Power dressing at work can be segmented into crisp shirts, tailored pants, blazers and skirts universally. Courtesy of the prevailing diversity and richness of Indian culture, traditional attires like kurta sets, saris, etc have become a part of our staple wardrobe. Adapting the workwear dress code to an Indian sensibility can offer the most intriguing change to your formal style. Marrying classic and contemporary elements to find the perfect balance is an ideal approach to nailing the dictum. Think of light printed kurtas that are perfect to clock in 10 hours of working feeling breezy, minimalist sarees that can move from desk to dinner with a few styling tweaks, and quintessential Indian baubles that add a cultural dimension to your style.
Clean-Cut Kurtas
Nothing beats the elegance of kurtas, no matter where you wear them. Invest in a sizeable collection of tunics and clean-cut kurtas that transition into workwear, experimenting with prints and patterns, and artisanal weaves that offer a rooted yet polished style. Sakshi Girri’s floral coordinates can transition you into a boardroom stunner effortlessly. You can redefine power dressing with both elegance and edge in pleat-textured sets by Scarlet Sage. Ridhi Mehra’s bright version of ditsy floral print can easily slot into your ‘Casual Friday’ dress code.
Draped Dhotis
While dhotis are natively rural, Indian designers have iterated the drapes silhouette into a noteworthy style statement that appeals globally. Consider wearing the off-beat silhouette to shake up your dressing routine for the week. AMPM offers a refreshing take, pairing a button-down shirt with a minimally draped dhoti. On the other hand, Labbada makes a case of an indo-western look you can ace if you’re bringing in festivities while on duty. Marche’s hand block printed dhoti set will require minimum effort at accessorising.
Elegant Sarees
Pre Stitched Sarees are prominently embraced as the uniform at many multinational corporations based in India. However, if your dress code allows you to experiment, wearing a modernised sari is ideal to place a bet on. Khara Kapas offers the right tone of minimalism with abstract mosaic prints rendered on soft mulmul. Consider styling it with your blazer for a coming-of-age power-dressing style statement. Similarly, 431:88 by Shweta Kapur delivers an unprecedented take with drapes and a statement blouse that can take you after hours. If your wish to tap into your roots on a festive day at work, The Right Cut offers the right amount of elegance and comfort to channel from 9 to 5.
Native Crafts
Embracing ingenious patterns like bandhani, leheriya, or block prints sans embellishments can also offer a very intriguing flair to your formal style. Trade your mundane days with radiating looks by Ranng—the flowy leheriya shaded co-ords offer the perfect vivacity you need to meet an off-shore client. Nupur Kanoi bandhani shirt and pants can perform effortlessly as statement-making separates on different days of the week. Two Fold Store blurs the line between polished workwear and casual wear with this oversize tailored tunic and pants, featuring tie & dye patterns. Top off the look with silver drop earrings.
Traditional Finishing Touches
Besides adapting Indian silhouettes into power dressing mode, and choosing accessories like silver jewellery and kolhapuris, juttis deliver the most enduring traditional spin to your look. Accentuate your button-downs with a silver chain or earrings. If you move from desk to dinner dates frequently, invest in silver earrings by Tribe Amrapali and Sangeeta Boochra. Printed juttis and kolhapuris by 5 Elements are perfect bids to lend a rooted charm to your dresses, button-downs, and wide-leg pants.
