Manarkali: The Raging Trend That is Breaking Stereotypes
Manarkali, a curious and adorable portmanteau for “Anarkali for men” is not a completely new style. It originated at the same source the conventional Anarkalis have, the royal courts of Mughals. In fact, if we were to believe some historians, the traditional Anarkali salwar suits are byproducts of these ‘Men Anarkalis’; though the kind of Anarkali the Emperors including Akbar, Shah Jahan, used to wear, were called Jama - an angrakha style coat that remains fitted on the torso, cinched on the waist, and then flared out to the knees or ankles.
The billowy appearance of these Jama coats gave them a natural magnificent appearance, making them a fit choice for people of noble origins. Having been worn by the royal leaders of varied dynasties, including Peshwas, Sisodias, and Nawabs, the variations of Men Anarkalis lost their popularity by the end of 19th century, whence the influence of the then colonial rulers reigned supreme. Since then the attire has remained popular mostly among women since it resembled more with the evening gowns worn by the ladies of the then Viceroys and governor generals of India.
The outfit has sparked trends more recently, when fashionably outrageous Ranveer Singh wore some at his own wedding ceremonies. Pictures of him flaunting the Manarkali on his Mehendi ceremony floated around the Internet, and now every known Couturier for ethnic menswear holds a proud collection of these for all the millennials and gen-z grooms-to-be.
Most men prefer to wear these Manarkalis with a sherwani on top, to keep some resemblance in silhouette with the conventional sherwani. Many others use Bandhgala or Nehru jackets to bring the same effect. And if you have it in you to break the stereotypes without concealing the natural majestic flare of these Manarkalis with either of those, go with the historic Angrakha style instead, and rock the Manarkali with that confident suave.
Another similar style that has been breaking stereotypes for quite some time now are the gorgeous floral printed ethnic menswear. From digitally printed Kurta Pajama in all over bright florals to sherwanis and Nehru jackets, the floral printed menswear have been garnering attention since the beginning of the last half decade, and are quite a rage even today.
Whether it be the flared silhouette of anarkalis or the bright cheery vibes of florals, it has been a really long time since these false stereotypes had governed the most culturally rich sartorial paradigm of South Asia. And now with the world falling head over heels over these magnificent picks, and the markets brimming full with them spectacular ethnic menswear fashion statements, there is simply no reason for you to sport one in the upcoming celebrations of your life.
