At Lalgate we suggest whatever style you do choose to adorn for your wedding day ensure that the jewellery and outfit are consistent. Be brave with your look but ensure that it remains a personal choice and reflective of your own personality and sense of style. What suits somebody else may not necessarily be suitable for you.
Your Bridal Dress
The stronger the neckline of your dress the more sophisticated the hair and makeup style will need to be match the dress’s style. A neckline that cuts deep and is off the shoulders will look great with a hair up hair style so that the line of the neck and shoulders is shown off. Consider also the length of the dress, the shorter the dress the more simple the hair and makeup should be. Remember you are creating an entire picture, do not wear a beautiful dress and stylish heels and then wear your hair and makeup like you do when you wear your jeans. Don't sell yourself short on such a memorable day. Read more below to educate your mind before making one of the most important fashion choices in your life...
The Asian Bridal Style Guide
Talking about Indian bridal outfit, the names that crop up into your mind, at the very first instance, are lehenga-choli, sari and salwar-kameez. In the present times, most of the brides, especially in North India, prefer wearing a lehenga-choli for their wedding. The bridal lehenga is adorned with a lot of embellishments, to give it a very rich and luxurious look. In most of the cases, heavy embroidery (with silver or golden thread), stones, crystals and sequins are used to decorate the lehenga of a bride and give it a royal feel.
What Is A Lehenga
A Lehenga comprises of one of the traditional garments worn by Indian women. Earlier, it used to be worn by women on an everyday basis. However, these days, it is reserved for special occasions only, like wedding or a festival. The dress comprises of a lehenga (skirt), choli (blouse) and dupatta/chunni (stole). The lehenga is an ankle-length skirt, which is draped around the waist, while choli is a midriff-revealing blouse, usually with tight sleeves, shirt sleeves and low neck and back. The dupatta/chunni is just like a stole, which might be slung around the neck or hung from one of the shoulders.
The Styles
In terms of style, you have the option of four different cuts in your bridal lehenga skirt - fish cut, straight cut, A-line cut and flares. In the fish-cut style, the lehenga hugs your body till the knees and thereafter, it erupts into full-on flares. In the second style i.e. straight-cut, the lehenga falls parallel to your legs, just like a wrap-around skirt. The A-line cut, as the name suggests, has the lehenga skirt going in an A-line i.e. the cut broadens with the increase in the length of the skirt. Finally, we have the flared lehenga, in which the skirt is has a lot of pleats around the waist. It is very heavy, but looks extremely beautiful.
The Fabrics
You will find a lot of options in a bridal lehenga, in terms of the fabrics. Amongst the most common fabrics that are used for a bridal lehenga is satin. Owing to its rich feel and flowing texture, it is quite popular amongst brides. Another option comprises of tissue, which gives a royal appeal to the outfit. You can also go for net, with a georgette or satin base, for creating the perfect bridal lehenga. These days, crepe and georgette have also started being included in the fabric choices for a bridal lehenga. Each of the fabrics mentioned here gives a luxurious appeal to the lehenga, thus serving the purpose of the bridal look completely.
The Colours
When you talk about an Indian bridal lehenga, the first colour that comes into mind is red. In fact, till some time back, this was the only colour that the brides used to opt for. However, the trend changed with the passing times. These days, colours like golden copper, maroon, yellow, pink and brown are also being chosen by the brides. Along with that, dual shade lehengas, like red and yellow, green and red, yellow and pink, are also enjoying increased popularity. Many of the brides, today, do not choose red colour for their lehenga, deliberately. This is because they want to look different from the rest of the brides.
Other Options
There are two other variants of a lehenga, namely lancha and sharara, which you can consider, while selecting your bridal outfit. Talking about lancha, the outfit is almost similar to a lehenga, the main difference arising in the style of the shirt (choli). In a lancha, the choli is quite long, going a few inches past the hips. Then, you have the sharara, in which the lehenga skirt is divided vertically, with a stitch in the centre. The shirt is bit longer than the conventional choli, covering the hips. While sharara is basically the traditional dress of the Muslim brides, it has now become popular in other weddings as well.
