Fashion is a powerful form of self-expression, but it’s easy to make styling mistakes that can overshadow your best features. Indian fashion offers an incredible array of options, from traditional sarees and lehengas to modern-day fusion wear, but it’s crucial to consider aspects like body type, skin tone, height, and accessory choices when curating your look. Let’s delve into some common mistakes Indian women make while styling themselves and how to avoid them.
1. Ignoring Your Body Type
One of the most common mistakes is wearing clothes that don’t suit your body type. Not every silhouette flatters every figure, and it’s essential to choose styles that enhance your natural shape.
Hourglass Shape:
Women with an hourglass figure should highlight their waist. Avoid oversized or shapeless outfits and instead opt for fitted kurtis, sarees with cinched waists, or lehengas with crop tops that define your curves.
Pear Shape
Pear-shaped bodies can look heavier on the lower half. A-line skirts, lehengas, and sarees with lighter, flowy fabrics can help balance proportions. Avoid heavy embellishments on the hips and opt for statement blouses instead.
Apple Shape
Apple-shaped women should focus on creating a balanced silhouette by drawing attention away from the midsection. High-waisted pants, empire-line kurtas, and sarees draped just below the bust can work wonders.
Rectangle Shape
For a straight or rectangular body type, create the illusion of curves with peplum tops, flared skirts, and sarees with blouses that add volume.
2. Mismatching Skin Tone and Hair Color with Outfits
Choosing colors that don’t complement your skin tone or hair color is another common styling misstep.
Warm Skin Tones
Indian women with warm undertones (yellow, golden, or olive) look stunning in rich shades like mustard, rust, olive green, and maroon. Avoid pastels and icy blues, which can make your complexion look dull.
Cool Skin Tones
Cool undertones (pink, red, or blue) should opt for jewel tones like emerald green, royal blue, and purple. Pastels can also look lovely. Steer clear of overly warm shades like orange or bright yellows.
Hair Color Considerations
If you have dark hair, jewel tones and bold colors can complement your look beautifully. Light brown or colored hair pairs well with earthy tones, while highlights often look best with neutral palettes.
3. Neglecting Height Proportions
Height plays a significant role in fashion choices, yet many women don’t consider it when styling themselves.
Petite Women
If you’re on the shorter side, avoid heavy fabrics and overwhelming prints. Stick to vertical stripes, monochromatic outfits, and shorter blouses with high-waisted lehengas or sarees to elongate your figure.
Tall Women
Taller women can easily carry off floor-length anarkalis, long kurtis with wide-leg pants, and sarees with heavy borders. Avoid too-short tops and pants that cut off awkwardly at the ankle.
4. Poor Color Combinations
Indian fashion allows for bold color play, but getting the combination right is crucial. - Avoid pairing overly bright colors that clash, such as neon green with bright red. Instead, mix a bold color with a neutral or a contrasting shade from the same color family. - Complementary colors like blue and orange or pink and green can look great, but balance is key. If the outfit is vibrant, keep accessories subtle and vice versa.
5. Choosing the Wrong Jewellery
Jewelry is often the finishing touch to any outfit, but it’s easy to go overboard or choose styles that don’t match.
Sarees and Heavy Lehengas
Pair intricate sarees or lehengas with statement earrings and keep the neckpiece subtle, or skip it altogether. Overloading with both heavy earrings and necklaces can overwhelm the look.
Fusion and Western Wear
Fusion wear like kurtas with jeans or indo-western dresses look best with contemporary jewelry like minimalistic necklaces, hoop earrings, or layered chains. Avoid heavy traditional jewelry, which can look mismatched.
6. Silhouette Miscalculations
Pairing the wrong silhouettes can result in an unflattering look.
Balancing Loose and Fitted
If you’re wearing a loose, flowy skirt or palazzo pants, balance it with a fitted top or blouse. Conversely, if your top is voluminous, pair it with a fitted bottom.
Layering
Be cautious with layering heavy dupattas or jackets over equally heavy garments. Instead, try layering a sheer dupatta with light embroidery over a heavily embellished outfit to maintain balance.
Final Thoughts
Styling is an art that reflects your personality, but avoiding these common mistakes can elevate your fashion game. Always remember that the key to great style lies in understanding what works best for your unique features. Embrace your body type, experiment with colors, and balance your silhouettes to put your best fashion foot forward.
By keeping these tips in mind, you can avoid common fashion faux pas and make every outfit a stunning statement of your style!
