Shopping for a wedding trousseau is undoubtedly one of the most quintessential aspects of the Indian wedding experience. But, for most brides and grooms, these outfits are relegated to the back of the closet once the festivities end, destined to languish there until donated, inherited or discarded. Challenging this notion are celebrities like Alia Bhatt, who recently re-wore her mehendi lehenga from her 2022 wedding to a Diwali party.
“The idea of mixing and matching different elements from your wedding outfit is gaining more popularity. Most brides balk at the notion of spending large sums of money on an outfit that will only be worn once in their lifetime. But, with a little imagination, it is definitely possible [and advisable] to get more wear from each piece of your wedding attire and to create looks that are memorable and sustainable,” says fashion designer, Sanjana Bubber.
Sanjana Bubber
Classic over contemporary
While trendy silhouettes, such as a fishtail or flouncy, ruffled lehenga, can seem alluring, it’s important to adopt a more long-term lens from the moment you begin wedding outfit shopping. “Classic styles and traditional weaves are always a safer bet. If you have opted for a pastel palette, as many modern brides are, it is easier to re-wear the individual pieces as they can be creatively paired and layered,” says Bubber. Similarly, bear in mind that pieces embedded with a lot of crystals or heavy embroidery will be too heavy and too ornate to re-style, as compared to pieces with lighter cut-dana work or zardozi accents. Being conscious about these decisions from the time you begin shopping for your wedding also ensures that you aren’t stumped for ideas when you eventually get around to re-wearing your wedding fits.
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Ira Khan chose to restyle her wedding saree for events; (right) Kiran Rao seen restyling her mother’s wedding saree
A matter of contrasts
When restyling the outfit, follow a simple rule — pick one, heavily detailed element from your wedding outfit and keep the rest of the outfit simple, to let that piece shine. For instance, pair your wedding blouse with a plain satin or taffeta skirt, or your wedding dupatta with a chikankari salwar-kurta set or a monotone co-ord set, for a look that’s contemporary but effective, without making you seem overdressed.
Alternatively, you could wear your wedding blouse with a plain chiffon or silk saree or wear your wedding lehenga with a plain shirt — add chunky statement jewellery, such as polki, for a look that’s decidedly non-bridal while still festive. Another easy way to tone down your bridal lehenga is to wear it with a longer kurta and minimal jewellery.
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Have an open mind
Indian weddings are known for their OTT nature, and for ‘more’ being ‘more’. If you think your wedding looks are too cumbersome and too unwieldy to re-wear, don’t hesitate to seek the expertise of a local designer or tailor. A dupatta can be stitched up into a jacket or you can get a few layers taken off your lehenga to make it less cumbersome, advises Bubber. Similarly, wedding sarees can be used to make sleek separates. If you’re eager to retain the integrity of your wedding pieces, wear them in different combinations by picking a contrasting lehenga and dupatta.
Colour-blocking, such as wearing a red lehenga with an orange or blue blouse, can make a look seem less bridal, while still keeping it in the realm of traditional-wear. Finally, don’t neglect the finishing touches: “In Alia’s case, she wore the outfit exactly the way she’d worn it during her wedding festivities. However, simply changing up the makeup and accessories made a world of difference — a slicker hairdo and more contemporary jewellery helped to considerably tone down the look,” Bubber signs off.
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