Trend alert! Men embrace heritage dressing with choga
With the wedding season on in full swing, men are looking beyond the predictable achkans or sherwanis by taking the traditional route and opting for designs that the Indian royals would luxuriate in. And the latest fad men are enamoured by are the century-old silhouette called choga that is being reinterpreted by Indian designers. From Re-ceremonial to Heena Kochhar, designers are breathing new life into this aristocratic attire.
This stately silhouette became a prominent feature in the wardrobes of Indian royals and aristocrats during the Mughal era and the early 19th century. Choga is basically a loose-fitting, open-fronted robe worn as an outer garment in central Asia, Russia, North Africa, and the Indian subcontinent. It has a rich history interwoven.
“Choga is still a newer silhouette in menswear, but it has this old-world charm that people are slowly rediscovering. And honestly, the way women have already embraced heritage fashion, I’m now seeing men do the same. They’re drawn to pieces that look a little dated, that feel meaningful, and that are still incredibly comfortable to wear. There’s this conscious effort, this thoughtfulness, towards reviving the past through what we choose to wear. And the choga, I feel, becomes that easy entry point for men into this whole scene of heritage dressing,” opines designer Heena Kochhar.
The choga bore a strong resemblance to the angrakha. But the key difference was that choga used to be grander and more embroidered. It was mostly made of silk. Also, an angrakha was considered to be a part of innerwear, while a choga was outerwear.
“The royal robe is now being reimagined as a hybrid between a kurta and a kaftan. While women have embraced this silhouette for a while now, men too are warming up to this design. The chogas are a wedding-guest appropriate attire and perfect for winter weddings too when you opt for a velvet one,” suggests designer Ateev Anand of Re-ceremonial.
A pro-styling tip to keep in mind while styling choga is to balance its volume. Wear slim bottoms or chudidaars to let the choga shine. “You can wear a simple angrakha or a long fitted kurta underneath your choga. Finish off your look with embroidered juttis or fusion loafers in velvet or brocade for that regal touch,” says stylist Isha Bhansali.
