Actress Trisha, who has been appointed as the UNICEF Celebrity Advocate for child rights, was invited for an event in New York recently. 

The actress chose to wear a traditional dhoti with a formal blouse and the picture she posted on her social media page received a lot of praise. You might remember how girls went crazy after watching Nivin Pauly wearing the black shirt-white veshti combination in the hit film, Premam. Back then, inspired by his look and style, both boys and girls were spotted in that attire. 

Shravya Varma, who has styled Trisha for the event, says, “Personally, I love dhotis — it is a very comfortable outfit and good to wear during summers. People are fashion conscious and are ready for experimentation. And I don’t think dhoti/veshti/mundu is only a guy’s attire. 

Even, women can wear it with a few modifications. Trisha’s outfit at the UNICEF event got a lot of appreciation — we married the traditional dhoti with a formal blouse. 

It looked classy and stylish.” Anu Vardhan, the costume designer who has glammed up Rajinikanth in Kabali and Kaala , feels that veshti/dhoti doesn’t belong to a particular gender. 

“Fashion has evolved over the years. You can have your own style and wear whatever makes you feel fabulous. If you are comfortable and have the confidence to carry off a veshti , then you should go for it. What I’ve noticed is that people have become open-minded and are ready to accept novelty,” she says. 

Fashion blogger Priyadarshini Vijay opines that we can experiment so much with what we wear and it will be appreciated rather than frowned upon. 

“I think a veshti/ dhoti is the best attire during summer. But one should know the trick of wearing it elegantly. What pulls back girls from wearing it is the stigma associated with the clothing. I am sure this attitude will change eventually. The fashion industry has become more diverse and inclusive and I am waiting for a big breakthrough in fashion.” 

She continues, “Presentation is the keyword and you can tweak it according to your fashion senses — pair the veshti with a blouse, spaghetti crop top, shirt or a jacket. This is a classic combination that’ll never go wrong. You can also try a multi-layer statement neckpiece or earrings.”