Here's How I Put Together My Trousseau, Jewellery & More

As a bride-to-be every woman wants to create a trousseau that she will cherish for life. Well in my case, as an Army wife-to-be, I had to meticulously plan my outfits that I not only loved but also were right for the kind of environment I was going to be a part of. More than the purpose, I loved this shopping experience for it only strengthened my relationship, especially with my mother. There are certain things without which a bride’s trousseau is incomplete and today, I am going to share some tips on trousseau shopping for a 20-something bride and my personal favorites.

Different stores for different styles

From the start I knew that I wanted some key Indian outfits but in different styles for all occasions. I made a list of suits, sarees (most importantly), Indo-western ensembles and the styles that I wanted to don post wedding. We picked a myriad of suits and I would recommend buying diverse silhouettes like the A-lines, anarkalis, straight cut, jacket styles, kaftans and more. I picked up some from Frontier Raas at South Extension, Meena Bazaar at South Extension, Fab India and designers like Aastha Narang, Jyoti Gill Couture & Abhinav Mishra.

Abhinav Mishra also did a stunning pastel lehenga for me that I wore to my mehendi function. If you love gota patti embroidery as much as I do then Sue Mue in Green park is just the place to be. The store has modern and traditional designs that represent the quintessential Indian woman of today.

Don’t forget the six-yard of elegance

Unlike the suits, sarees were more on intuition and I picked up everything that I liked. Nallis at South Ex houses some of the best silk sarees and I have also added some gorgeous chanderi sarees from Raw Mango to my trunk as I am going to get ample opportunities to don the six yard as an Army wife. For those who aren’t as pro when it comes to tying a saree, then opt for chiffon fabric especially during summer season. It ties beautifully and is absolute hassle free fabric to wear and carry.

Designer Ritu Kumar’s saree collection is just as grand as lehengas done by her. The store at South Ex is a must visit as you even get to explore Label Ritu Kumar, a brand for your everyday street fashion fix. As for the saree blouses, mom and I decided to ditch blouse stitching for every single saree and instead picked up some basic blouses from GK-1, M block market. If you are in Delhi then pay a visit to the famous ‘blouse wali gali’, Eves tailor and a store called as The Goldy’s Nest (they house some of the best gota patti blouses, skirts, suits etc). Another new label called the House of Trove by Arushi at Shahpurjat is a must visit. Her collection features both ethnic and indo-western designs with a right hint of whimsy!

Create looks featuring versatile clothing accessories

Because I laid a lot of emphasis on variety, I also suggest that the new brides must consider investing in versatile clothing accessories in form of capes, drape belts, layered jackets etc. Designer Anu P.D based out of Hauz Khas does stunning versatile separates that not only add glam to a simple outfit but also work well with both Indian & western outfits. You can check out her store for more.

Clutch as accessories

The clutch collection is my favourite and I picked up my gorgeous, hand embroidered bridal clutches from RuSaru & Aarsima. If you don’t want to exceed your budget then get party clutches in black, silver, golden and copper that will pretty much cover all your Indian wear. You can play with the styles of the clutch purse and opt for some potli styles too.

Consider buying practical jewellery

Choosing the perfect bridal jewellery that will make one look like a royalty is every girl’s dream! But it is just as important to invest in pieces that you will adorn when the wedding celebrations are over. Often the standout piece in an outfit, diamond jewels can evoke heirloom passion, and that’s why I absolutely recommend investing in diamond earrings and necklaces for the new-age brides. I started by reading and researching before visiting different stores. Having prior knowledge about the stones, diamonds and metal gave me a fair idea of the budget and the style preference. What I did realize was that you can buy much more jewellery with thorough planning.

Focus on your neckline for your D-day

For my wedding I got myself a beautiful Polki set to go with my gota patti lehenga. Just remember that getting your neckline style on point can add character to your wedding outfit or even highlight a unique feature. For instance if you have a sweetheart neckline then skip the necklace and maybe focus on a pair of chandelier earrings. A V-neckline can be accessorized with a choker or a pendant for a little décolletage decoration and more.

Give Importance to Designer Jewellery

Don’t shy away from investing in designer jewelry especially for destination weddings & more. I bought some semi-precious chokers, earrings and head jewellery from Paisley Pop by Tanya Anand that I pair often with my Indian wear or plain, solid coloured sarees. She also has a varied range of detachable jewellery and multipurpose jewels that can be worn together and as stand-alone pieces too. Another must have are a pair of meenakari earrings that can help you transition from modern to traditional easily.

Last tip that I can share is to buy only from trusted jewellers who can give you hallmarked jewellery. For other occasions like mehendi and sangeet, I shopped for gold plated jewellery from Zariin and some Swarovski rings from Diosa Jewels by Darshan Dave.

A wedding trousseau embodies the dreams and unmistakable charm of a woman who is set to move forward in her life and become a bride! So ladies, research well before you invest and don’t miss out on the sales, great designer deals and exhibitions (refer to wedmegood website for all the dope) and yes, happdfny shopping!

Devina is our favourite lifestyle blogger, and Army wife at Guilty Bytes. Head on over to her blog to get a slice of all things bollywood, weddings, fashion and fun !