Floored by alluring anarkalis

Long, flowy and flattering floor-length anarkalis are a hot favourite this season. Almost every woman – be it a celebrity or an everyday rockstar, everyone seems to have an anarkali suit in her wardrobe. Plan Your Wedding tells you how you can do the quintessential floor-length anarkali in the right way to electrify your bridal look! 

Madhubala’s evergreen song pyar kiya to darna kya from the movie Mughal-e-Azam not only spiralled her career to dizzying heights but also eternalized the suit she was wearing. Anarkali was the name of her character in the movie, which was a cinematic rendition of the historical-legendary Salim-Anarkali tragic-romantic saga and today these stylish and poised Indian silhouettes are the talk of the town with almost everybody owning one or two in their closet. The attire, since then, has undergone significant modifications under the influence of different cultures, times and designers while keeping the fundamental sartorial essence intact. After all, grace has always been a part of Indian clothing.

Fashion is never constant and every season there is something new that encounters the eye. In the last decade, you may note that the only fashion trend that seems to have survived the onslaught of this changing world are the anarkali suits. The flamboyance, glamour and the exquisiteness of the dress is something that attracts people towards it and has always been a hit with women. They are sophisticated, elegant and work like a charm. “It can hideproblem areas and enhance the best features”, says Reshma Kunhi, a Bangalore-based designer. “Anarkalis should be more or less well-fitted at the bust. Loose ones do not accentuate your figure”, she adds.

Lakshmi Keerthi, another elite designer from Bangalore elaborates “Ankle-length flowy ones with kalis from the shoulder render a slimmer appearance and cover the unwanted curves on the sides and abs. The perfect pear shaped body can flaunt them with yoke and kalis starting from the waist line, this accentuates the slim upper body.”

The anarkalis can be termed as a big obsession across all age groups. As Shuba Ranganath, a software engineer from Bangalore puts, “I love wearing anarkalis. My wardrobe is filled up with all the latest designs. They enhance the beauty and they are very comfortable and stylish”. She also adds that it gives an Indian touch to the entire look. “Apart from being classy, they are practical and user friendly. They are the perfect dress only if they are stitched well and give you the perfect fit with good embroidery and the floor-touching anarkali is the perfect ethnic wear after sarees”.

Bridal Anarkalis

Think of elegance and richness – the only attire that comes in the mind is the anarkali-salwar suits. The trend of wearing ana overflowing anarkali suit seems to have taken over the Indian wedding scene. The sheer volume of the fabric, the riot of colours and the shimmer of light dancing off the gold thread and sequence, all work in tandem to create magic. “It is good to play around with lot of fabric than stud it with too much of embroidery. It will not only feel light while dancing at the sangeet function but will also look great with the twirls and turns. The colours need to be more obvious than the embroidery” Lakshmi feels.

Floor-length anarkalis have started dominating the bride’s wardrobe.“Recently, a bride opted for an off-white and black lycra anarkali for her reception, which was a bold choice to make”, Reshma says. She opines that south Indian brides usually go for exotic zari work and classy antique looks while brides from north India prefer bling and stone work.

The Tall and Short of it

You cannot wear something just because it is in vogue and if it doesn’t suit your body type. For instance, a short woman cannot carry off a floor length anarkali in multi-colours and prints that are too busy. “Petite girls should pick something with moderate flair as too much of it can drown you in the fabric. Go for monochromes and also try picking an anarkali which ends at your calf ”, Reshma tips.

She also says that women with plump body types should wear an anarkali with kalis that start from the top instead of the waist. This gives an illusion of height and hides all the flaws of the body. Tall women could go in for broader borders in their anarkali suits which are a strict no-no for short women. Reshma opines that tall women can go for floor-length anarkalis and this will look fabulous on them. Tall women with slender bodies can go in for crisper fabrics like pure silk and layered anarkali suits that add volume to the look. Depending on your body type, you could use accessories to accentuate your high points.

Colour me bright

The colours and combinations are no longer the traditional ones. Instead, new combinations have taken the suit to a new height altogether. Mughal colours like gold, emerald green, deep pink, wine and peacock blue go well with anarkalis. “Brides these days don’t go for conventional reds, they are ready to try bold and beautiful colours”, Reshma says. “For mehendi, brides go for shades of yellows and greens and for sangeet they are ready to try bold hues”, she adds. She says that pastel yet bold shades make you look young, beautiful and sensuous.

“The neons, tangerine, sunset yellow and vibrant colours like that are trending” seconds Lakshmi. “Having a contrast dupatta will enhance the look of the suit”, she adds.The designer believes that the use of velvet as borders along with brocades can give an opulent look suitable for festive occasions.
The material too has changed from the conventional fabrics to fabrics like net, cotton with silks, flowy georgettes, chiffons, crepe, organza and even lycra. “With exotic colour combinations and designers using sequins, gota work and even Swarovski crystals, these anarkali suits look beautiful”, Reshma explains.

‘Long’ live the anarkali, we say!

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