Lehenga choli is the famous and widely preferred special occasion fashion outfit for Indian women. As a staple fashion dress for women attending glamorous weddings, merry festivals, and all gorgeous events, it has traveled a long way from its regional roots to becoming a must-have ethnic wardrobe item for Indian women. To describe the basics, the lehenga choli is made up of three distinct pieces such as the lehenga which is a long skirt with pleats, the choli, or a short blouse and a designer dupatta or the designer long scarf.
Now, stitching can be done in different ways for each of these constituent parts of a lehenga choli to make the outfit fit for the body, fashion tastes, and design choices. In this article, we would like to shed some light on different stitching styles of lehenga cholis.
Lehenga Stitching
Though the lehenga can be seen as a counterpart to the so-called western skirt, both have some serious differences. Sometimes, stitching done to the lehenga can make it appear more akin to the skirt, and this has become a popular style. Similarly, stitching lehengas to showcase traditional flare is also popular.
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Lehenga skirt with flare
Popularly called the flared lehenga, this style, creating closely-knit pleats around the waist and with a round cut, offers a flared silhouette for the bottom. Rich and smooth fabric options such as silk, georgette, and satin are more popular for this style. Rich embroidery is also common in these lehengas. Because of the distinct style statement, it is often preferred for attending previous occasions and events like weddings.
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A-line Lehenga
As the name suggests, A-line lehenga is stitched and cut to create an A-shaped silhouette. This style also insists on creating a flared shape for the bottom, but it keeps the volume more economical compared to the gown style. Lightweight and flowy fabrics such as net, chiffon, and crepe are often preferred for these lehengas. Lacework or light embroidery design along the lehenga border is more common for this style. As for appropriate events and occasions, this style is more suitable for milder occasions.
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Paneled Lehenga
This one has a special place among all the flared lehengas because of its unique panel stitching technique. By stitching together the fabric panels horizontally, it creates a structured silhouette. Depending upon the balance you want to achieve between volume and weight, both lightweight and moderate-weight fabrics are preferred for this style. Because of the horizontal panels, using different color combinations for the panels to create the color-block design is more common. This is a versatile style for wearing on all special occasions and events.
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Straight Cut Lehenga
A straight-cut lehenga can be the perfect choice if you want to do away with flare and opt for minimalism. Bringing the contemporary-styled straight silhouette, it showcases the minimalistic design trend. To balance the absence of flare, normally heavier fabrics are used for this style including pure silk, velvet, and brocade. Because of the focus on minimalism, generally delicate and sparing use of embroidery is preferred for this style. The straight-cut style is most suitable for formal events such as conferences, business meetings, corporate meets, etc.
Choli Stitching
Now, we need to shed some light on the other part of this fashion outfit: the choli or blouse. Stitching can make a difference to cholis in terms of fit, styling, and design elements. The three most important things for choli stitching are fit, neckline, and length.
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Short Choli
The short or cropped choli is still the most traditional and authentic style. This style goes best with long lehengas designed for high-waisted wearing. You can style short cholis with different necklines, such as V-neck, boat neck, square neck, and sweetheart neck. Short sleeves are most common for this choli style, though some prefer sleeveless or three-quarter sleeves.
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High Neck
High necklines in cholis are often preferred for their sophisticated and sober elegance. Creating a closed and high neckline with detailed embroidery or lacework along the borders goes well with high-fashion designer lehengas. You can also prefer this style backless or with a deep-cut back style. As for sleeves, long sleeves are more common for this style, though you can also go for cap sleeves.
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Off-Shoulder style
If you have a soft corner for modern and contemporary fashion, off-shoulder style in cholis must have grabbed your attention already. Exposing the bare shoulders, this style can fit well for well-built, broad-shouldered women with long silhouettes. This choli style goes well with lightweight fabric options such as net, chiffon, and georgette. Minimalistic embroidery work is more appropriate for this choli style.
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Corset Style
These days, choli styles have caught some Western influences and gone for a more form-fitting look. The corset-style choli is one of them. Fitting to the body form and gathering in the waist, this brings a more structured look to your top. Both V-neck and halter necks, as well as laced or zipper-back designs, are popular for this style.
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Longline Choli
As the name suggests, a longline choli goes way beyond the waistline and, at times, can touch the hips or knees. If you prefer a sophisticated and modest appearance focusing on design elements, this is the right choli style to go for. As the style demands a more structured look and feel, you should opt for heavier silk varieties or velvet or brocade as fabrics. Providing optimum body coverage, this style is good for winter-evening occasions and events.
Dupatta Styling Lehenga
The dupatta or the long scarf can bring some style variations with draping styles. From loose and flowy draping to more structured pinned drapes, you have all sorts of dupatta draping styles for your special occasion lehenga cholis.
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Over-the-Shoulder Draping
The dupatta is traditionally draped simply over one shoulder to let it fall elegantly. In this traditional style, rich embroidery or threadwork designs are more common. This dupatta draping style is ideal if you are wearing an exquisite traditional designer lehenga.
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Pinned-to-the-Shoulder Draping
The dupatta is pinned on one shoulder and draped with neat pleats, creating an organized and structured appearance. This draping style is suitable for wearing a lehenga choli to formal events.
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Cross-Body Draping
This is another traditional draping style offering a slightly dramatic appearance. In this style, the dupatta is draped diagonally across the body. One end of the dupatta is pinned on one shoulder while you wrap the other around your waist. This style is prevalent for bridal lehengas.
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Double Dupatta
These days, another dupatta styling for lehenga cholis has become popular. One dupatta goes over the head, while the second drapes in a traditional style over the shoulder. This is another dupatta style common in bridal lehengas.
Conclusion
Women love lehenga cholis for their versatile nature, which allows them to showcase their personality gracefully. This is where the different stitching styles make such an impact in terms of fit, styling, and fashion statements. Many of the styles we have described above can be used for different occasions and events. You should look for styles that fit your body type and preferred look.
G3+ Fashion is a premier Indian ethnic fashion store known for its extensive collection of designer and traditional lehenga cholis. Whether you’re searching for intricate hand embroidery, unique embellishments, or vibrant color combinations, our selection caters to every preference. At G3+, we also offer personalized stitching services, ensuring that your lehenga choli fits flawlessly to your style and measurements. From bridal lehengas to party-wear cholis, each piece showcases the finest craftsmanship and attention to detail. Visit our store and experience the perfect blend of tradition and contemporary trends.