Ethnic wear like kurtas, anarkalis, and shararas make for elegant and classy outfits. While traditional ethnic wear has its charm, styling it in a contemporary way can give it a fresh, modern twist. Here are some tips on how to style ethnic wear to get a contemporary, stylish look
Choose Contemporary Silhouettes
Anarkalis with flowy fabrics, long asymmetric kurtas, dhoti pants, palazzos, etc. have a contemporary vibe as compared to very traditional silhouettes like churidars. Opt for these modern silhouettes when buying ethnic wear to style it in a modern fashion. You can even opt for fusion wear like the gown Anarkali.
Play with Drapes
Drapes lend a very interesting dimension to ethnic wear. Go for kurtas, Anarkali, or gowns that have a nice flare, draping, cowls, or asymmetric hemlines. The drapes and cowls will give a modern vibe to the outfit. You can add a belt on the waist to accentuate the drapes.
Use Minimal Accessories
Don’t go OTT with jewellery when wearing ethnic wear. Limit accessories to minimal statement jewellery like oxidized silver earrings, chokers, or Junk jewellery like metal or bead bracelets. Alternatively, you can skip jewellery altogether and let the outfit be the highlight.
Pick The Right Footwear
Skip the traditional juttis or kolhapuris and opt for footwear like strappy heels, wedges, or mojaris in metallic hues. You can even wear boots or sneakers with anarkalis or kurtas to add a dash of casual chic. Pointy nude heels also look very modish with flowy ethnic wear.
Style With A Belt
Cinch your kurta, kurti, or Anarkali at the waist with a broad belt in a pop colour like red, yellow, or blue. This will accentuate your waistline in an ethnic outfit. Go for fabric belts with modern buckles. You can match the belt colour with your footwear.
Play With Lengths
Try ankle-length kurtas and short shrugs or cropped jackets over anarkalis. Cropped and shorter lengths give ethnic wear a nice contemporary update. High-slit anarkalis are also in vogue. You can team short kurtas with slim-fit churidars instead of the traditional salwar for a modish look.
Use Contemporary Fabrics
Opt for modern fabrics like georgettes, chiffons, crepes, rayon, or tissue instead of traditional ones like cotton and silk. You can even try fusion fabrics. Fabrics like georgettes and chiffons will give the ethnic wear a very contemporary, flowing silhouette.
Go For Indo-Western Pieces
Fuse Indian and Western sensibilities by picking Indo-western pieces. There are lots of options like dhoti pants palazzos, ankle-length anarkalis, etc. that merge Indian and Western styles seamlessly. You can even through a denim or leather jacket over ethnic wear.
Experiment With Colours And Prints
Play around with colours when wearing ethnic wear. Go for modern colour combinations like neon, pastels, dual tones, etc. Mix and match different colours in a single outfit. You can pick printed kurtas and anarkalis instead of plain ones. Florals, digital prints, and geometrics work well for a contemporary look.
So experiment with silhouettes, drapes, fabrics, footwear, belts, and accessories to style ethnic wear in a modern fashion. Customize the elements to create fusion looks that are dressy, stylish, and contemporary. Ethnic wear can be so versatile, trendy, and voguish when styled the right way.
