Last week I got caught in a proper Pune downpour outside one of our exhibitions in Baner. I was wearing georgette, thankfully. Twenty minutes later you couldn’t tell anything had happened. If it had been my favourite thick cotton kurta, I’d have been sitting in a damp outfit till evening.
That’s really the whole monsoon lesson, but let me break down what I’ve learnt after many wet Junes and Julys here.
Wear what dries on your body
My rule is simple — if it takes forever to dry on the clothesline, it will take forever to dry on you. Georgette, soft rayon, lighter cotton blends, these recover from rain in minutes. Heavy cottons and anything with lining will stay damp and heavy for hours. I love handloom cotton as much as anyone, but from June to September mine mostly stays in the cupboard.
Watch your hemline
Pune roads in July are not kind to ankle-length anything. Palazzos that sweep the floor, long anarkalis — they all come home with a brown border. These months I live in knee-length kurtis with cropped pants or churidars. Not one splash mark to worry about, and honestly it’s a very smart-looking combination anyway.
Prints are your best friend right now
A pale solid kurti shows every drop and every splash. A busy floral or block print hides all of it. This is the season I push printed pieces on all my customers — mid tones like rust, olive, deep teal. They suit the grey weather, and if an auto splashes past you, chances are nobody will ever know.
Leave the dupatta at home. Or in your bag.
A flowing dupatta in the rain becomes a wet rope around your neck, there’s no nicer way to put it. Either wear a co-ord set that looks complete without one, or carry the dupatta folded in your bag and put it on when you arrive. Nobody at the function needs to know.
And shoes before anything
Plan the outfit around footwear that can survive water. My leather juttis stay home the whole season — one monsoon ruined a beautiful pair and I haven’t forgiven myself. Simple rubber-soled sandals or floaters, and pick the outfit after.
If you want help picking rain-friendly pieces, message me on WhatsApp — I know exactly which fabrics in our current stock will survive your commute. New arrivals are always up on Instagram too.