How to rock the Indo-Western trend

Indian wear is something not everyone feels comfortable in. Despite the amazing stone work, embroidery and obvious  glamour it brings to the party, it can be a bit of a hassle to carry. 

This is true especially in case of younger girls who prefer the comfort of western wear. However, when it comes to festivals and occasions, and your mom wants you to wear something 'traditional', fear not.

Instead of going all out with that heavy lehenga or that saree which you can barely walk in, check out some Indo-Western outfit ideas that will keep both, you and your mom, happy.

1. Try wearing a lightweight maxi skirt and a traditional brocade top to give the effect of a lehenga without compromising on comfort
2. Skip the dupatta altogether if your outfit has enough glam
3. Instead of carrying a dupatta, wear a trendy koti jacket instead
4. Wear skinny ripped jeans with a short kurti and lots of bangles to channel your inner desi-but-not-totally diva
5. Switch the usual salwars and churidars for dhoti pants, palazzos or cigarette pants for a unique ensemble
6. While wearing dhoti pants, wear a well fitted medium length kurti and cute mojadis
7. Add a structured jacket over cigarette pants for a sophisticated look
8. Mix and match pieces from your existing wardrobe to create whole new outfits
9. Look into contemporary saree draping styles like the dhoti saree or pant saree
10. Go with your intuition on what looks good on you and rock it with confidence!

What to wear for Rakshabandhan

Rakshabandhan is here and what better time to flaunt your desi outfits? Dress to impress this Rakhi with a few of my tips…

If you're celebrating at home

For a day time rakhi event at home, wear pastels and light weight outfits. I love the Indo-western combination of breezy solid colored palazzo pants and a short, fitted kurti. Pair the two pieces in contrasting colors and add heavy oxidized bangles and jhumkis to glam it up. Color pairings that look amazing :

1. Red and deep blue
2. Parrot green and magenta
3. Orange and black
4. Gold with anything

Stick to darker colors on the palazzos if you're a little bottom-heavy and vice versa.

For a night time celebration at home, wear an outfit with slightly darker hues with details like stone work or sequins. A maxi skirt with a crop top and dupatta is perfect. Add sparkle with a statement necklace and stacked bangles.

If you're going out

For lunch, the same rules apply : wear summery colors- bright pink, purple, blue and accent with metallics. I love a traditional salwar kameez paired with an indian jacket instead of a dupatta. Keep it chic with dainty earrings and a sling purse.

For evening events, opt for a flowy anarkali or go fusion with dark wash denims, a tank and a jacket with an ethnic print. Add a long chain necklace with a funky pendant and finish the look with sleek heels or ankle boots. For a more relaxed outfit, go with a dress - mid-length or maxi with Indian motifs. I love maxi dresses by Global Desi. Pair these with some earrings and a bracelet and you're outfit is complete!

Have a great Rakshabandhan!

Kurti Kraze

Kurtis are a wardrobe must-have for Indian girls. They are appropriate for almost every occasion. You can wear them to college, work and for festive occasions as well. Here are a few tips for styling your favorite kurti…

The desi girl look

Pair your kurti with a salwar or churidar and a dupatta for the traditional salwar kameez or churidar look. Add a few bangles and big, bold, statement earrings and you’re good to go.

The college girl look

Dupattas can get pretty fussy if you have to drive a bike or carry a heavy bag. For college, it's best to pair your kurti with some contrasting leggings. They're super comfortable and look chic on everybody. Pair printed leggings with solid colored kurtis.

To vary your looks, get different styles of kurtis. Get some short ones, some long ones, collared and button-downs for unique outfits. Pair these with jhumkis and bracelets. Add a pair of wedges or stylish mojadis(balle flats style ethnic footwear) to complete the look.

The Indo-western look

You can wear this look to college or work or even while going out. It's fun, comes with minimal fuss and won't ever go out of style. You can mix it up and work with what looks good on you.

1. Pair a short or tunic style kurti with skinny or straight leg jeans. Wear a dark wash denim with lighter kurtis and light wash denim with darker kurtis. You can experiment with distressed and ripped jeans, but I would recommend staying away from printed jeans. Still, if you like the look, go for it!
2. Pair your mid-length kurtis with jeggings for a cooler, relaxed look. Add some printed jackets to give your outfit something extra.
3. Pair long and asymmetric kurtis with wide-legged pants or palazzos. Add a statement necklace and high heels. If you don’t like palazzos, cigarette pants also work well.
4. Wear long kurtis with a maxi skirt for the ultimate fusion look. Make sure there aren't too many clashing prints though.

The festive look

For festivals or special occasions, wear your salwar kameez set with heavy jewelry. Opt for dupattas with stone work or intricate beading. Add some traditional bangles, a cute potli bag, heels and you're all set! Festivals are the perfect time to go bold with colors. Reds, oranges, fuscias are all apt for these ocassions.

So go ahead and rock that kurti girl!