Nude is the new black

Nude shades dominated the Oscars with a number of Hollywood’s leading ladies sporting light coloured gowns. Closer home, these hues (from beige, rosy beige to light sandy brown) are a favourite with fashionistas.
Outfits apart, skin-tone shoes too, have become a rage in the past few months. And the girls know how to match their outfits with the perfect nude lipshade, a peachy or a pink or even the so-called ‘washed-out and totally nude’ look.“It may come across as natural, but it is quite done up,” says Nayana Bhat, an upcoming model, who swears by this new “chilled out” look.
Designer Maheka Mirpuri too gives it a thumbs up. “The nude is the new black,” she says. “It is classic and goes with everything. It’s very summer, very chic, very refreshing as a colour. I endorse the look totally... the shoes, bags, shirts, dresses and, of course, the lipstick from where the nude look started,” says Maheka.
For their homes too, people seem to be opting for this. “That’s right, these shades are in demand,” says Akshika Luthra Hemnani, interior designer and colour specialist. “It makes a room look more spacious than it is. If you have a neutral background, it’s so much easier to play with colours as far as the rest of the room goes, in terms of soft furnishings, paintings or artifacts that get accentuated.”
Generally, Indians are known for their rather loud taste, but there’s a shift now and this colour choice does indicate that. As colour therapist and astrologer Larra Shah explains: “Nude colour depicts an earthy tone and indicates spirituality. We are looking to be grounded and amidst all the chaos around us, we seek peace.
This neutral colour is soothing and grounding. One feels centered even looking at it. Nude can be toned with rose, yellow, blue and it creates a new colour connected to the Cosmic energy. It gets enhanced with a shiny colour or element, thus enhancing the person adorning it as well. Nude with gold or silver can increase confidence among other things. This colour tone has its own magnetic pull and connects us to earth.”