Deciding what to wear on your best friend’s Sangeet is not as easy as it should be. Or, is it – and we just make it complicated?

Either way, you know you don’t want to out-do the bride, but you also don’t want to look like the lost daughter of that Aunty who the bride last met in 1993 and has turned up only because her mom guilted her into it with that dreadful line we’re all akin to falling for “Beta, you never come with us anywhere.”

Basically, you want to lie somewhere in between the “Who does she think she is? The bride?!” and the “Didn’t anyone tell her she was attending a Wedding?!”

While I have some options in the making, and some marked out as backup, there is this wishlist of ideal outfits I would love to wear to my friend’s Sangeet. There are pricey ones, and some surprisingly reasonable ones (considering they’re designer-wear!) Mostly anarkalis, because I think anarkalis are perfect for your friend’s Sangeet where you know you’ll be dancing all night long. Bonus points to how spectacular they look as they unwind around you every time you twirl during your dance.

As I told you in the last post, I had been pinning these dream Sangeet outfits onto a secret Pinterest board. Why hadn’t I shared it earlier? Because I was still planning what to wear to her Sangeet, and didn’t want to spoil the surprise. And I was also a little hesitant because a lot of these are so expensive, even a bride might not buy some of them for her trousseau. I mean, how many INR 40,000 anarkalis are you really going to buy?

So take this as a lust list. Of all the stunning Sangeet outfits I could find, that I wish I could’ve worn to my friends’ and relatives’ Sangeets this season.

Note: Most of these are from Pernia’s Pop Up Shop. If something is Sold Out on it, don’t be disheartened. I’m sure if you go directly to the designer, they’ll make a piece for you. Or another piece might be in stock at a physical store.

INR 18,000 | CITA 9

It’s beauty lies in it’s simplicity. Just accessorise well with lots of bangles. And to make the top appear heavier, open up the dupatta and drape it across both shoulders OR let the dupatta remain as above and put on a long neck piece with 2-3 lines of kundan (or whatever stone takes your fancy).

INR 18,000 | Pernia Qureshi

Big earrings, a pair of sparkly shoes – and you’re set. To take it to the next level, add a maang tikka or matha patti.

INR 24,000 | Bhumika Sharma

Honestly? I wouldn’t add a thing to it, except for a pair of gold & green chand baalis.

INR 28,000 | Bhumika Sharma

I love this outfit, but all the beige and brown embroidery needs to go. The sparkling dupatta that comes with it adds a great finishing touch.

INR 28,500 | J by Jannat

A unique look. Black pumps, black bangles. Just. stunning.

INR 29,000 | Harshitaa Chatterjee Deshpande

This designer’s Monsoon collection on Pernia’s Pop Up Shop is a breath of fresh air. Pastel + chand baalis = MAJOR WEDDING LOVE!

INR 30,000 | Tisha Saksena

Like I said in the last post, this is in my top 3 list of what I want to wear to my best friend’s Sangeet.

INR 31,000 | Amrita Thakur

Put on tons of orange bangles, and a choker on your neck.

INR 37,800 | Ridhi Mehra

Simple beauty. I wouldn’t add too many accessories. Just let the outfit shine through.

INR 38,500 | Preeti S Kapoor

This is such a stunning outfit, you could even wear it to your roka or engagement ceremony. I’m in love.

BUDGET BUY for INR 10,000: If you don’t mind a straight cut suit with a similar yoke design, check out this piece from Preeti herself.

INR 38,800 | Aneesh Agarwaal

Stunner. ‘Nuff said.

BUDGET BUY for INR 28,000: Ridhi Mehra made this style of “a cluster of embroidered flowers” popular, and now everyone from Aneesh to Karieshma Sarnaa are creating their own versions of it. Try this soft pink anarkali from Ms. Sarnaa.

INR 42,000 | Eshaani Jayaswal

I’m obviously crushing on florals this season, and this is one of the prettiest anarkalis that uses floral so elegantly.

INR 43,500 | Arpita Mehta

One of my favourite designers, Aprita’s created this suit in 3 different colours. This one’s my favourite shade for an evening Sangeet.

BUDGET BUY for INR 29,000: If the sleeveless jacket with plain anarkali is the styling you’re loving, check out this Aharin piece in yellow and white.

INR 47,841 | Madsam Tinzin

A Madsam Tinzin beauty we spotted earlier this year when shopping for Karishma’s roka outfit. It’s PERFECT for the bride or groom’s sister/friend to wear on the Sangeet.

INR 62,500 | Madsam Tinzin

Really, really expensive. But if you can afford it – it’s simple enough, yet heavy enough. It’s usually hard to find outfits that fit this middle ground. But this one is a winner on both counts.

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All of these are pinned on my not-so-secret-anymore Pinterest board – Wedding Guest Style: Sangeet – so pin directly from this page, or from the board. Of course, if you are on Pinterest and someone you know is getting married soon and you want ideas of what to wear to their Sangeet, you can follow the board so you’re updated whenever a new outfit is added to the lust list.

And please leave your favourite Sangeet looks in the comments below, so we all have more options to choose from – the more, the merrier!

Also read – 

• This article on India Today that gives some great advice on dressing appropriately as a wedding guest.
• And just in case you haven’t read the earlier posts in “My Best Friend’s Wedding” series on this blog, start here.

What would you LOVE to wear to a friend or relative’s Sangeet, if cost was not a factor?