Bride & Baraat collection -Bridal Gown –
India’s pioneering fashion store- KALKI has expanded its presence by opening physical retail stores in Mumbai, Delhi, and Ahmedabad while maintaining their digital presence. This makes it easier for fashion enthusiasts to explore and acquire their exquisite offerings. KALKI ensures that geography is no barrier for anyone seeking to embrace their heritage couture, designer dresses, and bridal wear.
The captivating Bride & Baraat collection featuring handwoven designs, intricate embellishments, and exceptional craftsmanship takes the spotlight. Brides-to-be can explore a diverse selection of lehengas, sarees, and gowns tailored to their individual preference and body type.
Bridal Blitz
Tenu Lehenga Ladoon Mehnga Re Dil janiyaa………, we love this song from Satyamev Jayate but brides these days won’t settle just for a ‘mehnga lehenga’. Brides these days are not the coy woman who would settle for anything. They wish to put their best foot forward and select the best bridal outfit for their sangeet, mehendi, haldi, reception, and wedding. From little detailing, to structure, color, print, fabric, and feel; a lot goes into deciding that dream bridal wear. Color scheme, traditional embroidery, dramatic touches, and comfort are a few factors they consider to amp up their bridal avatar. And topping the concerns for the pressure and passion to find ‘the best’ is the one that suits their body type.
Yes, bridal outfit shopping can be complicated without understanding the fundamentals of your body type and personality. The body type of a bride has great significance in a bridal dress selection. So, this time not just a mehenga lehenga….
1) Understanding Body Shapes
Donning yourself in the dreamy bridal outfit is not about just selecting ‘one’ but celebrating your best features and moments. No matter what body shape you have; you are your significant other’s ‘Sapno Ki Rani….’ Isn’t it? Having said that, there is nothing like too heavy, too minimalistic, too soft, or less desirable. It is all about what suits you the best. In a nutshell, not all women or all brides are alike. Bust, waist, hips, and other features differ and so should your lehenga, suit, or bridal gown choice.
● Apple Figures (Inverted Triangle) – If your upper body is broader than your lower body, embrace designs that draw attention away from the upper body. Steer clear of low cuts and strapless bridal lehenga, crop tops, or lehenga gowns. Opt for bridal outfits with supportive straps, high necklines, and a sophisticated touch. Illusion neckline and fishtail bridal couture can complement your body shape.
● Pear Shaped (Triangle) – If you have smaller busts and fuller hips, you have a wide range of choices that perfectly match your body shape. Embrace sweetheart neckline, styles with intricate details; especially on crop tops or cholis, and backless dresses are meant for you. Slender designs, flares, and deep V-neck bridal lehengas, bridal gowns, or designer ruffle sarees can wonderfully accentuate your feature.
● Straight Figures (Rectangle)- If your bust, waist, and hips are roughly the same width, you have a straight figure. Opt for lehenga styles that effortlessly add curves. Choose designs that feature gentle flare or layers, as they work like magic to enhance your silhouette. Consider lehengas with intricate embellishments on the bodice as they create an illusion of a fuller bust.
● Hourglass Figures: If your busts and hips are balanced and your waist is defined, opt for a silhouette that highlights your curves like a fish cut or mermaid style. Off-shoulder necklines, belted waists, and open backs can enhance your features.
2) Know Your Body Shape
Much before you take countless decisions to fulfill your bridal journey with dreams and emotions; knowing your body type can make all the difference. While the details, color, and contour of the dress reflect your unique taste and choice; understanding your body type could be the most valuable addition.
If a bridal outfit is about turning dreams into reality, then knowing your structure can have a transformative influence on your bridal avatar. So, apne dil ki suno and consider your figure-, apple, hourglass or pear and start working towards creating a look that perfectly aligns with your ‘fairy tale’ vision.
3) Research Bridal Styles For Your Body Shape
There are countless designs, trends, fashions, colors, and patterns to choose from. Stay updated with the newest collection and ‘yourself’ and narrow down your choices. You can save a few from KALKI’s Bride & Baraat collection based on your preferences. There are different bridal outfits that can complement different body types.
● Fish Cut Gown Lehengas- The fish cut gown lehengas are the perfect and ideal bridal outfit for cocktails, reception, or engagement. The fitted silhouette in a mermaid look best complements the hourglass figures.
● The Heritage Lehengas– The stiff and heavy wedding lehenga can add volume and flare to the skinny bottom, thin legs, or rectangle figures. Heavily embroidered and ornate lehenga skirts can create an illusion of curves. Paired with a velvet blouse with a sweetheart neckline, this lehenga design adds a touch of opulence and charm to your overall bridal look.
● Gowns or Lehengas With Shoulder Wings– Elaborate cholis or flared sleeve bridal outfits are perfect for the most typical pear-shaped body type. Pear-shaped brides can easily indulge in fancy sleeves, statement choli and blouse designs, and frilly net, cape, and winged shoulders. Blouse designs featuring billowing net sleeves can be paired with bridal sarees, bridal gowns, gown lehengas, and designer ready-to-wear sarees.
4) Prioritize Proper Tailoring And Alterations
Your journey to the perfect bridal outfit doesn’t end with selection, it’s just the beginning. Tailoring and alteration hold immense power in turning a good outfit into something extraordinary. With the proficiency of skilled tailors and the assistance of an in-store stylist your chosen ensemble can reach newer heights of elegance.
Here are a few benefits of tailoring your bridal outfits.
● Achieving a perfect, polished, and stylish look goes a long way towards making you look confident.
● A proper well-fitted bridal outfit means satisfaction which is more important than anybody’s opinion.
5) Strategic Use Of Embellishments And Accessories
Ornamentation is not just an enhancer or a method of making a dress ‘visually’ appealing. In fact, embroidery work like sequins, zardozi, chikankari, shisha, gota, and 3Ds if done at the right places can bring out the best in you and vice versa. So, here is what you need to know.
● Apple Shape- Women with an apple-shaped body can look extremely flattering if there is embroidery work on the V- neckline of a saree or lehenga blouse. Embroidery placement down the center and stopping at the waist can flatter the mid-section part of a woman who has a fuller body.
● Pear Shape- The chest area or blouse area for pear-shaped women can easily be highlighted with a heavily embroidered blouse design or choli. An embellished sleeve can add extra layers of beauty and sophistication. The scattered embroidery details across the gown or a saree lehenga can create a flattering effect, especially for pear-shaped bodies.
● Straight Figure- Since the body is not proportional or not having curves, a bit of shape is a must. An embroidery positioning that is heavy on the lehenga skirt or embroidery on layers or frills of the bridal gown can be the best deal for straight figures. A heavy layered skirt or paneled lehenga with elaborate zari work, 3D florals, gota, or resham can make it more defining and impressive for the brides with no curves.
6) Consider Undergarments And Shapewear
Brides invest a lot of thought into their engagement dresses and designer reception gown. But the significance of perfect shapewear is often missed out on! Well, shapewear cannot make you lose kilos, but it can work wonders in terms of achieving a ‘great fit. ‘However, choosing the right shapewear or undergarments can be quite confusing, Fret not, we are here to help!
● Tummy Tucker- This shapewear is your go-to solution for a seamless and toned ensuring your bridal lehengas and sarees drapes flawlessly and confidently.
● Saree Shapewear- Stop being the Plain Jane with normal cotton petticoats. It’s time to go for seamless and stylish patterns that can enhance your body shape. Switch to fancy shapewear to contour your hips, back, and waist and make you look sculpted in pre-pleated sarees, saree gowns, saree outfits, lehenga gowns, and heavy wedding sarees.
● Undergarment- Always stay true to your size and remember to pick the correct fabric, design, style, and color to match your bridal outfit. From backless bra for backless choli, and multi-way bra for one-shoulder and off-shoulder bridal outfits can alter your look, give your body a perfect shape and do justice to your dress.
7) Balance Proportions With Necklines And Hemlines
● Hourglass And Pear Shaped – Women with hourglass and pear-shaped body types can choose almost all types of necklines. Fancy, bold, and daring necklines like halter, bare neck, off-shoulder, and backless are a few sassy choices to go for.
● Heart-Shaped/Apple-Shaped – The design of the blouse for women with apple-shaped bodies should make the bust look slimmer and slender, and the hemline must be flared to add volume to the lower body portion. Shoot for V-necks to create an illusion of an elongated neckline. Avoid strapless and noodle-strap bridal outfits.
●Box Body/ Straight Shaped – When you want to add some more shape to create a curved-figure look. Round scoop necklines, wrapped blouses, layered hemlines, or fringed blouse designs can give an illusion of curves.
8) Layering And Cover-Ups
Layering with frills, ruffles or capes is a fashion trend that many brides strongly feel about. There is no middle space about it, you either love it or don’t. Well, as layering has made a comeback let us see how it can be much beyond just being ‘decorative’. Evolved in various ways, the layers can also be utilitarian for many brides-to-be to suit their specific needs.
● Frills– Frills have a rich history in theatres, dramas, and movies and are known for their over-the-top charm. One can go extreme as well as subtle while pulling off a frilly dress. Besides offering you old-school glamour for your cocktail and reception, a layered gown with shoulder wings can flatter a slim figure or a straight body structure.
● Layers– Winding layers can be the perfect addition to your dream bridal wardrobe. Making a statement and having fun at the same time is what the dress can offer. Well, the brides who would like to go that extra mile for their style quotient can embrace this dress for the overwhelming effect. Brides with hourglass figures and straight bodies can make heads turn in this designer bridal outfit.
9) Consider Custom-Made Or Bespoke Outfits
To have a custom-made bridal outfit, know what style works best for your body, and look around a stylist, dressmaker, or tailor who can work like an advocate for your fit, style, taste, and personality. Consider these tips.
● Be brutally honest for that perfect fit and comfort.
● Make sure your style, design, cuts, fabric choice, and embellishments are being noted and taken care of.
● Have your own opinion too.
● Bring in as many samples and photos as possible.
● Last but not least- stretch your creative muscles and enjoy the journey.
10) Confidence And Comfort Are Keys
Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself. Also, happiness and confidence are the prettiest things that a bride can wear. No wonder, for that uplifting look on your wedding day, sangeet, mehendi, or reception, wear ‘confidence’ as your beauty mask. Being comfortable in your own skin is paramount, people won’t notice your imperfections or features when you are confident and comfortable. Embrace yourself, accept yourself in the choice of your bridal outfit and champion your own version.
There are various things to consider while choosing a perfect bridal outfit or envisioning that fairy tale couture. Right from the fabric to embellishments, neckline, hemline, color, or the final fitting; there are several things that a bride needs to weigh in. From fairy tale gowns to heritage lehengas and everything in between; KALKI offers just everything for the Indian and modern tastes.