By Reema Gehi
The dominance of backless dresses is soon becoming inescapable to the eye. At the Golden Globe Awards, Anne Hathaway dazzled in a shimmering nude long-sleeved backless dress by Armani Privé. Back home, Genelia D’souza in a backless outfit looked quite picture at the Filmfare Awards, as did Neha Dhupia and Urmila Matondkar. As designer James Ferreira comments, “The back will never go out of fashion. But in the last two years a lot of designers have been exploring it more.”
Turn around
Unlike outfits with plunging necklines, backless attires don’t exhibit in your-face sexuality. You see a woman all covered up and then she turns around… the surprise sensuality is alluring. “Exposing the nape of the neck and the spine is much more subtle and beautiful,” says Ferreira. Gauri Karan of designer duo Gauri and Nainika concurs, “A backless outfit has an element of mystery and surprise. It is daring, but still not out there.”
The backless look is deeply embedded in Indian cholis and is now going forward to take over anarkalis. “The naked back of the anarkali dress supported with a string and the crisscross backless cholis looks stunning,” says Ferreira. “It gives the entire attire an edge and the look is very sensual.”
Digging deeper
The depth of the back depends on the body type and comfort level. If you are heavy busted, avoid going too deep as you will need to a higher neckline in the front, which can draw attention to the bust line. A deep back looks best with a long gown or anarkali, drawing the eye in a straight line. A deep back and front spells tacky. To make maximum impact, go for something with long sleeves, long trail, a high neck and a back that stops right above your tailbone. Gauri believes, “A backless outfit can only go well with a toned, long and clean back. It doesn’t look good if the outfit pokes or cuts into your skin. Comfort level must be the primary concern. ”
Scrub up
To make your back gleam, do the following
* If you have breakouts, indulge in a cleanup to get rid of the spots.
* To even out skin tone, bleach your back or use foundation.
* Dry, flaky skin is not restricted to your face – moisture regularly and exfoliate the back at least once a week with a scrub.
* Make a waxing appointment.
* A transparent bra strap is tacky – opts for built-in cups.
* If you are uncomfortable going backless, opt for a dress with a back made of a sheer, unlined lace, net or chiffon.
* A deep back draws attention to the derriere. Spend a few hours working your butt off.
Tone up
Yoga guru Yogesh Chavan suggests bhujang aasan (cobra pose) to tone your back. Lie flat on the stomach and place your palms, face down, under the chest. Slowly lift your upper body and bend as far back as you can without lifting the pelvis off the floor. This strengthens the lower back muscles and tightens abdominal muscles.
