Lazy Bug-Bitten? - Femina

Loungewear? Okay! Isn't that the informal home wear thingie that was supposed to only say 'shut up and sleep'? But the truth is, the 'lounge-ish' ones say much more than just that - they also speak style (with coordination, of course!). But relax! Don't jump. This doesn't call for a laidback mental state as well. It's a look we are talking about. Wear a vest with a jacket and you can set an evening ablaze. Remember, all you need to do is borrow the we-are-at-home attitude from floppy-haired charmers like Jude Law ('The Talented Mr Ripley'), Hugh Grant ('Notting Hill', 'Nine Months') or Paul Bettany ('Beautiful Mind').

Or even our 'desi' hunks like Milind Soman, Arjun Rampal, Shayan Munshi or Rahul Bose. All right, after reading this, it's the spill-your-beans time - accept it, don't you secretly love them and want to be like them? But for getting the whole look right, a lot depends on how well you master the art of coordinating effortlessly. Read on, you might find a few clues here...

➢ Mix luxe and casual pieces with care - formal suit jackets with jeans and a semi-formal shirt. A pinstriped jacket with a powder-coloured shirt and indigo jeans can look classy, too. Coordinate similar colours, fabrics or textures.

➢ A V-necked white knit vest, a white linen jacket and a pair of natty jeans. How about that? If you don't want the staid look, add a scarf for some colour.

➢ A knit zippered pullover with a scarf and well-cut black trousers. Top'em off with a raw black leather biker jacket.

➢ Team your checked formal trousers with a quirky textured linen shirt (with buckles?) for a change.

➢ Let your charcoal grey suit jacket jump over your political-slogan tee (we're not advising you to be politically incorrect, though!). And please wear your jeans underneath. T-shirts can be bought from local or international multi-brand outlets.

➢ Or, go the soft suede shirt-with-striped trousers-and-loafers way. Brands like Red Tape, Florsheim, Woodland and Stacy Adams might have the loafers. For more information, browse the Net.

➢ Wear a soft earthy-coloured pullover over your Madras-checked shirt and a pair of worn-out denims. Don't tuck your shirt in. Let it peep out at the waist, the collar and the cuff area. Multi-brand retail stores, Marks & Spencer, Numero Uno, Van Heusen and Zodiac have a couple of stylish numbers.

➢ In hairstyles, you can opt for the Mohawk look (tousled mane in the centre) or the subtle spiky look. And if you have long locks, wrap a hair band (remember Farhan 'cool' Akhtar?), or gather it into a neat little ponytail or simply scrunch'em. If you dare, you can even colour and style it like Shayan (in the picture). But do check with your hairstylist before you try anything new!

➢ Ad-men carry them, students can't do without them and painters swear by them, so why should you not have them? Honey, it's a sexy satchel or a carry-all-you-want bag. The look isn't complete without one. Try bags in canvas, cotton, leather, faux leather, microfibre, suede, nylon, vinyl or even tapestry and other textiles. Check out Hidesign, Samsonite, Footloose, and Ego at The Courtyard or international brands like Louis Vuitton or Dunhill. Some local brands and flea markets also have great buys.

What s The Look About ?

Try this look when you want to relax, have a smoke or sip a drink in a touch-me-not atmosphere. It's about a jumble of formal and informal wear like robes (at an event, we saw Bangalore-based choreographer, Prasad Bidappa, in an off white Afro-inspired ankle-length robe on jeans!) tees, boxers and Bermuda shorts (think hard before you sport these!), casual shirts, vests, kurtas, suit jackets, formal shirts, formal trousers, dull leather jackets, even skirts and the like. And it is different from clubwear, which is more for-the-party and can be loud. Remember, comfort is the keyword here.