Getting ethnic all wrong

This wedding season saw a troop of tackily dressed Bollywood celebrities flaunting what can easily be called the worst form of ethnic fashion assault on the eyes. Why are our B-town babes trying too hard to flaunt Indian chic?

This wedding season saw a troop of tackily dressed Bollywood celebrities flaunting what can easily be called the worst form of ethnic fashion assault on the eyes. At the Samir Soni-Neelam Kothari wedding in Mumbai recently, even otherwise well-dressed stars showed up in the most outlandish Indian wear. Actor Rani Mukerji, for instance, wore a white-and-red sari with an endless border, which made her look even shorter than she is. The showstopper, undoubtedly, was the bride herself. Neelam chose to wear a garish green velvet lehenga that had bright oversized flowers all over it.

HT Image

Last month, Urmila Matondkar attended politician Narayan Rane’s son’s wedding ceremony wearing a velvet Anarkali dress that weighed her down. Raveena Tandon, too, was seen in a raging red look that resembled a letter box.

What causes them to go all wrong with something as elegant as a

lehenga

or a sari? “It happens because people dress up so much for a wedding that they end up looking like each other’s clones. One shouldn’t blindly ape something that’s in fashion. Modify it and invent your own style,” says designer Rina Dhaka. Designer Urvashi Kaur says, “It often happens when you rely on a stylist who doesn’t know you well.”

“If you are someone very close to the bride, a

lehenga

can be a good choice. But do keep your body shape in mind before you pick one,” Kaur adds. And, it’s unlikely that you’ll go wrong with a sari that drapes beautifully. “Plain chiffon saris in pale silver, peach or pink work well. You can even wear a basic block-print sari with gota edging or a ‘

jhilmil

’ sari. But avoid very strong colours,” says Rina Dhaka. “Celebs should learn to differentiate friends from designers,” says designer Anand Bhushan.

(With inputs by Aaron George)