Bridal goes bodacious!

While once bridal wear was all about being covered from head-to-toe in tent-like outfits either in the form of heavily embroidered sarees or door-stopping lehengas in safe colours, today’s brides it seems are looking for some big-time sensuality on their special day. Whether it’s in the form of midriff-baring body-flaunting blouses with shorter sleeves or lighter net sarees in more experimental shades, wedding wear is experiencing a moment of oomph!

Designer Rocky S attributes this to our body-conscious times. “The new generation is very health-conscious — they all go to the gym and have great toned bodies. So naturally they want to show it off,” he says. “When it comes to wedding wear, the look is definitely more modern  — at the ceremony, a drape covers the entire outfit and then at the after-party, the girl will remove the drape. Or if it’s a lehenga being worn, then they often want to show their midriff, or otherwise it’s the back. Also, today most girls want corseted blouses which are very, very fitted at the waist and bust.”

While world travel and exposure to international fashion has also contributed to making brides more style-savvy, Rocky adds, “What’s very popular right now are shorter, minimal sleeves on the blouse. So wherever they can, today’s girls want to flaunt it!”

With the onset of the wedding season from next month, designer Surily Goel feels that the new mantra is ‘less is more’. “Women would rather be more comfortable at their wedding so that they can enjoy it, therefore the stress is more on colour combinations and interesting cuts, styles, fabrics and textures instead of too much embroidery,” says Surily.

“Destination weddings have also become more popular and there is a more modern approach to weddings now. Besides, people are very aware of fashion and looking good and being fit. Women are more confident, so dressing a little sexy at weddings is okay as long as it’s not over-the-top.”

Designer Sandeep Khosla finds the racier look is sported more by city-based brides. “The blouse is cut lower and they are showing more of the midriff, bust or back. I think it’s now become more about fashion than convenience. Also, the make-up is more muted — no more 2,000 bindis on the head!” While reds and pinks are still the favoured shades, Sandeep adds, “For the sangeet, it is a full open platform.”

“It’s all about one’s self-confidence,” says Ensemble’s Tina Tahiliani-Parikh, admitting that bridal wear has definitely turned sexier. “It’s simply based on the fact that today more than ever before, a bride is more aware, confident and demanding of her look for her perfect day. She does not shy away and is not necessarily interested in playing the coy, demure Indian bride. Then again, of course, it depends from bride to bride. But nowadays a bride is more willing to experiment between the traditional bridal avatar, a more dynamic modern look, or simply a relaxed destination-wedding look. So depending on the theme of her wedding, I think a bride should go all out to look stunning yet with a tinge of oomph!”