Dupatta: Not Just a Piece of Garment, But a Style Statement

Also popularly known as ‘Odhni’ or ‘Chunari,’ a Dupatta is a single-piece garment that makes for an essential part of a salwar-kameez ensemble. Dupattas and stoles are worn for different accents for casual or formal attire. Dupattas are, no doubt, a vital element in any woman’s wardrobe.

Dupattas started as a protective covering over clothes. These ethnic garments have emerged as popular supplements with fashionable innovations in design, fabric, and colors.

Traditionally, dupattas have been worn by women over ghagra-choli ensembles. But, over the years, men have also started adorning dupattas with sherwanis and kurtas.

Why Buy Dupattas?

Dupattas have been an essential clothing piece since forever! Your grand-mom donned it, so did your mom and now you love to wear it too. However, the style of using and wearing dupattas has changed a lot since then. Its importance has grown. It used to be just a cloth to complement the salwar-suit and didn’t exactly have its recognition. Nobody paid attention to the dupattas over the dress itself. But today, it’s the “dupatta” that takes all the primary focus.

It is the most functional adornment used in multiple ways—Dupattas gel equally well with fusion, modern and traditional outfits.

You can transform into a “diva” with the oomph of your dupatta.

Extravagant Range Of Ethnic Elegance: Different Dupatta Materials

Net dupattas are every fashionistas’ first choice with its attractive sheer texture and see-through designs. The most significant plus point of net dupattas is that they are light-weight and comes with many kinds of beautiful embellishments. Net dupatta online shopping is every shopper’s “go-to” idea!
If you’re looking for a dupatta that goes well with the combination of salwar-kameez, go for a lovely georgette dupatta. You can choose from bright floral versions for spring and summer seasons. The transparent texture at the scrim of printed patterns or a light lacework gives quite a pleasant appearance. Go for a breezy look for outings with friends or every day to college.
Get a Banarasi silk dupatta for a royal look for all kinds of official parties and grand occasions. You can opt for a light, regular wear in silk-cotton blends. You can pick up Kurtis and tops and pair them with your jeans to give a fusion look! Blend these dupattas as stoles around your neck, and you are good to go!
Chiffon dupattas are perfect for an elegant yet casual look. They’re quite similar to the georgette ones and are light-weight. Chiffon is better suited with light work and should be avoided if you want to wear heavy embroidery design dupattas. They’re airy in their look and can be donned with traditional suits for small social gatherings or pre-wedding functions.

Art of Dramatizing a Dupatta

Now that we’ve looked through the different kinds of dupattas, we know that a dupatta is an essential element of attire, especially during the festive season. It can instantly upgrade your outfit if you know the right way to wear it.

Scarves and stoles do not qualify as a “dupatta.” Hence, it’s always advisable that you stick to the grace of the design and keep the length and the width of the dupatta as it should be standard.

Border Basics

With border basics, you can make any simple suit look chic and trendy. Draping it with a slight angular twist can give new dimensions to your handwoven dupatta with a basic border. If your border is thick and has beautiful embellishment, it can add class and charm to your traditional clothing. This minimalistic style goes best with bright colored suits.

Cowled Creation

This look is perfect for cocktail parties. Cowled sash-like draping works great with fluid georgette dupattas and hence complements the high-neck elaborate blouse with tie-dye silk skirt lehenga. It gives an accent to the gown-like silhouette into a modern-desi lehenga version.

Belted Beauty

Accessorize to give a twist to your regular dressing. Add fusion components such as epaulets and waist belts attached to the blouse to hold your dupatta, giving your attire a style of its own. Vivid choices are ranging from a bejeweled kamarband to a thin metallic waist belt. In the above pic, the belt on the waist complements the youthful charm of the crux design, making it a fusion of modern and desi.

Cloak Queen

If you have heavy arms, cloak- style draping of dupatta will work wonder for you. It beautifully hides the problem area and chunkiness of the full sleeves. The border of the dupatta defines the middle area, accenting the statement neckpiece. This is a perfect look for a simple blouse when you want to showcase your heirloom jewelry.

Bohemian Chic

This is an upbeat, modern look. The dupatta is wrapped like a stole. This style is an idea for casual, festive dressing when you don’t want to go overboard but still look stylish and traditional.

There is no right-way or wrong-way of wearing a dupatta. It’s the most versatile clothing piece that you can have in your wardrobe. It’s always a good idea to have at least a few of these in your closet. You never know which one can come handy on different occasions. Don’t just stop there. Be experimentative with your simple dupatta and create your style.