Should I wear Indian clothes?

[josiecat]

We have a family wedding this summer. The brides famly are Indian and are hosting the wedding. I'm really not sure what to wear. Some members of the family are going to get traditional Indian outfits to wear(not a sari but tunic/trousers)and the idea does appeal to me but would it be appropriate do you think? As a 40+, blue eyed blonde would I look a little ridiculous? And any suggestions please?

I work part time in my friends ethnic shop.

LOADS of white, blonde women come in to buy Sari's for Indian weddings. They even wear the bangles and bindhis.

Is not inappropriate. If it were my wedding I'd appreciate the effort.

I will say that some of the common rust/orange/browns of Indian clothes don't look so good against white skin, so maybe go for green/blue/purple.

I probably wouldn't go in traditional Indian clothes, seems a bit themed, but instead wear some bright, Indian colours.

im sure it would look lovely#! do you live in london?

The trousers/tunic is called a shalwar kameez - I think- and I would love to have an opportunity to wear one, they look so elegant.

I'm Indian and wear indian clothes and indian weddings and english clothes at english weddings

Several of my friends (male and female) dressed in Indian clothes for my wedding. They mostly went for the tunic/trousers combination too as a sari is very difficult to handle if you aren't used to it...even I struggle!

Do it...I'm sure the bride will be very pleased. I certainly was.

I agree with MoonGirl. Green/blue/purple looks very good on white skin. And use silver jewellery, not gold as gold tends to make white skin look pale and washed out

I wouldnt go for a sari if you havent worn one before as they can be tricky tyo get used to but a kameez/trouser suit could be really nice

I love the tunics and trousers look but if I would be careful that you buy from somewhere that can advise you about what is suitable/fashionable etc. I remember friends from school laughing at the kind of indian-style clothing that some people wore because it was very old-fashioned and so just looked a bit odd to them

Go for it. A well cut shalwar kameez can look really elegant. Get something taylor made for you. Strappy sandals and silvery accessories will look lovely.
Also, you can eat loads and not worry about your belly...gotta be good for an Indian wedding me thinks.

Go for it. I wore a sari for a friend's wedding in India and loved every minute of it (despite being pale and blonde). Some family members have very kindly helped me put it on and I did not struggle too much with it. I also wore shalwar kameez for other occasions and I think especially the older members of the family really appreciated the effort. It was fun!

Also, Helen is spot on about seeking advice before you buy, as not everything will be suitable for a wedding and I certainly would not be able to tell the difference between a casual sari and a dressy one.

Thanks for all your help. I don't live in London but the wedding is there. I'm in the north but there are shops I could go to quite nearby. I'll do that I think instead of Internet.

I'm Asian. There will be no expectation that you wear Indian clothes so really up to you. Try it if you fancy it. Have fun

I'm indian and loved it when my non indian friends dressed up for my wedding as well- they looked fab and really enjoyed it! salwar kameez (trousers/tunic style) will be easier but you will find that the female relatives will be more than happy to help you with a sari if you choose to wear one! Once tied on properly, it won't budge so I would give that a try.. have fun!

I would go for the salwar kameez option. you will feel more comfortable and is less faffy then a sari (i'm Asian and I struggle wearing them).

a slight variation is the churidar suit where the bottoms are tighter from the knee down (think skinny jeans look) with heels and tunic. IMO they are more flattering then the very baggy bottoms. with your skin tone u could get away with some pastel shades too like pale blue/aqua etc

finally, there are LOADS of Asian fashion mags that can give u an idea of what the trends are. they have loads of ads and websites so you can find somewhere near u? think Asian Wedding or Asian Woman are the big glossy titles?

good luck!

Also, you might feel very underdressed wearing western clothes to an Indian wedding

yes Asians don't do understated or minamalist at weddings. more is definately more (think strictly come dancing meets monsoon wedding lol). blingtastic and bright colours are preferred. enjoy!