The History and Evolution of Indian Bridal Wear and Fashion: Everything You Should Know

Introduction 

Indian weddings, just like other elements of Indian culture, are transforming rapidly over the years. The rich history of India has affected weddings and its various traditions. A wide range of wedding styles, outfits, and needlework that is known worldwide is the result of the high influence that the different empires had all over the subcontinent. Therefore, to know more about the evolution of Indian bridal wear, we will look back at the Indian wedding outfit history, and what made it a part of global fashion and mainstream.  

So, if you are the one getting married soon and want to shop for your wedding lehenga or saree, then here is all the information you need to know for your Indian wedding. Let us start and dive into the evolutions of Indian bridal fashion to date.

The Origin of the Saree: Take yourself to a Trip down the Memory Lane

The nine-yard beautiful saree that we are so familiar with was worn as loincloths during the time of the Indus Valley Civilization, and it was from there that saree began its journey. The literature of the time has shown women adorning silk sarees that are fully embellished with diamonds and gold.

The saree, a nine-yard material draped around the waist and over the shoulder paired with a petticoat and blouse was given a complete form after the Mughal era. At that time, there was discrimination between Hindu and Muslim women in terms of how they adorned themselves. Muslim women were seen wearing Salwar Kurtas with a thin scarf-like fabric called Dupatta to cover the head. And, Hindu women preferred to wear pleated sarees. The arrival of the Mughals made the saree one of the standard Indian women’s garments. And, now saree is one of the oldest and unstitched garments that are still in use today. It has evolved into more elegant wear for women and a canvas for weavers to weave their artistic designs and adorn them with silver and gold decorations.

The traditional sarees that we see at Indian weddings have a symbolic value. The patterns and motifs on the saree display individuals from different parts of India’s customs and beliefs. At most events like weddings and other special moments, we see red-colored sarees. The red color symbolizes passion and love. With red, modern women also diversified to other colors like green, pink, blue, black, and many more each symbolizing different meanings.

5 Top and Trendiest Sarees for an Indian Bride

Saree, a representation of India’s traditions and customs. The elegance that a saree offers to women is unrivaled making it one of the most popular choices among Indian brides. Here are different types of sarees from which you can choose according to your style and preference.

1.      The Plush Kanjivaram Saree

The Kanjivaram saree is a traditional bridal saree of Tamil Nadu that is known for its grace, elegance, and mulberry silk fabric. The saree has a gold tinge to complete the overall look and is a top choice for the bride to wear at weddings.

2.      The Luxurious Banarasi Silk Saree

From the city of Banaras, we have the royal Banarasi silk saree for Indian brides. The saree is worn by women to make a style statement and is a common saree option for North Indian women. The borders of the saree are intricate with silver or gold work.  Flowers, stems, and bel are some of the common motifs of the Banarasi saree.

3.      The Bold Nauvari Saree

The Nauvari saree is a traditional wear originating from the west coast. The name derives from the length of the saree which is nine yards. The draping of the saree is inspired by Maratha women warriors who wore it in a dhoti style at the time of battle to ride horses.

4.      The Beautiful Bandhani Saree

The vibrant tie-and-dye Bandhani saree from Gujarat comes in several patterns and hues. The sarees have the same old belief of offering good luck and a bright future to the Indian bride. The saree is dyed by hand and made from textiles that are stored with care and preserved for time.

5.      The Playful Phulkari Saree

Phulkari is a type of Punjabi needlework with patterns, florals, and also geometrical work. Phulkari sarees are created with yarn stitches to add intricate embroidery.

Know the Behind Scenes of the Evolution of the Ravishing Lehenga Choli

Lehenga makes a woman feel like she is in a fairytale for decades. Lehenga choli, also known as ghagra choli is a three-piece outfit worn by women in ancient times, the same as sarees. The modern lehenga design has now been born as a result of great integration with the population of the country.

The saree became popular during the time of independence and lehengas could not become the choice of women and lost their appeal. But they made a comeback in the 1990s when Indian designers started to redesign the outfit for filmmaking. And, the sight of movie stars adorning stunning bridal lehengas inspired Indian ladies to choose an easy-to-wear lehenga over a saree.

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Best Lehenga Designs to Know for Your Bridal Attire

Now that we know the origin of the lehenga choli, it is time to know about the latest and modern lehenga styles that we adore today. Pick the ideal lehenga according to your wedding functions and make your day memorable.

1.      Grab the Attention of All with a Banarasi Lehenga

Banarasi is an old-age fabric that has become the most popular choice for every bridal closet over the past years. The Banarasi attire looks regal, elegant, and ageless when the silk Banarasi fabric is matched with the right jewelry pieces.

2.      Bring Out a Style Statement with a Kalidar Lehenga

Kalidar lehengas express the twirls of lehenga, the regal appeal, and the fitting grace of traditional outfits. These lehengas are vertically paneled, narrow near the waist, and widen through the hem providing a broader flair. The panel of the lehenga is determined by the design and fabric of the skirt with approximately 24 panels in the contemporary lehenga.

3.      The Very Popular A-Line Lehenga

The A-Line lehenga style came back recently and is now in fashion for Indian weddings, the same as it was in the 1980s. The hem of the lehenga provides a wonderful glamor and appearance to it. And, as the name suggests, the hem is the A-line fitted design through the waist widening towards the bottom.

4.      Get the Best of Both Worlds with A Saree Lehenga

The trend of wearing a semi-stitched lehenga or saree has been popular in recent fashion shows amongst Indian film actresses. The saree lehenga looks the same as the silhouette of a saree but is a lehenga without any hassle of draping it like a saree.

The Final Note

Indian bridal fashion continues to shine with mesmerizing designs and astonishing charm around the world. India is an incredible country with different cultures depicting their sarees, lehengas, and other designs to attract brides who are fond of symbolic and lavish outfits. So, if you are planning your wedding soon, then take a look at the latest bridal wear collection designed by the best craftsmen and designers at our store.

Summary

From sarees to princess gowns, bridal wear has come a long way over the past centuries. Whether it is a saree or embroidered lehenga, here is a look at how bridal wear trends have evolved around the time and how it has seeped into the bridal style from the 17th century.