Get to Know the Popular Indian Wedding Dresses

When it comes to Indian wedding, the first thing that comes into mind is the bride’s dress. Indian weddings are all about grand celebration, ceremonies, rituals, gorgeous decor and of course extravagant Indian wedding dresses to match the entire setting.

Indian wedding dresses differ from region to region and has its own significance backed by culture, tradition and customs of the particular state. Keeping in mind the rich cultural heritage of India, let’s jot down the most popular Indian wedding dresses of all time.
Lehenga-Choli
Lehenga Choli is undeniably the favourite dress of every bride. No matter which region she belongs, wearing lehenga choli on her wedding day would be her first choice. And why not, it is traditional and graceful at the same time. Lehenga choli looks great on every body type and it can match your budget. This wedding attire has undergone a huge transformation from being typically ethnic to modern and customised.

Though the basic silhouette of a cropped bodice paired with separate skirt remained the same but there are variations in it with time.  The length of choli and the shape of skirt have definitely been experimented a lot. Not just the bride, even bride’s sisters and friends love to adorn this outfit on weddings and other formal occasions.  From traditional intricate embroidery works like zari, motifs, zardozi to contemporary embellishments like stones, sequins, gota patti, beads etc  a lehenga choli is ought to be super stylish and highly elaborated. Following are the different styles of lehenga-choli.

Flowy Lehenga-choli
As the name suggests, flowy lehenga is a long flared skirt paired with a short fitted bodice along with a heavy duptta. This silhouette is quite traditional and is very popular among brides. Generally brides-to-be prefer flowy lehenga as it gives them the volume and make them look like a complete diva.

Bridal lehengas have over-the-top embroidery and embellishments and often made in traditional colours like deep red, orange and golden. Now a days, modern brides love to experiment with hues like green, royal blue and peach.

Stunning Ornate Red Lehenga

Fish-cut lehenga-choli
This style of lehenga-choli is totally opposite from the flowy one.  Unlike flared skirt, the fish-cut lehenga is long fitted skirt with slightly loose at the base.  Generally, fish-cut lehengas are paired with short cropped bodice or highly elaborated corset tops and dupatta.

These are a contemporary version of lehenga choli and have more of a western appeal to it. Indeed, fish-cut style is like a whiff of fresh air and brides love to flaunt their curves in this kind of silhouette.

Red Fish-TaleLehenga

Saree
Saree is unarguably the soul of Indian weddings. A red ornate saree is steeped in India’s tradition. Saree is popular Indian wedding attire. Not just the bridal red saree, India boasts to have a huge variety and style of sarees depending on the region.

Every style of saree has a deep-rooted cultural story behind it. Apart from the bridal red saree, every girl loves to include different styles of sarees in her trousseau collection too. Some of the popular styles of sarees include, Kanchipuram, Banarasi, silk, chanderi, cotton etc.

The Ishya Lehenga Saree

Anarkali suit
Anarkali suits have emerged as the latest Indian wedding dress. These flowy silhouettes give an impression of a lehenga just being more comfortable than it.  Anarkalis are regal and elegant and are inspired from Mughal era.

Basically its floor-length flared and wide suit with kalis to give it the required shape and fit. Anarkalis are adorned with exquisite embroidery and is paired with traditional kundan jewelry to get the complete bridal look. Different colours, fabrics and cuts give this garment, a whole new perspective.

Red Floor-Length Anarkali

Formal Gowns
Weddings in India are not a sole event as it is followed by a series of events before and after the wedding. For example, mehendi ceremony, sangeet ceremony and cocktail party are celebrated before the wedding and reception party is done after it. So, apart from the wedding dress, a bride needs many more formal dresses for such occasions. Here comes the formal gown in picture. Gowns are long fitted formal dress.

Taking cue from the western gowns, Indian bridal gowns are made with the touch of traditionalism in terms of colour and work. The basic silhouette remains the same with heavy embroidery works on the bodice or the flare. It is more of a fusion dress or you can say west meets east. The style of gown also differs depending on the preference and occasion. Some brides prefer flowy gowns and others like figure-hugging. These gowns look extremely stylish, chic and perfect for a formal evening.

Exquisite Red Ornate Gown

Now you can incorporate the ideas about the above mentioned Indian wedding dresses in your list and be the epitome of beauty and grace on your big day!

The Age Old Trends of Baroque and Brocade within Indian Fashion Design

The baroque art movement has persisted for over two centuries and still popular to this day all over the world. The Baroque technique refers back to a significant era when art was portrayed in its most beautiful and theatrical glory.

The enthusiastic and dramatic Baroque style first began in Italy and from them influenced a variety of countries around the world. English fashion designers discovered their new ideas in traditional books about Continental ornaments. A unique sense of drama and a distinctive ornate style characterise the technique that is Baroque. Within the decade in which this trend first became popular Interiors were lavish with rich velvets and highly embellished furnishings teamed with patterned wood.

In relation to this, within Indian techniques and design, the technique of brocade within Indian fashion design is extremely popular and similar in aesthetic. The process begins with a simple pencilled design, it is then transferred onto a larger sheet of paper that shows magnified detail of the weft colours. Tanchoi fabric is used to produce Tanchoi sarees, which was first introduced to Varanasi in the early 20th century.

Indian Designer Rohit Bal has showcased a number of stunning collections, which feature brocade throughout a number of the garment designs. Rohit’s signature stunning needlework and traditional silhouettes are used, created garments such as floor sweeping anarkalis with gorgeous and extremely traditional brocade detailing. Proving that the trend is still very much in tact after all theses years, especially within Indian fashion design. 

Current popular bridal trends were seem to be swarming the runways showcased rich velvet textures, chandleries, and heavily textured brocades, teamed with luxurious silks and delicate embroidery which definitely ruled the ramps.

While a number of designers are innovating their Indian fashion design style, and brides are now prepared to experiment more quirky and vintage styles such as brocade, silhouettes that are ultimately overshadowing bridal trends are a blend of both old trend and charm teamed with contemporary styling.

Sources: Wedding Sutra, Strand of Silk, Modern Urban Living

When Bollywood met Designer Anarkali Suits

Ask a typical Indian woman what she loves. The answer is simple: Bollywood and designer Anarkali suits. Indian fashion is rampant with all sorts of Anarkali suits. Short, long, gaudy, simple, basic, minimalistic, fancy, and the list goes on. Our Bollywood beauties are no strangers to these extensive designer Anarkali suits. Knowing all you people so well, we’ve gone and taken the liberty to create a list that’s definitely going to help you select your designer Anarkali suits! Go ahead and feast your eyes.

Don Draper is totally correct when he says ‘Make it simple, but significant.’ And Anushka Sharma does just that in this beige Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla designer Anarkali suit. The whole look is so effortlessly chic, that we can’t stop our admiration. You go, Anushka Sharma!

Kalki Koechlin rocks this black Sabyasachi Anarkali with the utmost elegance. This designer Anarkali suit is practically moulded to her lithe body and accentuates her delicate features.

Hats off to Kangna Ranaut for opting for this uber colourful Manish Arora Anarkali. Only you, Kangna, can carry off this designer anarkali suit with obvious style and flair!

Our favourite Bollywood diva of yesteryears, Sonali Bendre Behl, looks simply breath taking in this Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla Anarkali. It’s difficult not to fall in love with this golden creation wrought with intricate mirror work.

Jacqueline Fernandes walked the ramp for the brilliant Tarun Tahiliani, and how gracefully so. She looked ethereal in this orange designer anarkali suit. But it was when she did a perfect twirl that the audience held their breaths in awe and adoration!

Madhuri Dixit couldn’t have looked more beautiful in this floral Anushree Reddy outfit. It’s the perfect fusion of simple and elaborate. The skirt has an ombre appeal due to the stunning orange hues. What makes this outfit really stand out is the heavily embroidered bodice.

We have never seen anyone carry ethnic clothes off with so much panache as Karisma Kapoor does. She wows us in this white Shantanu and Nikhil designer anarkali suit. The long trail of buttons and minimalistic accessories are just perfect. Not too little. Not too much.

We have looked far and wide and our conclusion is that Bollywood’s resident fashionista Sonam Kapoor takes the crown for being most creative with her designer anarkali suits. She opts for soothing, soft colours and novel, unique designs that are sure to make a fashion statement. The first outfit is by Payal Pratap and gives the whole concept of Anarkali a very modern feel. Ridhi Mehra takes things to a whole new level with this gorgeous minimalistic outfit with the perfect amount of flowers to make it stand out. Bollywood’s new favourite is the emerging designer Shehla Khan. Sonam Kapoor looks exceptionally poised in this ethnic floral creation.

As a rule, we’d like to save the best for the last.

A woman’s dream designer is Manish Malhotra, no doubt. All he has to do his wave his magic fashion wand on Priyanka Chopra and the result is something so very exquisite and opulent that we are rendered speechless. One word: Bravo.

Do you want to see more about celebrity style and Bollywood trends?

The Future of Fashion in India

The best thing about fashion in India is that it doesn’t remain constantm with new ideas constantly springing up. West meets ethnic is the fashion statement which has taken the country by a storm. Peasant crop tops, solid anarkalis, printed trousers and culottes are just some of the few wardrobe must haves. The glorious fusion of chic modern style with quintessentially Indian fashion has created an explosion of unique designs and a riot of never seen before colours. This is the future of Fashion in India.

Fashion blogger duo Shereen and Kayaan are fun, challenging, confident and bold. They push their boundaries and wear quirky outfits that leave us desiring some for ourselves.  

Their Rakshabandhan blog post was aptly titled Raksha Fusion. Kayaan, as seen in the top image, has captured the absolute essence of India with her Debashree Samanta dhoti pants, and flashy gold jewellery while the crop top balances the whole look lending it a western touch.

Shereen, as seen in the top image, wears a Karishma Jamwal drape dress and tops it with a Kiran Uttam Ghosh pleated cape. The loud and vibrant orange and red colours add that perfect smack of ethnicity.

They also modelled for the next gen Indianfashion designer Tanya Sharma’s eccentric label named ‘GaGa’. Shereen, in the far top image, wears a quilted Bandhini sweatshirt, a croptop and bright lehenga skirt. Kayaan on the other hand goes sporty ethnic (yes, that’s a thing now) with a quilted jersey and tie dye anarkali. These outfits take this wonderful fusion to a whole new level.

While the designer, Debashri Samanta, was inspired by the plight of the Vietnamese fisherwomen when creating these outfits, we can’t ignore the subtle Indian ness in them which is so chic and strangely elegant that we can’t take our eyes off them.

Our absolute favourite is Masaba Gupta, the originator of the avant-garde. With her zany, quirky and eccentric prints, she has won over the hearts of millions. Such was the demand for her clothes that she started a new line of unusual and unconventional outfits in affordable prices!

Khyati Pande is an upcoming designer whose creations are spreading like wildfire. She combines various elements to create one outfit and the best part is that it doesn’t look garish or over the top.

She loves her colours and knows how to play with them. Layering with flair is her forte and she loves bright waistcoats, minimal kurtas and bold trousers.

‘It’s a new era in fashion- there are no rules’ –Alexander McQueen

Never be scared to experiment with your style and fuse eastern and western elements!

Anita Dongre: When Elegance Met Edgy

Dear Anita Dongre, is there anything you cannot do? We desperately wish someone could answer our question. Anita Dongre is the reigning queen of Indian Fashion. She is the preferred designer by various Bollywood celebrities and has dipped her fingers in almost every field. Ranging from suits, sarees and lehengas in Indian fashion to contemporary fashion, she has left no stone unturned. In order to commemorate her sheer brilliance, we have put together a list of all our favourite Anita Dongre salwar suits and anarkalis.

We are in love with this Anita Dongre embroidered kurta jacket and straight pants. It has the perfect mix of black and golden; elegance and edgy; new and old. Minimal accessories add the perfect finishing touch to the outfit. This ensemble is sure to make heads turn with envy.

This Anita Dongre salwar suit is ordinary yet extraordinary. Contradicting statement, yes. But strangely true. This salwar suit combines three most basic and commonly worn colours. Fashion faux pas? Some may see it as that. But we see this Anita Dongre creation as a symbol of her versatility. She makes unusual combinations and ideas come to life and with such flair, mind you! Don’t give this super chic outfit a miss. Trust us.

We strongly believe you can never go wrong with pink. Pink is definitely the new black. It is consistent and never goes out of fashion. So when our eyes landed on this pink Anita Dongre anarkali with flare pants, we just couldn’t get enough of it. The gota work, intricate embroidery and printed anarkali scream timeless beauty.

This white Anita Dongre salwar suit personifies perfection and Kareena Kapoor Khan carries it with so much finesse. While pink has a special place in our hearts, white isn’t forgotten. For an instant burst of elegance and grace, embrace this elegant colour! Preferably this Anita Dongre salwar suit.

In our craze for grace we haven’t forgotten edgy and modern styles. This Anita Dongre salwar suit fulfils all our requirements. It has a long printed flare top paired with pants. This ensemble is seen in two of our favourite colours, black and red, which gel so immaculately with each other that all we can do is lust after this outfit.

Our last outfit is this blood red Anita Dongre lace kameez with straight pants. Lace is very difficult to get right, both whilst creating it and wearing it. But Anita Dongre undoubtedly nails it. Available in an array of colours, red was the hue that stood out for us. As Bill Blass so aptly puts it “When in doubt, wear red.”

We can’t get enough of all things Anita Dongre. She has definitely carved a niche for herself in this huge Indian fashion world. Now go and treat yourself to some Anita 

Our Favourite Anarkali Dresses from India

Anarkali dresses are a timeless trend, when talking of Indian fashion, that seem to be getting more and more popular as the years go by. Recently we have seen an influx of stunning anarkali dresses that have been showcased all over the recent catwalks and fashion weeks, and by some of Bollywoods biggest celebrities. Anarkali dresses are also frequently worn by an influx of teenagers not only in India but worldwide!

Deepika Padukone without a doubt has one of the best collections of Anarkali dresses that we’ve seen, showcasing her elaborate collection at a number of important events, here are some of our favourites:

Anarkali dresses refer to the flowing salwaar kameezes that are relatively long and are designed like frocks but without any type of slit at the side. These style of dresses generally include a kameez that falls below the knee, and a churidaar that has folds near the ankle.

In terms of styles, they are often made up of a variety of materials such as silk, satin, cotton, georgette, chiffon, net, brasso and a variety of other materials, currently the ones that are most popular involve trendy net materials. The hem and neck of anarkali dresses often have detailed and unique embellishments and embroidery, which consist of an array of sequins, beads, laces, etc.

In relation to anarkali dresses showcased at the recent Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week: Rohit Bal definitely stood out to us as being a designer not to be missed. And his show was great! Year after year, his shows prove to be an experience that’s not just about the garments, but the energy, the aura and the drama he manages to create on the ramp, and he definitely didn’t disappoint this year!

We have seen a lot of florals already this year, but Rohit's spin on florals was daring, graphic, unique and beyond gorgeous. Beautiful Kashmiri embroidery on soft, flowy mul-muls and the most stunning collection of Anarkalis that were chic, contemporary yet rooted in Indian tradition. A definite favourite of ours!

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Bollywood stars wearing designer anarkali suits

In love with designer anarkali suits? 

Choose your favourite styles among those three pieces selected from Bollywood celebrities!

Colorful and Beautiful!

White and Embroidery

Red and Silver Embroidery

Bollywood style!

Shilpa Shetty Wearing One Of Manish Malhotra Designer Anarkali Suits.

Shilpa Shetty Looked awesome as always and this time she wore a pink anarkali suit designed by Manish Malhotra at the Umang Show 2014.

If you appreciate her style and want to find a similar celebrity style you can come and shop at Strand Of Silk.

Wedding day jitters?! The best Indian bridal dresses

Finding that perfect wedding dress can be very stressful, but that is why Strand of Silk is here to help you find the dress that will guarantee you have the best day of your life! Here are a collection of magnificent, stunning, original Indian bridal dresses. You will be spoilt for choice!

Royal Blue Lehenga Set                           Orange Embroidered Anarkali Suit             

For more indian bridal dresses go to Strand of Silk  or see other colourful bridal ideas.

Aditi Rao Hydari Wearing One Of The Priya Awasthy’s Designer Anarkali Suits

Aditi Rao Hydari looked really gorgeous at a launch from Chandumal Jewellers Store  in  this orange anarkali suit designed by Priya Awasthy.

If you like her celebrity style and want to find designer anarkali suits you can visit Strand of Silk.

Celebrities looking sensational in designer anarkali suits!

In Mumbai, the actresses Madhuri Dixit and Huma Qureshi were looking stunning in designer anarkali suits by Manish for the premiere of their latest film, Dedh Ishqiya. This shimmering look is perfect for high profile events and awards giving the wearers an air of sophistication as well as glamour!

For more designer anarkali suits visit Strand of Silk