Going bridal outfit shopping: 10 things you NEED to keep in mind

Photo by Shutterdown - Lakshya Chawla★ 5

1. Wear front open tops with a camisole inside  and avoid wearing bold prints/ checks :If you are going bridal wear shopping and you plan to hit local markets in India- be prepared for there being no trial rooms. You will be asked to slip into blouses in tiny , cramped trial rooms at best or just slip them on on top of what you are wearing. A smart thing to do would be to wear a nude colored camisole on the inside which you can easily slip blouses on top of without having any wardrobe malfunctions . Moreover, wearing checks or prints can clash with the outfit you are wearing and not give you a correct picture of what to expect

2. Wear shoes that are easy to remove: Again, a lot of the local shops and stores specially around Chandni chowk will ask you to remove your shoes and go inside. While sneakers may seem comfy, it gets annoying to remove and wear back again and again.

3. Avoid bulky skirts, opt for tights, jeans , spandex : When you have 40 lehenga or saree options to try, you dont really head to the try room for the skirt and just slip them on over what you are wearing. Wearing tights works best as you can easily slip on your outfit over them, jeans are fine too but bulky skirts are a no no as you cant tell the lehenga shape correctly. Similarly if you are shopping for kanjivarams, skirts dont work either

4. Don't get fixated on color: The biggest mistake girls make- they enter a store and give a strict color preference of 'light coral' or 'mint and gold'. Well guess what you just narrowed down your outfit options to a mere 0.05% and in your quest to stick to a color you may not see an outfit that you absolutely love. We always hear of stories of girls saying they eventually found their lehenga in the one color they thought they would never wear. Moreover, while its nice to have color preferences do understand that any outfit can be replicated in the color of your choice if you envision it

5. Try not to go when you have your period: Apart from the fact that you have severe mood swings , having your period makes your body bloat a little bit, so when you get your measurements taken things may get off by a little bit or you may feel something is making you look bulky when actually its not.

6. Choose your shopping partners carefully: Its super fun to take your entire family along to shop but remembe that it can also confuse you terribly. Everyone is bound to have a different view point and at the end of the day all you should care about is how YOU feel in your outfit . What your aunt may consider 'too light' may be just perfect for you, but hearing negative sides of the story tends to have a detrimental effect

7. Carry a hair tie: Remember the dupatta on your head is one of the most important things in giving you a graceful look. Tieing yourhair into a quick bun helps to envision that when you look at your dupatta.

8. Don't see places that you know are beyond your budget: It's a simple rule - the prettiest outfits will always be beyond reach and while it may be fun to try them on, sometimes you cannot get over that one outfit you know you cant afford and everything else pales in comparison. WMG Team member D says "I tried on an Anushree Reddy Lehenga and fell in LOVE with it". Its way beyond my budget but now wherever I go  I keep comparing it to that and nothing seems good enough"

9. Don't  forget to click photos of the lehenga once it is finalised: While most shops prohibit photography, once you place the order they will let you take snaps. This is helpful for two reasons. Firstly, it helps to check that the final piece you get is exactly the same as what you ordered - a common problem with most Indian shops is the lack of attention to detail. Secondly- when you want to go and match your accessories that photo comes in handy

10. Have fun and stay hydrated: Pet bisleri bottles are going to be your best friend as you slog it out in the streets of India. Carry a bottle of water and a light snack as outfit shopping can run into days non stop and you need your energy. The last thing you want is taking  a hasty decision because of your tiredness