The Art of Dressing And Redressing: Here's How To Rewear Your Outfits This Party Season

One outfit, many moods. Recycling and rewearing outfits often get a bad rap. So much so that we often end up purchasing a new outfit for every new soiree we are invited to – a rather expensive social obligation, we say.

In times where sustainability in fashion is a buzzword, repeating outfits is finally being seen as a badge of honour as well as a mark of creativity. From ever-so-stylish Kate Middleton to perennially sartorially chic, Kareena Kapoor Khan, rewearing your clothes has the celebrity stamp of approval too.

Celebrity stylist Rhea Kapoor also vouches for styling your clothes different to wear them multiple times. “As a stylist, I know how things can be reinvented but first we really need to think about repeating outfits. I know for myself that when I reuse some outfits people don’t even remember and so many things that when styled differently people don’t even make the connection,” she says.

But that is easier said than done. So, we asked a long-standing proponent of this trend, designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh to style one outfit in five different ways. “I love the clothes we make at KUG too much to let them go, so I created different ways to wear and drape each ensemble. So, I actually have 2 sets of 5 separates in my wardrobe and they make me at least 30 looks,” she says.

Keeping in mind the metallic trend this season, here’s how a pewter maxi dress from her latest Forms & Folds collection transforms into a completely different ensemble with clever styling ruses.

Look 1: Style with a wrap

'The pewter metallic dress is stunning when worn on its own. However, since I have varied imperfections (read as bumps and folds across my body!) I prefer to pair it with a super bright long angarkha to wear open or fastened,' says Kiran.

Look 2: Draping and accessorising

Using a rather underestimated styling technique of draping, Kiran says, 'For a futuristic techno-inspired look, I wrap two pleated drapes over the dress - One at the waist and the other around the shoulders, tucked in and knotted. Then, I added a choker around the neck for extra oomph.'

Look 3: Back to front wrap

Versatile wraps or kimono jackets can be used to add a much-needed dose of quirk to reuse your outfit when worn back to front. 'I added a black and white wrap so that its deeper V is at the back. This can be worn with the front v too,' says the designer.

Look 4: Layers, layers

Taking a cue from the layering aesthetics, the designer paired the pewter dress with two separates to create two entirely different outfits. One with the dress worn over white trousers and the other with a closed translucent dress worn over the metallic ensemble. (pictured).

Look 5: Style it with a jacket 

For the final look, Kiran says, 'A black and white pleated printed open jacket worn over the dress gives a blend of classic curves and avant-garde aesthetics.'