Karachista: What’s hot & what’s not for 2014

KARACHI:

After an interim period of fashion confusion where “anything goes” was the motto, Pakistani fashion has finally worked out what direction its taking. Although the best designers have their own vision, the major trends are clear.

Fashion wise

In: Cigarette pants, palazzos, net/sheer fabrics, mix & match, handloom, jackets, boxy cuts and short shirts.

Out: Sweeping hemlines (except for bridal gowns), matchy-matchy outfits, panels, volume, tights, chooridars, brooches.

Hot

That’s fashion sorted but what about other lifestyle trends? 2013 saw us sporting inked thumbs after voting, queuing for the Iphone 5S, watching Urdu-dubbed Turkish dramas and cruising Dolmen Mall. There was an outbreak of fro-yo places, a whole line of restaurants opened off 26th Street in Karachi and new cinema multiplexes popped up all over the country. So what’s hot and what’s not for 2014? Here’s an eclectic and slightly tongue-in-cheek selection.

Yeah, we may have queued up to vote in 2013 but we’re now thoroughly disillusioned with political posturing. The terrible ‘halaat’ or security situation led to many people adopting personal guards and/or bulletproof cars. For some, the guard is a status symbol, but for others extreme security measures are a scary necessity.

Not

Meanwhile, rampant inflation has us all digging through our closets for vintage items that can be reworked into fresh ensembles. Leisure-wise, it’s great that we have new multiplexes to enjoy movies but security issues have made the beach a total no-no for many.

Living in Pakistan, particularly Karachi, isn’t for the faint-hearted, but after a while you do become relatively impervious to the constant threat of violence. Meanwhile, never let it be said that we Pakistanis aren’t in touch with international trends. The best salons can give you an Ombre hair colour makeover. You’ll see nails of every shade on fashionistas – from gold to bright blue.  We’re au fait with trends such as messy up-dos & stacked bracelets. In 2013, we were gushing over Breaking Bad and tweeting about Paul Walker. In 2014, we’re looking forward to the second season of House of Cards and Sholay in 3D. Hopefully we’ll have some great new Pakistani TV dramas and movies, too.

Some may say trends are frivolous, but there’s nothing wrong with celebrating the lighter side of life.  So enjoy those killer heels and that high-intensity interval training Tabata class. Dress up and make the most of life – and don’t forget to Instagram a selfie. Happy New Year!

Oxford-grad Salima Feerasta is a social commentator and lover of style in any form or fashion. She blogs at karachista.com and tweets
@karachista

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2014.

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