Known for being the national epicentre of fashion, finance and film, Mumbai is the largest city in all of India. And should you want to learn more about the city’s street style but can’t afford a plane ticket to see it yourself, we have a solution. We asked fashion bloggers from Mumbai to break down what women are really wearing. First, we found out that due to the fast-paced nature of the city and its hot, humid climate, Mumbaikars tend to opt for breathable and casual dressing.
It’s therefore no surprise that athleisure is one of the biggest trends happening right now. Although Western fashion has influenced style as well, the women we spoke to tell us they prefer to blend traditional Indian dressing with international trends. Bright colours, baggy jeans, and light fabrics are staples in street style, while sneakers or flat sandals are a must for walking around the bustling city. Scroll to learn about Mumbai style from five cool women who call it home; then shop the trends they love.
Juhi Godambe
Growing up with parents who worked in fashion as hair and makeup artists, Juhi Godambe always knew she wanted to work in the industry. She studied fashion in London and became a blogger after she started posting pictures of her outfits on her personal social media. “My personal style is minimalistic chic with a hint of feminine pieces,” Juhi tells us. “Mumbai is one of those cities in India where you can unapologetically wear what you like.”
She says that Mumbaikars value comfort above all else. “People in this city are all about practical clothing keeping our fast-paced lifestyles in mind (and the hot and humid weather),” she says. Overall, Juhi says that the city’s street style is largely influenced by the diversity of its people. “The city’s style remains unique because we have the most versatile crowd here—people from all over the country and world reside in Mumbai,” Juhi tells us. “You’ll spot Indian clothing matched with a pair of jeans and vice versa.”
Gia Kashyap
With no formal knowledge of the industry, Gia Kashyap started her blog as a way to share her personal style, which she describes as urban and effortless. Her biggest fashion inspiration comes from the people she sees walking streets of Mumbai. “The fabrics and colours they wear truly inspire me to dress better,” she says. Known for being one of the best shopping centres in all of India, Mumbai’s extensive marketplace has definitely influenced Gia’s sense of style. “I learned the art of mixing flea market finds with high-end brands after living in this city. Not just that, I’ve also learned to reuse what I own instead of constantly purchasing things I don’t need.”
As for the biggest trends happening in Mumbai right now, Kashyap says Mumbaikars tend to follow international trends but tweak them a bit to make it more “Mumbai friendly,” as she puts it. “Mumbai’s overall style is very casual and summer-friendly,” Kashyap tells us. “As we technically don’t have winters, we tend to wear lightweight fabrics coupled with sandals or flats.” She also adds that polka dots and woven straw bags are the two biggest trends she’s seeing right now. “I love that the style here is effortless yet people tend to look put together,” Kashyap says in regard to Mumbai’s unique style. “A typical Mumbai outfit would be a crisp plain white shirt, ripped jeans and sandals, or a T-shirt and shorts.”
Shanaya S
Fashion blogger and DJ Shanaya S started her blog in 2011 as a way to share the interesting things she found at the thrift stores in Mumbai. “If I found something quirky at Colaba Causeway, a thrift store in Mumbai, I wanted to share it online,” Shanaya tells us. “I didn’t know I’d be calling myself a fashion blogger one day.”
As for her personal style, Shanaya says she finds inspiration from other bloggers, the runways and Pinterest. “I’m a very moody person, which reflects in my outfits,” she tells us of her own sense of style. “Some days you will find me wearing distressed jeans and leather jacket, and the next day I’ll be wearing flowers in my hair and a flowy dress.”
Shanaya says that like many other areas of the world, athleisure is a huge trend. “Mumbai is known as a city that never sleeps, and it’s true people are constantly hustling,” she says. “Because it’s such a fast-paced city, and it’s hot and humid most of the time, the number one choice when it comes to getting dressed is comfort.”
Another big influence in Mumbai street style is social media. “When we see our favourite fashion icon sporting something unique in an Instagram post, it helps us understand how we can put together a particular piece of item or even push us to try a trend we never thought we would,” she shares.
Kayaan Shiraz Contractor
Stylist and creative director Kayaan Shiraz Contractor always knew she wanted to be in fashion. “I’ve always been so taken by great imagery,” she tells us. “I’d spend hours turning pages of fashion magazines every day after school. My mother had to literally bribe me with a magazine so I’d finish my homework!”
Kayaan says her personal style is inspired by fashion films and “anything by Wes Anderson.” As for Mumbai’s overall style, Kayaan tells us that although the city is heavily influenced by the West, it’s ever-changing. “What’s unique about Mumbai’s style is that there’s so much diversity. Art, music and different cultures all influence street style here.” In addition to sustainable fashion, Kayaan tells us that everyone’s still in the sneakerhead phase.
Aayushi Bangur Sahu
Living in Mumbai has made fashion blogger Aayushi Bangur Sahu more carefree when it comes to embracing new fashion trends. “I can flaunt the brightest outfit on a regular day and no one would care,” she tells us. Sahu describes Mumbai’s overall style in just three words: laid-back, colourful, and low-maintenance. “I think Mumbai’s street style is so unique because it’s a city of extreme diversity. People from all over the country form base here, so you get to see influences from each part of India.”
As for her own personal style, Sahu calls herself a fashion nomad due to her ever-evolving taste. “I think Instagram has a huge role to play in my style,” she tells us. “With celebrities to bloggers to pretty much everyone sharing their ideas, there’s way too much information to get inspired from.” She also credits Bollywood as being a big influence for her personally, as well as the city she lives in.
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This post originally appeared on Who What Wear U.S.
