When it comes to formal Indian events, showing up in style is mandatory. But the options of what to wear can feel overwhelming. A salwar kameez? A salwar suit? A lehenga skirt with a choli top? A gharara suit? The list goes on and on.
Then there’s the question of how you style your look. Do you mix patterns? How do you drape your dupatta? What colors are right for every occasion? Maroon? Teal? Off white?
Don’t worry! We’re here to narrow it down for you with all the styling advice you need. For the sake of simplicity, let’s focus on the classic and beautiful sharara dress. In this post, we’ll give you seven ways to style a sharara set, including some contemporary and non-traditional approaches.
What Is a Sharara?
Let’s start with the basics. What is a sharara suit, and what separates it from, say, an anarkali suit?
A sharara-style suit is a super popular choice for any big family event both in and outside of India, whether it’s Diwali, a wedding, or Eid. Sharara designs generally consist of three pieces, including a kurta shirt (shorter than what you’d see in an anarkali suit), sharara pants, and a dupatta. Sharara pants are traditionally flared, but over the years, we’ve seen all sorts of silhouettes and styles come into fashion, including tapered straight legs.
It’s a highly versatile style, and you’ll find that many Indian women have both a party wear sharara suits as well as a work sharara in their closets. Sharara suits appear in many Bollywood films, and with good reason. They’re both flattering and fashionable.
7 Easy Ways To Style a Sharara
From sequins to mirror work to Zari embroidery, the styling choices you make with your sharara set speak volumes about your personal style. Depending on the event, you can go with a number of materials for your suit, including a pink georgette, a navy blue chiffon, or a mauve organza.
Once you’ve decided on the color scheme and embellishments, it’s time to style your sharara to set you apart from the crowd.
1. Pair It With a Jacket
One flawless option, especially for winter events, is to pair your sharara suit set with a jacket. Similar to a dupatta in silhouette but more solid and opaque, there’s nothing more elegant than a long matching art silk jacket. It’s classic, effortless, and chic.
You can also opt to pair it with a cropped jacket to bring more attention to your waist.
2. Pair a Sharara With a Belt
Speaking of your waist, if you’d like to draw attention to your figure without baring your midriff, you can always add a belt.
Belts are fantastic opportunities to play with color. Say you are styling a blue sharara. With a belt, you can add a complementary color like orange or yellow or opt for a neutral like black or white to give your look some interesting proportions.
One good thing about belts is that there are no hard and fast rules. You can use a different material (like a yellow georgette sash over an organza sharara), introduce a new color with your buckle, or match your belt with an accent color from your embroidery.
3. Mix and Match Prints and Patterns
Speaking of making up your own rules, another styling tip we have is to mix and match patterns. It’s a little bold, but contrasting two prints can totally work if you follow a few key guidelines:
Two opposing patterns don’t inherently clash just because they have different colors or zari embroidery. In fact, sometimes clashing happens more when the two patterns are similar because different shades of the same color can read as slightly askew. When mixing patterns, look for similar accent colors. Maybe you can pair a pink georgette sharara with purple flowers with a blue kurti featuring purple and blue embellishments.
At the very least, try to make some part of each element communicate with the other.
4. Pair It With a Saree Blouse
Generally, sharara sets are worn with a kurta, but it’s not at all a requirement. A saree blouse looks excellent paired with sharara pants. Saree blouses are generally shorter, leaving your midriff exposed.
You can either flaunt your belly and expose some skin by draping your dupatta around one or both of your shoulders, or you can drape your dupatta over your front side, so you’re teasing the skin instead. Check out this pink sharara set with a cropped blouse for an example of what we mean.
5. Pair It With a Kurta
When it comes to picking a kurta, you have a ton of options waiting in your closet. A long kurta generally goes down past your knees, but many kurtas stop right after the waist or above the knees.
You also can opt for a long sleeve kurta or a sleeveless kurta. For necklines, perhaps opt for something plunging or stick to a square neck.
When it comes to necklines, pick jewelry that pairs well with the type you chose. You don’t want these two areas to be competing. A short choker pairs well with a boat collar, while a long necklace with a jewel is well-suited for deep cuts.
6. Match Your Sharara With a Peplum Top
If you’re not into the belt idea, another great way to draw attention to your waist is by pairing your sharara pants with a peplum top.
Just because you’re wearing a traditional outfit doesn’t mean you can’t embrace the best of modern fashion. A peplum top also looks incredible with hyper-flared sharara pants, as the silhouette from your top mirrors the shape of the pants. So cute.
7. Layer Your Sharara With a Cape
Last but not least is the always-chic cape option. You can opt for a silk and opaque cape.
Draping your dupatta as a cape can add a totally ethereal, smart vibe to your look.
We’re especially fond of picking a cape that has similar colors to the sharara base but is a slightly different texture or shade, so the outfit feels like it has layers.
A Classic and Versatile Garment
If you’ve been a bridesmaid more than a few times, you know how tricky it can be to make a party sharara ensemble feel like your own. Styling details can truly make all the difference. Whether you go for traditional styling or take cues from Western fashion or Bollywood movies, a sharara suit is our go-to for any formal event.
Ready to pick up a designer sharara suit and make it your own? We have a wide variety of readymade options to choose from, all available in USD and shipping internationally, straight from India. When shopping is as simple as these style tips but with an instantly-memorable impact, your next big event will be a breeze.
Sources:
Why are Sharara Suits so Popular? | DesiBlitz
Celeb-Inspired Ways To Add Prints To Your Wardrobe | Grazia India
7 innovative ways to give your shararas a playful spin this wedding season | Vogue