Last season, velvet was the ultimate evening wear fabric, but satin has now beaten velvet and become the go-to on runways across the world this season. For womenswear, it has always been in fashion, be it iconic slip dresses from the ’90s, or blouses. Versace’s looks are incomplete without satin. The signature baroque print is embedded on richlooking silk-satin shirts or robes, marking its true essence. The early years of fashion have trained us to look at satin and silk as feminine fabrics but in 2020, it’s more than just what tuxedo jacket lapels are made from. A$AP Rocky welcomed the trend when he wore a silk babushka headscarf, and paired a silk-satin printed robe with a navy suit at a red carpet event. Then, when Timothee Chalamet stepped out in a silver grey belted Haider Ackermann satin suit at Venice Film Festival, the trend made its way into the 2020 style guide.
Celebrity stylists Pallak Shah and Khyati Busa explain how to wear satin. Shah says, “Satin, as a trend, has transcended beyond luxurious needs, and has now become a wardrobe staple for men. One can now invest not only in daily loungewear robes, but also overcoats, co-ord sets, shirts, jackets, harems, shorts, and suits. Satin accessories like ties, scarves, pocket squares, and shoes are of great import to add gloss to a basic daily outfit.” You can work satin into your workwear wardrobe, Shah explains, by using a plain full sleeve satin shirt under your regular trouserjacket for a formal appearance, or using satin ties and pocket squares, or adding a light semi-printed half sleeve shirt with chinos and a belt with lace-up shoes.
Discussing casual wear options, stylists suggest opting for robes, half-sleeve satin shirts with tracks, cargos, denim, satin box shorts, and long shorts that make a comfortable round-the-clock outfit. Another way, Busa suggests, is to wear satin boxers with a T-shirt, or shirt, or a pullover over your satin boxers. You can also wear a bowling satin shirt the way it is, or add a tank top, keeping the shirt open. It can be made bolder by using satin shirts with tropical prints, with a Cuban-collared silhouette as loungewear.
“For evenings, one can opt for a more relaxed silhouette, like an oversized satin suit or a fitted one for a red carpet event. For a laidback evening, one can opt for a Cuban collared or oversized satin shirt with baggy trousers, giving a young Leonardo DiCaprio vibe from Romeo and Juliet,” adds Busa. For formal evening wear, Shah suggests, “Satin tuxedos and blazers make a perfect outfit. One could also try adding a satin waistcoat to their normal suits to break the monotony. For a more relaxed look, satin overcoats on your denims and T-shirts is the way to add a layered tone. You can also choose jumpsuits, or jumpers made from the fabric.”
Prints and satin is a deadly combo, and needs a lot of perfection while styling. The best way to style them is 3/4th buttoned tucked out paired with chinos, hat, a chain, and sneakers. You can dress down a satin shirt by teaming it with coloured denims, and further layering with a biker or denim jacket. One can also add a plain vest on a buttoned printed shirt over a pair of denims, giving it a retro vibe, suggests Shah. To include satin in your minimal ensembles, Busa recommends, “Opt for a single hue from head to toe, but choose pieces in a mix of textures to give the monochrome look some depth. Wearing satin silk with a textured same-toned outfit, is beautifully balanced between cozy and elegantly sleek,” she says.
While experimenting with accessories, one must wear a plain shirt or T-shirt underneath the scarf to avoid going overboard. Draping the scarf without a knot and wearing it like a stole for a night out is an easy look to achieve. The neckerchief way of wearing the scarf is mostly preferred over chinos and shirts. However, with suits, scarves should be worn as an ascot, giving the suit an elegant and retro vibe. If you add a tie to the scarf, it’s preferable to avoid other accessories. But what are the no-no’s when you wear satin? Shah suggests not to go for tight satin pieces, as it’s a body-hugging fabric. “Investing in satin accessories is a must. Don’t forget to wear the correct innerwear, and to layer your satins with other fabrics. Do not limit your satins to a season, and style them with knits in winter. Also, don’t forget to use low heat while ironing and washing, to avoid traces and wrinkles,” she warns.
The colour palette to follow while choosing satin for formal occasions would be shades of black, grey, maroon, and darker blues, whereas, for evening outings, lighter tones of green, yellow, pink, and purple work well. Shah and Busa cite examples of celebrities who sported the trend very well, like Drake was seen donning his OVO satin jackets, Ranveer Singh wore a tailored jacket with satin lapels from JW Anderson’s spring 2020 collection, or Justin Bieber wearing Versace in DJ Khaled’s POPSTAR music video. Now that you know it all, what’s stopping you from strutting in satin?
