One-shoulder smoulder

Off-the-shoulder tops and dresses are the rage right now with gorgeous ladies baring their shoulders in trendy off-the-shoulder pieces. But in case, you’re experiencing a minor bout of fatigue with the entire OTS craze, we present you an extremely trending alternative: the one-shoulder look!

Designer Shruti Sancheti shares, “The one-shoulder trend has been prevalent since time immemorial and was quite popular amongst the Greeks and Romans, especially in their toga and himation style outfits. It gained popularity in the ’70s and since fashion is cyclical, it has come under the spotlight now with loads of variations and styles available.”

Like its collarbone-baring counterpart, the one-shoulder dress allows you to wear some skin and show off all those arm exercises you’ve been doing in preparation for summer, but with an asymmetric twist. One-shoulder tops can work for a number of occasions, from covering up at the cabana poolside to an elegant wedding guest look. Shruti shares, “The first basic prerequisite to sporting this trend is to have toned shoulders and arms. A broad-shouldered body type should avoid thin straps and wear broad straps instead, to conceal. And even if you are not very toned but want to wear this trend, a small part of the shoulder can be bared and the rest can have sleeves.”

Suggesting different ways to test the water, designer Simran Arya shares, “You can start by wearing a simple one sided off-the-shoulder top with ripped jeans or a high-waisted skirt. A little ruffled dress in soft pink and long sleeves on the other side makes for an elegant summer choice. You can’t go wrong with a white dress either, so go for a dress in textured frayed fabric with a plain border.”

 About some of the coolest pieces to try out this season, she goes on, “This trend can be carried off well in both western and Indian attires. Digitally printed blouses in bold colours are chic and add an interesting element to your summer wardrobe. Pair it up with a bright digitally printed one-shoulder top and fitted jeans or white trousers and you’re good to go. You can team up a one-shoulder blouse with a maxi skirt or palazzos as well. The trick to carrying off any outfit successfully is being comfortable and confident.”

Designer Karn Malhotra adds, “A pink mini-dress with elasticated neckline and long sleeves makes a pretty summer choice, or a little ruffled dress in soft pink or aqua also looks great. The lacy look is also a wonderful choice. You can opt for an oversized one-shoulder blouse and pair it with white denim shorts for a luncheon with girls.” Designer Siddartha Tytler suggests, “One can pair a one-shoulder top with a sari to give it a modern edge. Also it’s better to opt for pieces in darker colour tones to add a bit of oomph.”

Talking about different body types, designer Aashima Behl explains, “One-shoulder dresses are perfect for the ‘Apple’ body type as they bring the attention to shoulders and draw away from the torso. For women with pear-shaped bodies, the one-shoulder look works well too as the neckline can bring attention upwards. But I’d advise everyone to try it before you buy it, as the trend can get a little tricky if one has a big bust. Be careful with your under-garment. Otherwise, it will destroy the look.”