Introduction
Almost 80% of Indian brides prefer to wear traditional attire during their wedding day, lehenga being one of them! Selecting a lehenga for a wedding is more than selecting just a beautiful outfit. You can think of it as a crucial decision that will set the tone of your entire look at your wedding.
Picking up a lehenga just because it looks beautiful is not all. You should ensure that the lehenga complements your body type and personal style so you can confidently carry your lehenga look.
Let’s see how to select a lehenga for wedding considering your body type, the right silhouette, fabric, and embellishments. Along with a neckline and sleeve that accentuates your body and colour palette and print that incorporates your personal style preferences.
Understanding body types
Now before you select the perfect lehenga, you should at least know about your body type. This will help you to choose the right style of lehenga more efficiently. Here are some basic body types you need to understand:
Pear-shaped body
Those with a pear-shaped body usually have broad hips and thighs as compared to their shoulders.
Apple-shaped body
A round or circle shaped body is typically considered an apple-shaped. The arms and legs are somewhat of similar weight whereas the midsection is typically round with a less defined waist.
Hourglass-shaped body
An hourglass-shaped body will have an almost balanced ratio between hips and shoulders with a well-defined waist.
Rectangle-shaped body
Those with a rectangle-shaped body have an almost similar measurement for their shoulders, waist, and hips. This gives their body a straighter look from top to bottom.
Inverted-triangle body
People with this body shape usually have broad shoulders and narrower hips.
The descriptions given in each body type will help you understand body types. This will allow you to select a lehenga that suits your body.
Choosing the Right Silhouette That Match Your Body Type
With time, the styling of the lehenga has improved in a positive way providing you with different options regarding lehenga silhouette. As all bodies have different features, choosing the right silhouette that matches your body type is important. Here are some lehenga silhouettes complimenting different body types:
A-line lehenga
A-line lehenga is easier to carry and usually has a gentle flare taking off from the waist to the hem. The dupatta and blouse in the lehenga can be given more attention with heavy embroidery to get diverted from the hips. It is best suited for pear, rectangle, and hourglass-shaped bodies.
Mermaid lehenga
A Mermaid lehenga accentuates the hip and waist hugging the natural curves of your body and then flaring out dramatically. It is best suited for inverted triangle, rectangle, and hourglass-shaped bodies if you want to showcase your curves.
Flared lehenga
Flared lehengas have a lot of volume and can add depth to your lower body. If you have an apple or pear-shaped body, opt for a flared lehenga and wear it with a bodice. This will create an illusion of a smaller waist.
Straight-cut lehenga
The rectangular body can carry a straight-cut lehenga look very well. As the lehenga falls vertically and gives a sleek look they pair perfectly with a rectangular body.
Fabric and Embellishments
While selecting the fabric and embellishments, consider the overall look that you desire for your wedding lehenga. If you have a smaller figure, go with lightweight fabrics like georgette, chiffon, and crepe. These fabrics add a flow to your lehenga and will not overwhelm your figure. Similarly, if you have a fuller body, opt for fabrics like velvet, raw silk, and brocade. They add structure to your lehenga, naturally enhancing the curves of your body.
As for embellishments, make sure they are spread evenly over your lehenga for a balanced look. Go with embroidery, sequins, and beads if you want to highlight a specific part of your lehenga. Furthermore, heavy embroidery and embellishment at the waistline will create a slim waist look. Similarly, complex hemline work will draw attention towards your hips.
Necklines and Sleeves That Accentuating Your Upper Body
Once you are done with selecting the lehenga silhouette, you need to focus on the blouse. It is the neckline and sleeves that accentuate your upper body.
Necklines
The most preferred necklines for a wedding lehenga are the V-neck and scoop neck. V-neck will create an illusion of a longer neck and draw away attention from the heavy bust. Whereas, if you want to draw attention to your collarbones with a gentle curve, opt for a scoop neckline.
Sleeves
For a wedding lehenga, cap sleeves, three-quarter sleeves, and full-length sleeves work best. Those with a small figure and skinny arms should go for cap sleeves that give minimum coverage and a feminine look. Three-quarter sleeves are good if you want balanced coverage and to show off your bold bangle set. Whereas full sleeves are for those having fuller arms as this will create a slimmer illusion.
How to choose the right colour palette for a lehenga
Traditional bridal colours like red, maroon, and golden are always your best option if you want a classic bridal look. You can select pastel colours like peach, lilac, lavender, mint green, mauve, baby blue, and muted shades for a contemporary look.
Which colour will suit you the best depends on your skin tone and your undertone. A warm undertone can carry red, orange, and yellow colours very well whereas cooler undertones require delicate shades and pastel colours.
While selecting the colour for the wedding lehenga, you should also consider the season of your marriage. Cooler weather is best for dark shades like red, maroon and more. Similarly, for spring and summer lighter shades like powder blue, light pink, and pastels work the best.
Final thoughts
While selecting a wedding lehenga you must know your body shape. As there are various silhouettes for lehenga like the A-line, mermaid, flared and straight cut, pick a lehenga that compliments your body shape. Similarly, the fabric, embellishments, colour, and your blouse design also matter to achieve your desired look. All you need to do is make a careful selection regarding all the above features of your wedding lehenga.
FAQs
How can understanding your body type impact the selection of a wedding lehenga?
Every body shape is different and thus a lehenga will have a different impact on your overall look depending upon your shape. This makes it essential to understand your body type while selecting a wedding lehenga.
What are some recommended neckline and sleeve styles for different body types?
V-neck and scoop neck along with cap sleeves, three-quarter sleeves, and full sleeves are some of the recommended neckline and sleeve styles that will go well with almost all body types.
How does the choice of fabric and embellishments influence the overall look of a lehenga?
The selection of fabric can create either a flowy or a structured lehenga look whereas embellishments can help highlight different parts of your lehenga.
