Women's Party Wear

Party invitations rarely come with a dress code, which leaves the guesswork to you.

Outfits for evenings that are not weddings

Cocktail sarees, short and mid length lehengas, indo western dresses, kurti and palazzo sets, and sequinned gowns. Dressy enough for a Diwali party or an engagement dinner, wearable enough for a birthday evening or a night out with friends.

The re wear test

Party wear earns its place by coming out of the wardrobe more than once. A plain shimmer saree with a different blouse becomes a new outfit. A kurti from a palazzo set works with jeans. Separates are grouped here for exactly that reason.

What works where

House parties and dinners: printed kurti sets, light sarees, indo western tunics. Club and restaurant evenings: sequinned gowns, cocktail sarees, fitted lehenga skirts with crop tops. Office Diwali events: something between the two, usually a straight cut suit or a subtle saree.

Colour advice that holds up

Black, wine, emerald and midnight blue photograph well under artificial light. Pastels are better for daytime. Metallics work either way but need simple jewellery to balance them out.

One outfit, two looks

A shimmer saree with a full sleeve blouse reads formal, and the same saree with a halter or corset blouse reads like a different outfit entirely. Buying a spare blouse is the cheapest way to double a party wardrobe, and blouse options are listed alongside several of the sarees on this page.

Sizes are available from XS through plus fits. Bust, waist and length are listed in inches, and where a piece can be stitched to your measurements the option appears at the size selector. Reading the fabric note is worth the extra minute, since stretch and lining decide how an outfit feels three hours in.