FEATURING PEPE DESIGNS

So glad to come up with this blog post featuring one of the finest rising stars in the field of creativity , designs and Fashion from my very own Kalimpong .

 An extra - ordinary change of a personality from a sweet princess like child to this young girl brimming with confidence and so much " radness " and ofcourse " coolness" I present to you all Kripashna Dhamala . Presently , a student in St . Josephs Convent  Kripashna has definitely earned so much of love and respect from the people of Kalimpong after the show Nakkal ( Kalimpong based Fashion Show ) where her designs were displayed in the Hippie round  . She is one of the most creative person with that daring attitude to change the society and the world there after . Also a budding singer ,  a  DIY genius , painter, she is the gem of a talent. Today the clothes that are being displayed on this blog post are designed by her including the accessories , head gears and handbags . And let me tell you most of the outfits , bags and accessories that are used are hand made so you can well imagine the effort she has shown to make this blog post a big hit . Every blog post doesn't necessarily require expensive brands or famous designer wears , if you have got the right eye, to seek for the right person, then you can actually do wonders; just  like how I found  Kripashna and then everything went well according to what I really wanted in the photoshoot . Her mom , Babita Dhamala has been her inspiration when it comes to everything related to fashion , I remember taking her mom's interview two years back for HOK ( Humans of Kalimpong ). Oh ! She's one fashion icon in Kalimpong . This blog post is all about featuring Kripasnhas designs - The PEPE DESIGNS. You can check her work here : http://instagram.com/hippiesrock__

_

Kripashna has always been fascinated with the hippie trends that is quiet popular all around the world and covers up many of the themes and designers inspiration for many of the fashion shows. 

Well , when you live in a  town like Kalimpong or to be precise when you live in India it is very much normal for half of the public to stare you if you tend to go out in a hippie attire . No ! They don't find you like an alien , they don't find you mad or rad . They simply find it out if the world ( some ) . In my case , I have seen a lot of tourists coming up in Kalimpong walking so elegantly in the streets with hippie outfits , they look cool and really comfortable .

The only difference is that they do not get those unusual stares. 

This is the key theme that sums up my blogpost featuring - PEPE designs .

As I discussed with the designer herself , she told me about the things that she had to go through when she wore something different and walked in the town or some place nearby . 

Some  people  call me the controversial blogger because I'm apparently honest and bold on what I see , what I think and what I write . Definitely ,  it's my pleasure to let you all know that " being different  from the rest doesn't make you an ALIEN , I feel being different from the rest just makes your individuality status stronger and positive . Through this blog post I would just like to convey this simple thought about " Wearing Different yet creative  clothes in public is very much normal and people should definitely  appreciate .

This photoshoot is the second collaboration blog post with The Twisted Tulle , check her blog link here .http://twistedtulle.blogspot.in/?m=1

Hippies (derived from the word hipster) were the natural outgrowth of the Beat movement in the 1950s.

Interested in an alternative lifestyle and rebelling against a society grown increasingly conformist and repressive, they were focused on freedom and getting back to nature. Their clothing was often loose and made of natural fibers like cotton and hemp.

Men and women grew their hair long and eschewed products and fussy styling (although, contrary to popular belief, they did still shampoo). The black turtlenecks and trousers worn by the Beatniks, male and female, morphed into peasant blouses and jeans.

 

Anything handmade, whether sewn, knit or woven as macramé, was prized. Gradually, this extended towards dyeing one's own clothes and the colorful tie-dye style became popular.

Hippie Wardrobe Essentials 

Hip hugger bell-bottom jeans, preferably with fringe at the ankle and flower patches, were seen everywhere. Peasant blouses, T-shirts, or just a skimpy halter top all went well with jeans. Accessories were anything handmade, and many included peace symbols as the Vietnam War escalated. 

Skirts and Dresses

In ladies' 60s fashions, the skirts and dresseswere nothing like what was seen on runways. Not since the 1920s did fashion change so radically, and youth define what was acceptable. The hemlines that shocked conservatives in the 1920s nearly gave some people apoplexy in the 1960s, as mini and even micro mini skirts were sported by girls with good legs. A short skirt was worn with suede knee-high boots in cool weather, or sandals on hot summer days

Dresses were either short and skimmed the body, or they were long, loose peasant or granny dresses. A peasant dress reflected a Renaissance maiden and the look was often enhanced with flowing ribbons in the hair and on the dress itself. Of course, there were also flowers. 

Popular Patterns 

Two of the most popular patterns in hippie clothing were floral and tie-dye, but there were others that showed up time and time again in the free-spirited clothing they wore. There was usually quite a bit of color and the clothes could involve: 

• Psychadelic designs 
• Op art 
• Paisley 
• Stripes (even the bell-bottoms)

It's been talked about so much that it's now a cliché, or even a joke, but flowers were very emblematic of the hippie movement. Nothing represented peace and love so much as a flower, and they were everywhere. Floral patterns were popular on tops and dresses and flower patches adorned skirts and jeans. Real flowers were worn in the hair and flower images were painted on the face. Hippies argued that in the face of ugliness in the world, it was important to display as much natural beauty as possible.

Simple was key to 1960s hippie fashion. Women's jewelry was mostly handmade or derived from Native American or similar designs influenced by nature. Beads were hugely popular, as was any necklace sporting a peace sign. Music being so much a part of the hippie scene, jewelry that made music was desirable. Some women wore necklaces that featured bells as pendants, and many wore jangly ankle bracelets. The ankles received a lot of attention in general, because many hippies, especially those living on the warm west coast, preferred to go barefoot. This was not a popular time for pedicures. 

I had so much fun shooting with The Twisted Tulle ,special Thankyou to Anna and Leezum for helping in the styling and the shoot . 

️Thankyou to the generous members of The Morgan House for being so humble to our entire team . 

Photography by : Sangam Mukhia