What to wear to Garba: 7 looks

Navratri is the one time of the year when "too much" is exactly the right amount. Nine nights, non-stop dhol, and the best excuse to dress up every single evening. And I thought traditional wasn't my thing… then garba season happened.

Here are seven looks from my own garba nights, what made each one work, and how to recreate the vibe with whatever is already in your wardrobe.

Look 1: Purple and patola, with flowers in my braid

A purple blouse with a navy and ivory patola-style lehenga, a maang tikka and a long braid wrapped with white flowers. The braid is the secret: it keeps your hair off your neck while you dance, and the flowers do half the styling for you.

Steal it: one jewel-tone blouse plus a printed skirt, and flowers or a gajra in a braid.

10 Oct 2024

230

In my sola shiwingar…💜🦢✨

Look 2: Red dupatta, white skirt

A red top, a heavily embroidered red dupatta and a plain ivory skirt. When the dupatta is the star, keep everything else simple. The white skirt makes the red look even brighter under the garba lights.

Steal it: let one statement piece lead (a dupatta, a jacket, a belt) and keep the rest plain.

11 Oct 2024

248

Pink is the new black🦢🪕💘

Look 3: The classic red chaniya choli

This is my "if in doubt" look: a deep red chaniya choli with white block-print motifs, a mirror-work blouse and a lot of oxidised silver: chunky bangles, a choker, statement earrings. Red is never wrong for Navratri, and oxidised silver is the look and it survives a night of spinning.

Steal it: red plus oxidised silver. Go heavy on the bangles.

20 Sept 2025

320

✨ Embracing the festive spirit with elegance in my red Navratri dress ✨

Look 4: Block-print blouse with an ivory skirt

A rust and red block-print blouse with an embroidered ivory skirt and an oxidised choker. It's festive but lighter than a full chaniya choli, which makes it perfect for the nights you want to dance more and sweat less.

Steal it: mix a printed blouse with a plain or white skirt you already own. Instant garba look, zero new shopping.

22 Oct 2026

342

“And I thought traditional wasn’t my thing. 🤍”

Look 5: Blue kurta, fairy lights

Not every garba night needs a lehenga. One of my favourite reels is just me in a blue embroidered kurta under a sky of fairy lights. If you're going straight from college or work, a good kurta and big earrings is a complete look.

Steal it: your best embroidered kurta, statement earrings, done.

15 Oct 2024

192

That time of the year🥹✨

Look 6: Purple lehenga with an embellished blouse

A purple lehenga with an embellished blouse, from my shoot with Nakhrali (a paid partnership, marked on the post). Purple is underrated for Navratri. It looks rich at night and stands out in a sea of red.

Steal it: pick a colour you don't see on everyone else that night.

30 Dec 2024

166

Must visit nakhrali ✨

Look 7: When you can't decide, shortlist two

Lime green or mint? I literally asked you to vote. My tip: shortlist two outfits, try both with the same jewellery and pick the one you can move in. The other one is for night two.

Steal it: plan your nine nights in pairs, so every outfit gets a turn.

27 Sept 2025

153

Which one do you think matches my vibe better?

Planning all nine nights

Nine outfits is a lot, so mix and match. Two or three skirts, four or five blouses, a couple of dupattas and one set of oxidised jewellery can make every night look different. Save your heaviest outfit for the night you'll be photographed most, and keep a kurta look ready for the nights you're coming straight from college or work.

Dancing all night: comfort tips

• Footwear: flat sandals or juttis you've already broken in. New shoes on garba night are a trap.
• Pin your dupatta. Safety-pin it at the shoulder and the waist, so it stays put through every spin.
• Weight matters. A lighter lehenga or a skirt-and-blouse look lets you dance longer. Save the heaviest outfit for the night you'll mostly be clicking photos.
• Hair up or braided. It keeps you cool, and it stays pretty till the end.
• Long-wear makeup. Prep, set, and carry blotting papers and your lip colour.
• Carry a tiny bag with water money, safety pins and a phone charger.
• Check the colours of the day. The Navratri colour for each day changes every year, so look up the current list if you want to match.

Whatever you wear, wear it like you're the main character. No side roles here.