Fashion for many years has been pushing away the boundaries, that define gender through silhouettes and forms. With lehengas allotted to the women, and sherwanis staying exclusive for the men, every piece to every colour in our closets has often contributed to labelling us as men or women. But with the years that progressed to widen this distinction or rather erasing any, that is still left, designer creations dwelling in their studios in motherland India are working to find us a variety in a category that is yet to let go of these fences. In a space that allows these sellers to find their buyers, festive and occasion wear are too hoping to move towards diversity. With shelves in these gigantic designer houses, dusting off these labels and inviting a fusion that marries off both trends and traditions, festive wear in the world today is much more than the usual sarees, lehenga cholis and the bandhgalas. The idea is to celebrate every being or perhaps the wearer of these pieces.
A day ago, we saw a slice of something so amazing, when content creator Lilly Singh, posted a picture in a black sherwani. The tonal, hand-embroidered number, fit Singh like a glove and we couldn’t take our eyes off her. The tailored, black sherwani came straight from the shelves of designer label– Falguni Shane Peacock. Amalgamating trends, and breaking cultural and gender stereotypes, Singh’s crisp festive wear pick was further decorated with a statement, aqua-beaded neckpiece with a centre brooch and matching earrings. For makeup and hair, Lilly brought some colour-play to her lower lash and added a thick stroke of blue kajal, alongside a thin layer of eyeliner. She completed the look with a stylised vertical bindi and hair sealed into a neat ponytail.
The geometrical embroidered sherwani was further teamed with a pair of loose-fitted pants and boots. Adding this menswear, festival staple to the menu, Lilly’s latest look explains why bandhgala is amongst the most celebrated and wise picks. Besides being a classic name for when one has to dress up for formal, bow-tie events, bandhgalas stand equivalent to India’s eternal love for the sarees. With a handful of celebrities loaning this silhouette from a range of menswear, actresses in the past have offered an interesting treatment to it.
Much like Lilly, actress Sonam Kapoor too made the dream of a classic bandhgala and sherwani a beautiful reality, when she turned showstopper for designer Kunal Rawal’s previous collection–Vision Quest. The actress advocated for gender-neutral fashion in a beige kurta, matching dhoti and an embroidered bandhgala jacket in the shade ivory. Sonam further sprinkled the look with heirloom jewels in classic gold, by incorporating a sturdy choker and sun rays earrings. Besides Sonam, her sister/stylist and producer Rhea Kapoor made a strong case for a bold bandhgala jacket by designer Raghavendra Rathore and slipped into an off-white salwar to complete the look. Giving her very own twist to the form, Rhea sealed the buttons for a clear look and added a monochrome pocket square, instead of flashy jewels.
Also Read: Celebrity Closets Are Currently Basking In The Comfort Of A Chill Pill Closet. It Is Relatable And Refreshing!
Also Read: Priyanka Chopra And Lilly Singh Cheered Diljit Dosanjh At His LA Concert, And We Love This Desi Dostana!
With the incorporation of dhoti, classic salwars, sherwanis or basic kurta, and pyajams, a handful of celebrities have learnt the art of finding a formula that suits their personal sartorial taste. Apart from the Kapoor sisters, who love to team their bandhgalas with the roomiest of trousers, actress Deepika Padukone asks for an edgy finish. Rooting for the classic silhouette, the Gehraiyaan star picked an iconic, maharaja-esqué black kalidar by designer Rajesh Pratap Singh. The form-fitting, Mughal-adored silhouette, was given a monochrome twist by the actress, who layered it over a thin white kurta and black churidar. The crisp ensemble was decorated using gold, stud earring, kohl-rimmed eyes and a polka-dot pocket square.
For the wearers who’d love to have a taste of crisp manarkalis, one can rely on traditional earpieces to accentuate the overall look of the ensemble. Footwear too plays an imperative role to suit the regal churidaars. You can also opt for traditional bags or modern-day potlis, to break the serious mood of the ensemble, and inject a hint of colour play.
Sherwani, bandhgala jackets and breezy dhotis, will make up for an interesting addition to the festive wear menu. So, this year, skip the usual sarees and lehengas and give this menswear staple an innovative spin.
Image Credits: Instagram
