Aparna Sharma gives practical advice
I have a big fat Indian wedding coming up in Bali, and I am going with my two teenage girls. There are five functions and we decided to style ourselves as sustainably as possible. Here are a few suggestions on how to create a zero waste and stylish look for an Indian wedding.
Repeat and Re-wear
Mix and match different looks with clothes which already exist in your wardrobe. If you have a heavy lehenga set, you can use the skirt with a plain black or white top and make the outfit look more casual; or with a printed T-shirt, paired with sneakers, fir more fun look. The key is to think out of the box for innovative styling. I personally love wearing saris, so I mix and match different blouses and style the saree slightly differently each time.
Borrow
I usually take a lot of saris from my mum’s and aunt’s wardrobe, and even a few from my grandmum’s. Wearing a vintage outfit, reminiscent of a different era, opens up an interesting canvas of styling options. If you find it difficult to tie a sari, you can take it to a tailor and stitch it so it’s ready-to-wear. This can be easily done without spoiling the sari – make sure to request they add hook options in the skirt in case of weight gain/loss, to ensure longevity. You can also opt for elastic in the waist part of the stitched saree. I usually borrow and exchange with friends who live in a different city, and don’t attend the same events as me. A friend of mine who lives in Kolkata recently borrowed a Kanjivaram from me for a wedding in Mumbai, and I took a few Bengal cotton saris from her wardrobe to wearfor a few months. This saves you money and closet space.
Upcycle
I recently upcycled two old saris into a skirt and top for each of my daughters. There are so many design options for saris – you can convert it into a lehenga set, you can make it into a bralette with a jacket and trousers, or you can create a dhoti pant with a jacket kurta. The chiffon and bandini saris look gorgeous as long dresses, or you can also stitch a slit into it, and use a little bit of the sari material itself to make a bralette blouse. There are a myriad of low-waste outfits you can create; the first step is simply to find a good tailor who is good at upcycling, and there are many in Bangkok.
Rent
I came across a rental shop in Bangkok for Indian wedding outfits called A Saree Story, which had amazing collections. Although I decided toupcycle my old saris instead, they have interesting and stylish collections of outfits, and renting ensures that you can wear glamorous options thatyou haven’t worn before, for any function.
Thrift or Buy Second Hand
Although I haven’t come across any wedding thrift options in Bangkok for Indian weddings, here are a few websites
from India you can check out for thrifting.
• www.sartoria.com
• www.lovedlehenga.com • www.kuroindia.in
• www.relove.in
Aparna Sharma is a non-conformist who believes that fashion must become a force for good and style must meet sustainability. She breaks down the nuances of slow fashion and how we can stay stylish without being trendy.
