Wardrobe Tips for Newly-wed Brides

Planning to put together your after-wedding wardrobe? Or, should we say – shopping for your wedding trousseau? Well, we all agree that it is a huge task!

For starters, picking gorgeous wedding ensemble and stunning outfits for all functions itself is a colossal chore. There is so much effort involved there that often the ensembles to be worn after the wedding drama is over take a back seat.  

Well, when it’s about your wedding outfit – any amount of effort is justified. After all, this is the attire that you will cherish forever. However, never forget that the life actually begins, after the wedding day!

Your charm as new bride should be in top-shape, post the ceremonies too. As a newly-wed, you should be armed with great health - and an awesome, comfortable and intelligent collection of clothes and accessories. The wedding trousseau should also reflect your lifestyle. Remember, whether you will be an office-going newly-wed or stay-at-home new bride, you would be adjusting with a new set up, new people and a new household.

Panicking already? Well, don’t! First things first – focus on putting together a varied and well-researched trousseau. Second, go by the following tips by Saree.com, which will help you sort your life after you wedding.

DOMINANT SHADES

There are so many colors to choose from. But, there will always be a few dominant, vibrant and powerful ones that will always win. These also include the ones we naturally associate with something special. Like, in India, a certain color palette is closely connected with weddings – rosy reds, bright pinks, deep greens, jewel maroons, corals, and bright oranges.

So, no wonder when we are in a wedding planning mode, we get attracted towards the scarlet colour scheme. This way many women end up piling their entire trousseau ensembles in similar colours – a choice they regret later! So –

• Pick different colors – Go the whole hog! You have the entire rainbow for you to choose from, then why stick to just one side of the color wheel. Don’t forget the blue and purple palette!
• Reds, reds, reds – If red is truly what you want and crave, do pick a few ensembles in your favourite colour. After all, many women wait for their wedding - to finally wear this resplendent colour. However, channel red’s many variants. Play up red all across your wardrobe – if you have already bought two red sarees, stop. Now, pick one maroon palazzo suit, one reddish pink Pakistani suit, one flaming red Indo-western coat or jacket, a subdued red top, and maybe, a floral red and pink lehenga skirt.
• Do the same for other favorite colours like Pinks or Greens
• Mix and Match – colours. You may still pick bride appropriate colors, but tone them down. Diversify your wardrobe by introducing novel combinations.
• Don’t be afraid of experimenting – You may have not worn a few colors earlier. But, wedding is the reason for getting an entirely new life… and wardrobe! So, while you are out in the shops or browsing online platforms like Saree.com, do keep your eye and mind open for ‘new’ colors and combos.

STAR TIP: Showrooms have smart lighting, which makes merchandise look extra impressive. See to it that you do not end up buying a saree or salwar suit, under a wrong impression. Some shades may seem darker inside the store, but may look duller outside. Always check your pick’s real shade by bringing it out in the sunlight, or under normal light. This is especially important when finding pairs and combos.

COLORS SUITABLE TO YOUR SKIN TONE AND PERSONALITY

Your skin tone and personality play an important role in your selection of outfits. They should, ideally! Every outfit that you wear must heighten your personality. It is the harmony between your skin tone, ensemble color and design, make-up and your overall confidence, which makes you look special! 

• Choose shades that complement your skin tone and overall persona. If you are gutsy and playful, and your hubby fell in love with these attributes of yours – don’t suddenly go all docile. Don’t hesitate to wear strking combinations, if your personality agrees with it. And don’t, if your persona doesn’t!
• If you are a dusky beauty, just like Piggy Chops or Bipasha Basu, you have a super attractive color palette at your disposal. Demure, antique pinks matched with lighter shades looks stylish. Coral scheme looks awesome on Indian complexions. Combine coral and teal for some extra glam! Light blue and rust are other winners.
• Dark, jewel hues like maroon or vermilion look cheery on Indian complexions. Brown, when paired well, can turn you into a classic beauty.  
• If you are light complexioned, like Aishwarya Rai, you have access to beautiful tints of peaches, golden yellows, greens, off-whites and mauves & violets.

YOUR BODY TYPE

Consider your natural body-type, while planning your trousseau.

• Your Body Type is Unique - Many times, brides-to-be lose a plenty of weight, which can alter their body structure, for a while. However, the basic body type remains the same. For example, if you have broad shoulders or a large bone structure, you will never look like your Twiggy-friend. You even shouldn’t aspire to! Embrace your body. Exercise and stay fit, but don’t run after fads. 
• Buy for your body and life, not for the model in picture – It’s great if you have toned up prior to your wedding. But, stay true to your body type. Know what suits you and your lifestyle best, and don’t go after fads that you won’t wear again. 
• I knew of a girl who, by a combination of exercise, stringent diet and hormone pills, lost 29 kilograms prior to her wedding. Stuff she bought for her trousseau was straight out of fashion catalogues. Post her wedding, her new life and schedule did not allow her to follow her meticulous diet or gymming. Soon, she piled on some weight – at trouble spots. Out went her designer creations – which comprised her entire trousseau!  

There are 5 major body types that usually women fit in  1) Apple 2) Hour-glass 3) Pear 4) Rectangle and 5) Inverted Triangle.

1. Apples have a heavy upper body. Choose cuts that flatter and slim down your upper body, while adding some width to the lower half.
2. Girls with hour-glass have a relatively balanced figure. But, they too should never go over-board. They must emphasize their lean waist, though.
3. Pear shaped women are bottom and hip heavy. Focus, thus, should remain on the upper half. You can also accentuate your waist area.
4. Rectangle body is, more or less, proportionate. However, definition or curves are missing. So, you can wear stuff that will define and accentuate your curves.
5. Inverted Triangles must wear stuff that will create an illusion of symmetry. Try wearing stuff that will give an illusion of broad shoulders and torso.

DESIGNS & SILHOUETTES - CHOOSE THEM WISELY

Designs and silhouettes play an important role in defining your look. Stylish cuts and fits can create interesting and flattering illusions, thereby helping you camouflage body flaws and look your best.

• Don’t just follow the fads. Look for styles and cuts that are interesting, unique as well as practical.
• If you plan to work, post wedding, your trousseau should have clothes in clean lines, which you would be able to wear in an office environment.
• Get yourself a good mix of all styles and designs, instead of sticking to only the ones in vogue. For example, palazzos may be ‘in’ at the moment, but buying all your Salwar Kameez Suits with palazzo bottoms doesn’t make sense. Get a mix of salwars, trousers, palazzos, churidaars, lehenga skirts, leggings etc.
• Even, while planning and getting your saree blouses stitched, keep this in mind. You will need to wear your sarees for different life occasions, and all of these may not allow you to wear slingy shoulders or halter necks, or for that matter, sheer backs. Get your blouses and saree details in practical as well as traditional designs too.

FABRICS – QUITE IMPORTANT

Sarees and other Indian ethnic fashion wear are available in variety of fabrics. Georgettes, chiffons and silks rule the market, but also try collecting an array of fabrics, instead of sticking to one or two.

Georgette and chiffons are easy to carry and practical to wear, especially in Indian weather. They nicely emphasize your body shape. You can pick these classy sarees for low-key parties, events as well as for your work wardrobe.

Silks sarees are powerful symbols of tradition and beauty. Do pick a few of them for your trousseau, as these are classics and will rarely go out of style. However, here too get a good mix. Don’t just pick Kanjeevarams or ones with burnished gold borders. Add plain ones, printed ones as well as ones with quirky touches.

STAR TIP: For office-going women, half and half saree is no less than a boon. You can have clean vertical or horizontal print at the top, while quirky prints (made quite famous by the Indian designer Masaba Gupta) like cow, anchors, cameras etc. in the second half. The interesting half n half saree trend will keep you away from boring plain sarees.