In the world of fashion, the finest examples of style and grace include the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton and Queen Rania of Jordan. Their style isn’t about deep necklines or low-cut dresses, a la Priyanka Chopra at the recent Golden Globes.
The royal ladies have been able to turn heads without much skin show. Recently, Kate, while attending the BAFTA awards, wore an off-shoulder Alexander McQueen gown — and on both occasions she managed to look more stylish than most divas from showbiz. Queen Rania, too, is known for her modest yet sophisticated dressing. Even FLOTUS Melania Trump wore a red knee-length dress during a rally on Saturday, and made quite a statement. So, why is it that skin show has become a must for a few ladies from showbiz?
Designer Nachiket Barve believes that being stylish is the opposite of skin show. “I think the less you show, the more appealing you look. It’s about looking glamorous, yet modest, and drawing attention to your best features. It’s important to choose colours and fabrics correctly — full-length gowns and full-sleeved tops look great, but it’s important to wear clothes that fit well,” he says.
Popular fashion designer Rocky S., however, thinks that fashion is about embracing your personal style, wearing what suits you best and what brings out your personality.
“Fashion caters to everybody’s needs, bringing out their own individualistic style, sensibility, and personality. Kate or First Lady Melania wear outfits with little or no skin show, and have left no stone unturned in making the classics look sensational. Also, being at the position they are, they are meant to represent a country and therefore have to be more careful about their dressing,” he says, adding, “However, it is not a ‘must’ for women in showbiz to show skin. A woman, be it celebrity or a commoner should be able to wear what she wants and something that she is comfortable in,” says Rocky.
Fashion designer Amy Billimoria thinks making heads turn is all about the self-confidence and how you carry your outfit. “Even classic style closed necklines, collared jackets and pencil dresses with long sleeves when worn in the right coordination of colour and accessory can create a style statement. An oomph factor doesn’t necessarily mean skin show; focus on a perfect fit, a unique texture or embellishment,” she says.
