The chilly winter and bridal wear might seem an oddity. But not any more, thanks to the modern-western fusion by designers who have created layered outfits, embellished jackets, heavy saris teamed up with corsets and much more in velvet and brocade for brides to enjoy a perfect winter trousseau exuding style, glamour and attitude.
In long anarkali kurtas teamed up with lehengas, saris with band-gala kurta with overlapping sides in fabrics like velvet, brocade or even in organaza with thick linning, brides can not only flaunt a trendy look but simultaneously keep themselves warm.
"Yes, it is difficult for brides to choose the perfect attire which not only makes them look elegant and beautiful but also helps in braving the freezing cold. But nowadays such trendy designs are available in fabrics that can keep brides warm. So, selecting a wedding trousseau should not be termed a problem for brides any more," designer Naina Jain, who participated in the just-concluded Celebrating Vivaha exhibition, told IANS.
Designer Mamta Rawal said that "layering of clothes is one of the trends to be watched out for in the winter, especially when it comes to the wedding trousseau".
"This year is about transformation from contemporary to modern in bridal wear. Asymmetrical hemlines with sheer layers can be teamed up with nice and elegant lehengas. Also, a bride can experiment by getting designed a nice embellished jacket that totally goes well with the lehenga. If that is not enough, one can go for leggings with nice Swarovski or pearl work and worn under the lehenga to keep warm," she said.
"Not for the marriage ceremony but for other related functions, a nice heavy sari with a matching corset can give layers to the outfit. The corset can be experimented with by converting it to a deep collar-neck corset," she added.
To beat the cold, one can also pick up a cashmere coat and heavily embroidered kurta to ease down the temperature a bit and at the same time look trendy.
"One can add dark-coloured cashmere coats for the glamorous look. Also, the best way to avoid the cold is to team up your anarkali lehanga with knee-length embroidered kurtas in bold colours," designer Monika Arora said.
In fact, winter allows fashion connoisseurs to experiment with a lot of things, which is not possible in summer when people prefer lighter materials in not so loud colours. The chill gives a chance to amalgamate traditional and contemporary, says designer duo Bharat and Reshma Grover.
"The winter season is the best time for a wedding trousseau as we (Indian designers) are mixing traditional and contemporary. One can layer the wedding trousseau with floral jackets or long churi-sleeved blouses in fabrics like brocade and velvet. This will not only bring warmth but also give a slim effect to the personality," said Reshma.
After choosing the right clothes for winter, brides need to learn how to wear it right.
Stylist Archana Kochhar says that in today's times, when "girls go for the sexy look during normal days, their wedding calls for special attention as they want to add a little bit of traditionalism and culture. To get that, one can incorporate Indian elements in the outfit, whether in the form of textiles, colours, textures and patterns."
"In winter, one can try a flared lehenga teamed up with a custom- stitched blouse. Velvet blouses can help keep off the chill to an extent. Also, one can go for anarkali suits in full sleeves over a simple churidar," she adds.
Though some opt for a mix of contemporary and traditional, there are others who want the accessories to do the talking. One of the most essentials is sophisticated stoles in attractive colours.
Designer Amit Talwar added: "Most brides are forced to keep shawls on their shoulders while performing rituals but for me it's strict no no as there are many designer stole available. One can try double stoles like a net stole or a heavy one with very minute embroidery on it. As far as colours are concerned, one can try purple, ruby and magenta."
