Drape Your Dupattas In These 7 Dapper Designs!

By Aditi Chaurasia

The dupatta is a fabric that has enhanced the beauty of Indian ethnic wear for ages. From our great-grandmothers to us, dupattas have been the beautifully crafted addition to Indian ethnic wear since time immemorial — the one piece that never lost its importance or its openness to reinvention. Beyond their ancestral legacy, their multipurpose use and incomparable elegance have earned them a prized place in every Indian woman’s wardrobe.

Today, all the ladies are swooning over chic, trend-driven dupattas, and countless statement-making ways to carry these drapes have worked their magic. Here are a few handy styles to give you a boho-chic look with any ethnic outfit.

Prepossessing sarees

We could write a whole book in praise of sarees — but you may be amazed at how styling a dupatta with one can enhance its grace. Trust your dupattas and choose one to add charm to your already gorgeous saree. If draping is your thing, our guide to ways to drape a saree pairs well with these ideas.

Slay like Sonam

Choosing a contrasting colour, or a lighter or darker shade than your saree, never fails to amaze. Pin it on the other side of the pallu with small pleats and you have a chic look for grand or modest occasions alike.

Tie it in your hair

Whether it’s your favourite Banarasi or a silk saree, attach a net dupatta to your bun to complement a sultry, traditional saree and give it a new, quirky look.

Flamboyant lehengas

Ladies are ditching cliched lehengas and experimenting not just with colours, patterns and fabrics, but with the way they drape their dupatta. Modern lehengas are about more than the colour of the season — the way you carry your dupatta matters just as much.

The majestic “around the elbows”

Simply take your dupatta and loop it around your elbows. This simple, elegant style helps you slay in your outfit.

Attach it and forget it

Attach your sequined dupatta on one shoulder and let the other end hang from your elbow. It’s the easiest, most gorgeous way to show off the embroidery and become the centre of attraction.

Pleat it right up

This style gives your lehenga a whole new look: make small pleats and attach them to your shoulder, then make vertical pleats at the other end and connect them to your lehenga. A belt or kamarband makes the perfect styling partner to finish the look.

Edgy palazzo suits and quirky dupattas

The comfort and effortless styling of palazzo pants and suits is commendable. These simply styled outfits need no accessory, but a dupatta in a different drape adds next-level charm and elegance.

Bigger pleats on the shoulder

Bigger pleats on one side of the shoulder, with the other side held in your hand or left behind, gives a clean, chic look with palazzo suits.

The timeless Rajrani style

This wrap-around is a classic for grand occasions — taking up a veil becomes a traditional fashion statement. Make big pleats and place them on one shoulder, keeping it a little short. Pull and tuck the inner edge, take it to the other shoulder to create a neat cowl, then continue draping the edge over the head and bring it to the left side again.

Any of these can become your favourite way to dress for an occasion — but always remember, whatever you wear, carry it with confidence.