Lehenga has an important role to play in the Indian fashion scene. It is a traditional wear for women that entered the modern era in original as well as various fusion forms. Needless to say that Lehenga is a favourite choice of women when it comes to celebrating special occasions. The lehenga attire demands respectful maintenance and a stylish presentation. In some parts of our country, the lehenga is worn almost every day but the trend is changing. At most places, lehengas are purchased to attend a special event and then dumped in cupboards. The reasons are many:

Why are lehengas worn less:

1. Lehenga is considered a formal dress.
2. Women don’t want to repeat formal lehengas on more than one occasion.
3. The wedding lehengas are heavy with sequins and gota work. Women keep their wedding lehengas with care but don’t wear them because of the heavy work on them.

Now, you must have understood why lehengas spend most of their lives in cupboards and old trunks! I have a good solution for this. Women should learn how to style their lehengas in different ways to be able to use the precious dress many times. I feel that the lehenga is a graceful piece of clothing that deserves to be worn more frequently than we do.

1. Wear a shirt and give a western touch to the lehenga:

Do you know that a lehenga can be paired with a shirt? The colour and pattern of the shirt can vary depending on the event you are attending. Wearing a shirt on lehenga can also enrich your fashion statement. Big earrings, a rustic necklace, and flat jooti/chappal give the ensemble a Bohemian look.

2. Change the dupatta style

You can wear a dupatta with the lehenga in several ways to give a different look every time you wear the same lehenga choli set.
a) Pin over the back of the head and bring forward over arms.
b) Pin the dupatta over the back of the head and bring it forward to drape around the body.
c) Dupatta is taken around the neck
d) Hold the dupatta over elbows towards the backside.
e) Cover one shoulder and another arm with the dupatta.
f) Make neat pleats in the dupatta and wear them over one shoulder.

3. Wear like a saree:You can use two dupattas to make the lehenga look like a saree. Use one dupatta at the head and use another one with neat pleats as a saree over one side of the lehenga. It looks elegant and gives a different flavour to the traditionally worn lehenga.

You can use two dupattas to make the lehenga look like a saree. Use one dupatta at the head and use another one with neat pleats as a saree over one side of the lehenga. It looks elegant and gives a different flavour to the traditionally worn lehenga.

4. Change the blouse top

Yes, changing the blouse top of the lehenga can do magic for your style. Be careful to choose a matching blouse (don’t avoid different shades, they work wonders sometimes), pair it up with your lehenga, and lo! Your wonderful party dress is ready to make an impact.

5. Wear the lehenga with a jacketFlaunt your lehenga with an equally beautiful long jacket and people will forget to blink while looking at you. This look is adorned by many Bollywood actresses and you can give your best shot with this lehenga-jacket look.

Flaunt your lehenga with an equally beautiful long jacket and people will forget to blink while looking at you. This look is adorned by many Bollywood actresses and you can give your best shot with this lehenga-jacket look.

6. Convert lehenga choli into Anarkali

After wearing your lehenga many times, you wonder how to use the formal piece of clothing. I would suggest that the long lehenga and the short choli be stitched together to give it an anarkali look. It will give you a relaxing change from the common wearing style of lehenga. Moreover, a flared lehenga is easy to get converted into a beautiful Anarkali without losing the spirit of the dress.

This is my version of wearing a lehenga in various ways. I consider it essential to keep the emotion of the clothing intact while trying different styles on it. When a lehenga is worn, it should radiate ethnicity, class and femininity to highlight our rich cultural heritage.
You can share your views on trying different ways of wearing lehenga in the comment box:)