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Going for a shaadi? Rent a look!
Move over brides and grooms renting out their wedding trousseau for austerity sake; now even bridesmaids and the groom’s best men are renting out wedding ensembles.
Move over brides and grooms renting out their wedding trousseau for austerity sake; now even bridesmaids and the groom’s best men are renting out wedding ensembles.
With recession playing spoilsport to the ongoing wedding season, shops renting out replicas of designer-wear are doing great business, and report that guests to a wedding are also turning customers.
“Designer clothes are expensive. Also, trends keep changing and you can’t repeat the outfit. So now most guests at a wedding are renting out clothes, that come at just around 10-20% of the actual price of the outfit,” says Neeraj Wadhera of wrapd.in, a outfit rental shop. Wadhera says that social networking and photo-sharing sites have further triggered the trend. “You attend a wedding and you are all over Facebook. You therefore don’t want to repeat any outfit,” she says.
At times, the entire family goes for rented outfits, including uncles, aunts, cousins, and close friends too. “People hire dresses for their families for various functions. Dresses for which you pay around `1,000 each are most popular. We also arrange matching jewellery to complement the outfit,” says Renu Sharma of Sanroh Creations, another trousseau renting shop.
It’s no surprise then that the budget fashionsistas are delighted. Mitali Singh, a 22-year-old student says, “These renting shops are God’s gift. By spending just a few grands, you can flaunt latest trends.” Agrees her friend Devika Sharma, 27, “These shops are a saviour. You don’t always have time to scout for that perfect outfit so it’s best to rent one out.”
Renting rate list
Saris: Rs 1,000-2,500
Suits: Rs 1,000-2,500
Lehenga saris: Rs 2,500-5,000
Lehengas: Rs 5,000-10,000
Cocktail gowns: Rs 2,500
Sherwanis: Rs 1,000
Customise your ‘rented’ look
Some shops also offer to customise rented wedding outfits. Customers can choose any colour, add a border, and change the neckline by paying just a few extra bucks.
