Indian ethnic wear is lauded all over the world for the sheer feminine grace and elegance that the attires have. Among the various kinds of dresses that make up traditional wear for Indian women, anarkali suits find a special place. This costume has made a great comeback in the recent years. It was one of the most popular dresses in the 1960s and 1970s. Various celebrities and stars have adorned anarkali suits in the yesteryears and the trend has returned again.
Anarkali suits are long and flowing and usually have heavy embroidery or intricate ornamentation done on them. They are worn with churidaars and accompanied by a dupatta. The upper part of the anarkali suit (kurta) has tight fitting at the bust and then flows down with large pleats providing a grand and royal feeling to the entire costume. If you want to trace the origin of anarkali suits, you have to go back to the Mughal era. It was from then that this costume was adorned by women.
Advantages of adorning an anarkali suit
The biggest advantage of wearing an anarkali suit is that it is suitable for women in any body type. Since the dress flows down from the waist, thus any flaw in the hip or the waist area can be covered easily with these suits. The long pleats of the costume help in concealing fat depositions in the areas giving a streamlined effect to the structure. These dresses are available in different cuts and styles suitable for different body types.
Tips useful for wearing anarkali suits
- Length of the anarkali suit – The preferred length of the anarkali suit will depend on the height of the woman adorning the dress. Since the suit has many pleats and lots of volume in it, short-height women should avoid wearing long anarkali suits as it will make them look shorter. Knee-length anarkali suits are perfect for short-height women. They should definitely wear heels with the dress. On the other hand, taller women can easily wear long length anarkali suits.
- Neck of the suit – Neck designs have a lot of impact on the anarkali suit. Women with medium or short height can adorn anarkali suits with ‘V’ neck. This neck design makes the neck look longer and gives an impression of enhanced height overall. For taller women, any neck design will do.
- Accessories – Majority of the anarkali suits come with heavy embroidery works or intricate zari décor. Sequins and beads are also extensively used for making the dress look gaudy. The design is spread all over the dress. In some of the anarkalis, the embroidery and ornamentation is at the neckline, in the arms and at the flared portion. Since these suits are gorgeous and heavy, minimal accessories are sufficient. A jhumka is all that you need with the suit along with a sleek bracelet. Don’t overdo with unnecessary accessories as it will make you feel clumsy.
- Volume of the dress – Anarkali suits are made up of different materials – the most common ones are cotton, silk, chiffon, georgette, net etc. Suits made of cotton and silk do not have great flairs from the waist. Usually these suits are of knee-length. However, anarkali suits made of chiffon, georgette or net have dense flairs. Great volumes of cloth also go into the making of the dresses. Women with short and petite structure should go for cotton and silk variations while others can choose anarkalis made from other materials.
Next time you are purchasing this royal, ethnic Indian traditional costume, keep the tips in mind so that you buy the best one.
Author Bio:
Steve is a fashion blogger and he writes about latest fashion trends and style. Apart from writing articles and creating infographs, he loves to explore the world with his camera. You can find his posts here.
