Simple fashion goes a long way

From black to golden to blue, the wedding season this year is all about playing with colours. And when it comes to jewellery, pick pieces that enhance your beauty rather than being weighed down by them.

“The upcoming wedding season is going to be full of surprises. The colours that will rule the wedding season are off-pastels. Colours like grey, powder blues, dull rose, even something like a dusty peach will be seen trending and these colours will be seen embellished with softer metallic embroidery," designer Anaita Shroff Adajania said.

Even if you opt for a 'big fat Indian wedding', you can skip the "heavy lehengas".

"It is all about a bride opting for lighter ensembles where she's free to dance, twirl and hangout with her friends," added Adajania, who became part of the sixth edition of The Vogue Wedding Show (VWS).

Held in partnership with Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris, the three-day wedding exhibition, held here earlier this month, had ace designers like Anita Dongre, Manish Malhotra, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Tarun Tahiliani, Gaurav Gupta and Rahul Mishra available for personal consultations. It also included a workshop on styling, where Adajania shared contemporary style tips and advice for brides and grooms.

Pointing out the trends, Adajania said: "Black and gold is a powerful combination for a bride who wants to make a very strong statement, like a soft new gothic look.

"Powder blue has emerged as a very big colour this wedding season, sometimes even venturing into a pale dove grey. Ivory or white embroidery on these shades work beautifully to create a very dream-like look for the bride."

The blouse will be the 'hero' this wedding season.

"Fringing, blouses with organza sleeves, sheer invisible shoulders are some of the styles to watch out for. So, I think that the blouse will be doing a lot of the talking while the lehenga remains light, almost feathery and designed with layers of tulle," she said.

Adajania says brides are no longer looking at making their jewellery stand out.

"They are looking at wearing just one colour from head to toe. So, if the bride is wearing green then her jewellery is also green. It's not about contrasting, like a red with emeralds, but focussing on one colour this wedding season," she said.

Designer Farah Khan Ali advise brides to choose jewellery that will stand the test of time.

"Something which you create with your jewellery designer, and which can become a family heirloom that you will hand down to the next generation. Either go for absolutely unusual pieces or total classics. There is no middle ground," Ali said.

In terms of trends, she said: "I believe that coloured jewellery will be big this season and will make you feel brighter and make more of a statement. Hair accessories are also going to be very popular, as well as versions of the haathphool and baju bandh."

She wants haathphool to be back in vogue.

"You can pair this with a trendy piece of jewellery with a contemporary silhouette or a traditional one, as per your desire. This piece of jewellery is one traditional trend that can be reinvented time and again not only as a statement piece from your bridal essentials but also later as your highlight piece with a simple dress," said the designer.

Listing some do's and don'ts, Ali said all the brides-to-be need to remember that design is as important as the quality of stones used.

"Never compromise on either."

"Definitely don't stick to only diamond or only coloured stones. Embrace variety. Also, don't be afraid to experiment. Collect a variety of pieces. Don't stick to only diamond or only colours…Change is good."

Keep jewellery in a cool, dry place to protect it.

"Pearls must be saved from soap water or perfumes. Jewellery should not be bent, it should be placed flat on a soft fabric to avoid scratches."