Autumn doesn't arrive all at once. It shows up in small decisions. A heavier knit. A shawl pulled from the back of the cupboard. A darker lip on a Tuesday for no reason at all.
This season, the mood is warm, rich and a little bit nostalgic. Mossy greens. Chocolate browns. Deep berry reds. Pieces that feel like they've been worn and loved before. Some of it comes straight from the runway. Some of it comes straight from your nani's trunk. Here's what the desi girl is reaching for this autumn.
Chartreuse
The colour of the season is green. Not emerald, not bottle. Chartreuse, the mossy, slightly sour shade somewhere between olive and lime. It works best in texture. A fuzzy oversized jumper. A slouchy V-neck knit. A soft leather jacket. Pair it with chocolate brown and burgundy, a suede shoulder bag and a leather skirt, and it suddenly looks expensive. The trick is to let it be the loudest thing you're wearing. Black wide-leg trousers, a white tee peeking out at the hem, tortoiseshell glasses.
Deer Motifs
Move over, leopard. The print of the season is fawn. Soft brown with scattered white spots, it's gentler than any other animal print and somehow more playful. You'll see it on shoulder bags and totes, cropped jackets and midi skirts. It even works as a sheer scarf, or draped as a dupatta over a plain kameez. Keep the rest of the look quiet. A cream knit, a white skirt, a pair of dark tights. The print does the rest.
Pashmina Shawls
The one we already own. Paisley pashminas in deep reds, rusts and creams have gone from wedding-season staple to street-style essential. The new way to wear one is with things it was never meant to meet. Thrown over a black leather bomber. Wrapped around a distressed olive jacket. Belted at the waist over a black turtleneck. Pulled loosely over the head with sunglasses and a coffee in hand. For the desi girl, this one doesn't need explaining. Go to your mother's cupboard. The best one is probably already there.
Polka Dots and Patterned Nails
Nails are getting cosy too. The palette is chocolate, oxblood and tortoiseshell, glossy and almond-shaped. Polka dots lead the way. White dots on milk-chocolate brown. Brown dots on cream. Mix them up across one hand with a tortoiseshell accent, a black French tip and a solid burgundy, and it looks deliberate rather than random. Too much? A single shade of deep cherry or espresso works just as well.
Chunky Jewellery
Delicate chains can sit this one out. Autumn jewellery is big, smooth and a little bit retro. Think resin bangles in amber, caramel, smoky grey and marbled cream, stacked two or three at a time over a sweater cuff. Add a fat cocktail ring in tortoiseshell or cherry red and a small square watch on a leather strap. The colours match the season's knits, so everything ties together without much effort. Chartreuse with amber. Grey with caramel. Pale blue with burgundy.
Berry Lips
The summer nude is out. Autumn wants a stain. Blackberry, raspberry, mulberry. Line with a deep brown-plum pencil and blur it inward for a soft, lived-in edge. Or skip the liner and pat on a glossy berry tint for that just-ate-the-fruit finish. It flatters warm desi skin tones beautifully, and it's the fastest way to make a plain jumper look like an outfit.
None of this needs a whole new wardrobe. A green jumper, a borrowed shawl, a darker lip and a few chunky bangles will take you most of the way. Autumn is about warmth. Wear it like you mean it.
— unravelld.
