I recently got my engagement dress. I had initially ordered for a pink churidaar dress from Pakistan. My Khala and sister (who are the same size as me) got dresses ordered as well. The pink which has been in the making for a couple of months now looks like something I’d wear on Eid! It’s a simple chiffon kameez with baby blue cotton work (sort of like threads and motifs) and the churidaar is raw silk. The dupatta is light chiffon. Plain and simple. Even with makeup and a hairdo it doesn’t pull off as an Engagement suit
Soo, long story short, my khala got a STUNNING deep red and emerald green churidaar with gold embroidery. She thought it was way too heavy for her to wear on my engagement and gladly exchanged her dress with me. I simply loveee the red dress! It makes me look better too. The color is so rich and deep that it really makes my face “glow” haha Whereas the pink was too dull. But now I’m questioning the color choice. I’ve always wanted to wear red on the wedding as well. I suppose the wedding dress red could be deeper with a different color contrast. But, what do you guys think of red on the engagement? I don’t want people to look at my pics and assume I just got married :S
On a side note, my sister has a white, silver and gold anarkali with pants. It’s fancier than the pink, but it’s not as nice as the red So confused!
I'd say go for it. It sounds really nice! I get where you are coming from about wanting red for your wedding, but you could always have a different shade of red, or one of those with a really gold kurta etc.
Red really isn't engagementy, but if it looks beautiful on & suits you then why not. Besides everyone has pink, I had sea green. I would base your choice on what looks better on you, as much as you don't want to look like a bride, you also don't want to look as though you turned upto somebody elses engagement!
If you're for sure going to wear red on the wedding, then wear your sisters white anarkali. But if it doesn't bother you wearing the same color at two different events, then go ahead with the red churidaar.
Personally, I would wear the red churidaar on engagement, since I have always wanted to wear cream/ off white on wedding day.
I agree with Gaia. If you want to wear any shade of red for shaadi... then wear the white anarkali. It sounds pretty and is something that one can really dress up as well since it is an Anarkali! Your pink outfit does seem a bit too simple for an engagement.... so def. do not wear that. But especially with everyone taking pictures now a dyas an such, if u want to keep the red color for the wedding ... then wear another color for engagement. Dress it up as much as you can with jewelry hairstyle and wear the dupatta on your head. You can tell other family members to not get as decked out as you. And maybe just save the red outfit as a jahaiz outfit? My own engagement was very last minute and no one except me had time to get anything made. I am sure your khala will understand if you explain the situation to her. That is what Khala's are for :) She seems like a luving lady who readily and willingly exchanged the outfit with you. Maybe your sister can wear the pink outfit and your khala can wear something she already owns? Or vice versa. At my house - as I said... I was the only one that wore something new.
But Gaia also makes a good point... that if you decide you rather wear another color on your wedding day.... gold or offwhite...etc. So many different color choices out there today ... then totally go for it and wear the red outfit!
I have my heart set on the red, so I'm going out to buy matching churiyaan tomorrow InshAllah lol! Although I'm just going for the generic gold, incase I decide to wear the white anarkali..
A while back, there was a trend where brides wore red for just their mehendi.
Look, it's your engagement. You could even wear black on that day if you wanted to. It's your special day, you wear you what you want. Even if you were to dress in accordance with traditions......well.........people would still talk.........and those traditions have seen many bold changes in the world of fashion. Some options:
1) Wear the red that your khala has brought on the day of your engagement. BUT........go EASY on the accessories and makeup, so that you don't look like a bride. For example, you don't have wear so much jewelry on that day. You could keep it simple. You can even opt not to wear a teeka if you think that removing it would make you look less like a bride. Or wear the teeka but don't wear the dupatta on your head. Experiment with your looks...and get the opinion of friends and family. Then on your wedding day.........combine red with another color (something different from green such as beige or gold, etc).
2) You can wear the Anarkali dress that your sister has........and amp up the look with makeup and jewelry for your engagement.
3) If you're still considering the pink churidaar........is there a way that you can can maybe get a different (but matching) dupatta that has has heavier kaam on it? Sometimes if even one part of a suit (such as either the kameez OR the dupatta has heavier kaam on it)....it looks more fancier. And I've seen people do that.......keep the kameez simple.....and go all out with the dupatta......and if you're gonna be draping it over your head.....then that could work well. **** You said that makeup and hair did not help much with the pink outfit.....well then how about some jewelry? Maybe a teeka....a light choker....some kaanch ki churiyan.....can help.
go for the red! just keep your makeup and jewelry and accessories not so bride like :).
plus, you can always still go for red for the wedding...there are so many shades of red, as well as other colors you can add to make a beautiful and different combination!
Wear whatever makes you feel fabulous... if that means wearing red on every one of your events, do it! I wore a light pink with turquoise trim peshwas on my engagement. It looked great, I looked great, but I wish I had chosen something brighter as I would have liked it better and been able to wear it again.
It's your day to feel special, and if you aren't completely in love with the details you won't feel special. If your engagement and wedding are 6+ months apart, no one will even remember. And if you're worried about pics, once the wedding ones come out even your parents will forget about your engagement pics!
i agree with what redvelvet has said. If you keep you make up fresh like nude or dwey colors and go for simple jewellery and a simple hairstyle like a blow out you should look just about perfect. Also if your wedding is not in the near future then go with the red , because if you have a long gap between your engagement and wedding then you can justify being decked up.
In my culture we have the official engagement just a day before the wedding , so we generally stick to lighter colors.
And if you go for the white anarkali, then you can jazz it up by wearing uncut diamonds jewellery, uncut diamonds will also make you look very elegant. Make up can be heavy on eyes and light on the lips. I would suggest a bow out for this as well.
Whereas the pink was too dull. But now I’m questioning the color choice. I’ve always wanted to wear red on the wedding as well. I suppose the wedding dress red could be deeper with a different color contrast. But, what do you guys think of red on the engagement? I don’t want people to look at my pics and assume I just got married :S