And that is where I chanced upon this stunning red gown made of handloom cotton from the wonderful state of Rajasthan in India. Textile is one of the most spectacular expressions of Rajasthan and in the villages there, textile traditions are learned via a costume tradition spanning countless generations. The glory of Rajasthan is associated with the production of color fabrics in the Maru-Gurjar tradition since ancient times. Their sense of color-aesthetics has led to the use of colors and motifs intended for different occasions.
This gown is the perfect blend of east and west, and fusion is something I adore. The elephant and geometrical motifs together make it look prettier than I would have imagined. I couldn’t resist picking up the outfit and guess what. I got two of them – one that you see in the pictures below – the red gown and another one in dark blue. I shall wear that one too and post about it someday, soon.
For this one, I decided to make the look as ethnic as possible, but with a slight contemporary touch. I wore gold wedges with it and added two pieces of jewelry – big golden hoops and silver and golden bangles.
The gown itself is so rich and colorful that much isn’t needed to make the whole ensemble look stunning. What do you think?