We’re excited to celebrate our Mehndi with all of our beloved friends and family, and we can’t wait to share our cultural traditions with everyone. For those of you who are not familiar with South Asian attire, we wanted to share some information that may be helpful as you prepare for this special event.
Traditional South Asian Attire
Traditional South Asian attire is colorful, elegant, and often embellished with intricate embroidery or decorations. For women, the most popular options include Lehenga, Salwar Kameez, Kurti, and Saree. For men, traditional attire includes Kurta and Pajama, which is a long tunic worn with loose-fitting pants, and Sherwani, a long coat-like garment often worn with a turban or a scarf called a dupatta.
Women’s Attire
Lehenga & Dupatta
Lehenga is a beautiful traditional skirt worn with a blouse and a long scarf called a Dupatta. It’s perfect for the Mehndi ceremony and can be worn to other wedding events as well. Dupatta’s can even be worn with other fashion for that extra flair!
Salwar Kameez
Salwar Kameez is a long tunic or kameez paired with loose pants called salwar and a scarf or dupatta. It’s comfortable and stylish, making it an excellent choice for any Mehndi event.
Kurti
Kurti is a shorter tunic, often paired with pants, that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. A stylish solution for wearing to Mehndi or even everyday wear!
Saree
Saree is a long piece of fabric draped around the body and over the shoulder, often worn with a blouse. It can be a good choice for attending a Mehndi ceremony, particularly if it is made of lightweight and breathable fabric. Sarees however are a tough first-time South Asian outfit due to the complicated wrapping process.
Shopping Options
Dedicated Online shopping are limited, but here are some options:
https://us.khaadi.com/ – Has some ready made options as well as fabric that may be taken to a tailor and hemmed to size.
https://www.kalkifashion.com/ – More premium options, all ready made
https://www.lashkaraa.com/ – Premium options, ready made as well.
Men’s Attire: Kurta and Pajama
Kurta and Pajama is a long tunic worn with loose-fitting pants, called Pajama or Salwar. It’s a comfortable and elegant choice for any wedding event.
Even More Options + Strategy
You can search for keywords from this page on large marketplace websites to find even more friendly options!
https://asos.com features Lehengas and Kurtas when entered in the search bar, and has even more options if searching “indian”.
Amazon.com, Etsy.com, and Poshmark.com all have options for Pakistani wear when searching the keyword “pakistani” followed by “men’s”, “women’s”, “shoes” and “jewelry”. Keep in mind to check for seller reviews in order to find reputable vendors!
Don’t sleep on your local South Asian communities as well! There are many shops that have opened up in major metro areas that you may find yourself near, just takes a quick Google search.
Final Words
We encourage everyone to embrace the colorful and festive spirit of our wedding by wearing traditional South Asian attire if they choose to do so. However, we also understand that it may not be accessible or feasible for everyone. In the end, the most important thing is for everyone to feel comfortable and enjoy the celebration with us. We can’t wait to see everyone’s unique styles and personalities on the day of!