10 *Genius* Ways To Wear Your Bridal Lehenga Again!

The wedding lehenga is every bride’s dream come true outfit. Every bride-to-be wants it to be nothing but perfect. Be it the perfect colour, the perfect silhouette or the perfect fit. But if your lehenga, like most brides is lying packed inside your closet, it’s time to bring it out and rewear, re-style and re-invent it! Here are 10 ways to wear your bridal lehenga again and again!

1. With a different top

Image: Aditi Rao Hydari on Instagram

Wear a different blouse and give your lehenga a fresh twist. If you’re planning to attend a wedding, pair it with a crop top or even a bohemian blouse that looks casual and chic. Offset your heavily embellished lehenga with a more contemporary blouse and work the look for a sangeet function.

2. Style the blouse with something else

Most bridal blouses are heavy, so it’s going to be easy pairing it with separates other than your lehenga. It’ll make for a really interesting ensemble. We suggest you pair it with a skirt, dhoti pants or even a slip dress with a curved drape. We’re sure it’ll look sexy!

3. Get an anarkali made

Image: Bipasha Basu on Instagram

Anarkalis will never go out of vogue simply because of how dressy they look, without looking OTT at all! They’re pretty basic and will definitely look pretty for all your festive occasions! Also, just imagine the number of times you can use it!

4. Use the dupatta with a plain suit

Lehenga dupattas are usually heavy and can look over the top if you’re a wedding guest. We suggest you get a plain, straight fit suit stitched in a rich fabric such as tussar or raw silk, and contrast it with your dupatta. All that sequin and shimmer will look amazing over a dull gold, a peacock blue or even a green suit.

5. Minimize the volume

Image: Dia Mirza Official on Instagram

Your bridal lehenga will be heavy and voluminous, because it’s meant to be that way. But if you want to use it more often, take it to a tailor or to the store you bought it from, and tell them to remove a few kalis and the can-can from beneath. When the volume of the lehenga reduces, it automatically becomes more casual and wearable.

6. Offset it with a long jacket

Buy yourself a plain sherwani-style jacket with a front slit and style your lehenga with it. The length of the jacket will cover a part of your lehenga, taking the attention away from it. It looks edgy yet super desi and traditional! Another plus point – it suits most body types!

7. Cut it out

Image: Shutterstock

We know it sounds a little too much, but if you’re sure you can’t wear it, get it cut and stitched on as borders on your suits, a nice clutch, even shoes! DIY it, girl, and you’ll be surprised how many new pretty, shiny, sparkly things you can make!

8. Use the dupatta as a saree

Yes ladies, you can actually do that! Get some fabric and get them stitched together, and wear it as a saree. You can use the dupatta at end of the saree as the pallu and this will totally be a winning look.

9. Modernize the blouse

Image: Manish Malhotra on Instagram

We might have gotten our bridal blouse stitched after putting in a lot of thought, but trends change and we’re left behind with a traditional looking blouse that may not go with a lot of our outfits. Take your blouse to the tailor who stitched it and give your blouse a mini makeover. Get the back cut a little more deep, and change your sleeves. If you have a basic elbow length sleeve blouse, amp up its style but having a cutout done at the shoulders, for the lovely cold shoulder look.

10. Leave it as is

Leave all the heavy jewellery at home, and don’t put your hair in a bun. Straighten your hair or keep it in loose curls and drape your dupatta differently just so that it looks simpler. There’s a lot you can do with your hair and makeup to balance the heaviness of your bridal lehenga.