These fashion designers look effortlessly stylish. How?

The way you tuck in your shirt and roll up the sleeves, for instance, can give a simple outfit a rakish charm. Slipping into a peplum waistcoat, throwing on a sleeveless trenchcoat or adding a brooch, on the other hand, can turn daywear into evening wear.

Paying attention to the details and the way you accessorise is one way to ace that unfussy look, where comfort is first and self-expression supreme.

We asked some Indian designers who don’t usually wear the plain all-blue or all-black that’s become synonymous with designers across the world, what effortless style means to them. They also shared their tips and tricks to ensure their clothes look fuss-free yet distinctive, whether inside or outside the office.

Masaba Gupta

I have a clear division between day and night dressing. At work, I dress for a calm mind so that I can concentrate. So, no fitted, body-hugging clothes. I have 10 shirts with different cuts, cuffs and collars that I dress up and down, depending on my mood. For evenings, I try to get out of my comfort zone. I would wear a blazer with a veshti (dhoti) or a satin dress with a boxy blazer. I will do a bodysuit with parachute pants and boots. My style is a mix of sporty and androgynous but never uber feminine. Even when I travel, I pack three white shirts and a trench coat. They are such classic garments that can be played up and down to create that effortless look.Divya Mishra

Effortless style is all about maintaining a balance. I would wear, for example, a plain turtleneck with a colourful pencil skirt when I am in Paris to give that chic Parisian look that’s also comfortable and weather-friendly. When I’m with my karigars at the factory, you will find me in chikan kurtas, jeans and Birkenstocks. If I’m at a formal event, I will wear statement jewellery with a plain dress. Or if my sari is, say, a tissue gold one, then I will go for small studs or nothing at all. When you work in an industry where everyone is decked up, it’s easy to get swayed into looking a certain way. But I stick to my guns, because that’s how you stand apart.

I have a strong boarding school hangover. We would be pulled up for not having a garter, so that classic way of dressing has remained with me. You will never find me without a waistcoat in summer and a bandhgala in winter—it’s a certain discipline I follow when it comes to styling myself. At office, it’s mostly a plain T-shirt with comfy pants from, maybe, Uniqlo. Outside it’s either a white or coloured shirt with a complementary colourful waistcoat, since it’s warm right now. I don’t wear oversized clothes because I like garments that fit closer to my body. A good, effortless look has to come from how an outfit is cut, rather than the embellishment.

My approach can be best described as method in madness. I will have a hero piece in my outfit—it can be ballerinas, a sleeveless trench, a handcuff or a pendant. Like the other day, I was wearing a simple white T-shirt and then pasted a fun sticker on it which I found somewhere. Sometimes when I want to highlight my dress watch (a Cartier with a black leather strap), I will ensure the cuff of my sleeve complements the timepiece. So, the fold of the cuff will be, say, a maroon and the sleeve will be rolled just above the watch. Comfort is, of course, highly important to me. About 70% of my clothes are from the women’s section because I find the cuts of the lowers much cleaner.

You can do effortless styling only when you are super comfortable with how you look. It has taken me years to realise this. I am a person who doesn’t like too much attention, so, I tend to wear a lot of neutral shades. At work I’m already surrounded by every colour and every kind of embroidery possible. I even wear my Lulus (Lululemon leggings) to work. Later, I am heading to the gym, I will just change my T-shirt. Or if I am going to a formal event, I will wear a jacket or a blazer over the day shirt. I do colour sometimes but then it’s one colour, like a red sari or an electric blue shirt with blue jeans. For me, effortless fashion is really about working with what you have.