Flaunt those gorgeous flares

It’s the traditional Indian party wear. We are referring to lehengas, which have time and again proved that they are the best garment to be worn for special occasions. Both in terms of looks and comfort, very few garments come close to a lehenga.

What should one keep in mind while buying a lehenga? Can a lehenga be worn more often than just for a wedding? Renowned designer Raghavendra Rathore speaks to Metrolife as he answers all these questions.

“There are no particular trends to be followed when it comes to the traditional wedding attire called the lehenga. The ensemble epitomises the spirit of a bygone era and is reminiscent of heritage and tradition,” he says. According to him, though the attire is worn in varied cuts and shapes, the core structure of the garment remains the same. “The textures and embellishments on the lehenga form the USP of the attire and define it,” he adds.

Ask him about the different colours in vogue and he says, “All dark jewel tones as well as pastel shades, that are considered auspicious, are the colours to go with. For instance, colours like fuschia, crimson, peach, pink, gold, pista green, ochre yellow and emerald green are totally in. Go for fabrics like silk, chamos satin, light-weight brocades and net as they look gorgeous and are comfortable.”

He adds, “Accessorise a lehenga with an exquisitely-designed necklace and an earring set. Also go for rings, bangles and maang ka tika. Customised stilettos with an embellished purse will complete the look.”

However, there are certain things that one must keep in mind while buying lehengas. “Firstly, the weight of the lehenga. With all its embroidery, a lehenga should not be too heavy and should be comfortable enough for the wearer to carry it off with ease. It should not be very cumbersome for movement,” he advises. “Secondly, the number of kalis (the intensity of the flare) in a lehenga should be directly proportionate to the wearer’s body type. A lady with fuller hips should not go for too much of flare and the lehenga kalis should be controlled so they do not add volume to the entire ensemble,” he adds. Raghavendra also feels that the look and appeal of the ensemble, in terms of colour and embellishment, should be timeless. “One should be able to combine various kinds of jewellery with it.”

But is lehenga just a wedding garment? Or can it be worn for other occasions as well? He answers, “A lehenga can be worn for various occasions provided the texture and colour are in keeping with the occasion. The overall appeal of a lehenga should be intelligently designed for those occasions. Lehengas work very well on  occasions like mehendi, sangeet, reception and cocktail.

There is one more important thing to keep in mind while buying lehengas and that is, to opt for a customised lehenga. “It’s a type of garment that is high on hand crafting. It is a specialised outfit that has to generate an appeal. This sets it apart from any other ensemble.”

 Sticking to tradition

Shikha Daga Bothra, a Bangalore-based housewife, wore a gorgeous red and green lehenga for her wedding.

“I got it from Kolkata as the Rajasthani traditional lehengas are easily available over there. It was made of georgette,” she recalls. “Though it weighed around four to six kilos, I felt very comfortable wearing it.”

She is planning to wear a lehenga for the dandiya during Navratri too.  “This lehenga is lighter than my wedding lehenga. It is mehendi green in colour and is made of cotton doriyan. I got it from Bikaner.”

According to Shikha, a lehenga can be worn for all occasions. “It’s not just for weddings. You can wear lehengas for festivals also.” She says one must be careful while choosing the length of the lehenga. “Sometimes they get stuck to your heels and you can end up tripping.”

Speaking of the accessories, she says, “You can wear tikas, jhumkas, chudi and a nose ring.”  She says in Bangalore, one can find good lehengas at all the market areas like Jayanagar 4th Block, City Market, Chickpet and Commercial Street.

 “You can get designer lehengas at the leading malls here,” she informs.