The flow of fashion: It’s a must-have ensemble for a sophisticated, ethnic look

By Mehak Mudassir

Fashion is cyclical. Nothing remains constant; and everything keeps changing. No trend stays forever or goes out for ever. Once seen only on movie screens and in grand marriages — shararas and ghararas are back! They have taken the ethnic fashion world by storm.

These two flared pant-like outfits are made of sheer fabric with lots of flare and pleats. Ghararas and shararas originated in Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh during the era of the Nawabs of Awadh who belonged to a dynasty of Persian origin from Nishapur, Iran. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the outfits had become an everyday attire among Muslim women of the Hindi Belt.

Since the past few years, these two ensembles are back in the limelight! Their amazing silhouette and exquisite embellishments spell class and craft.

For many the outfit is all about memories. “We are six sisters. Since childhood, we used to wear the same outfit for Eid, like a school uniform. Due to the pandemic, we sisters couldn’t meet for almost two years but are meeting this year. So to recall old memories, I have decided to gift pastel-colored shararas to my sisters for Eid,” says Hani.

Hani especially decided on sharara because when they were very young, the sisters had worn it for one of their uncle’s weddings. “That is the best picture of us together in our mom’s house. So this time we will all wear shararas and click a picture again. Then frame it and put it next to the old picture,” says Hani.

These graceful, ethnic, and fashionable dresses are the most preferred choice among women for wedding and formal social events. It will certainly give you a sophisticated, ethnic look. ”I wore a sharara at my wedding reception and for my daughter’s wedding reception I wore one too,” recounts Mariyam.

“I never thought that I would get a chance to wear one for my daughter’s wedding. Because I thought the sharara will be out of fashion by then,” says she.

Mariyam notices that the new sharara and gharara versions use various fabrics making it possible to wear it for a grand event and even as casual wear. In the early 1980s and1990s, only grand heavy bridal kinds of sets were available.

A sharara or gharara with its classic and regal appearance can easily spice up your look and make all heads turn to you. It’s no surprise that numerous contemporary ladies prefer to dress up in shararas because of the comfort, elegance, and the style.

Take Sichana, who is a model. Once for a portfolio photo shoot she tried her mom’s saree, her sister’s shawl and then her grandmother’s gharara. “I looked so pretty in gharara that I cannot express myself. And it was a unique outfit that I had not tried till now. Just because of the picture of me in this gharara, I got selected as a model for an ethnic wear studio in Delhi,” says she.

Sharara outfits always give a versatile look. They are a must-have in your trousseau if you are looking for something casual and different. “Usually in South Indian marriages we only wear South Indian sarees, as it’s kind of a wedding ritual. But I set a new trend in our family by wearing a sharara for my wedding function and had a great photo shoot,” says Priyanka.

Sharara and ghararas come in different patterns and designs. The trendy ensembles have raglan sleeves, lantern sleeves, and bracelet sleeves. The bottom too comes in various styles like pleated ghararas, and straight or super flared shararas. Elaborate sharara or gharara ensembles are a good choice for a family wedding where you want to grab the spotlight.

JUST HOW DIFFERENT ARE SHARARA AND GHARARA?
If you are also of those who can’t understand the difference, we are here to tell you about the di erence and similarities between the two.

Sharara: In the most simple terms, sharara is a pair of flared pants. They are loose around the legs and the flare is quite good. Due to this flare, the sharara is also referred to as lehenga pants. These are party pants, therefore are heavily embellished with pearls, zari, sequin, gota patti or others. Whether it is a wedding or an engagement party or a small puja, you can never go wrong with sharara. These are usually worn with long kurti and a dupatta. However, as we mentioned before, the fashion world is never constant. Women have started to wear it with short kurtis and anarkalis as well.

Gharara: Gharara is very similar to a sharara but the gharara is fitted from the top of the knees, then there is a band where the fabric is gathered to create a flare till the toes. The thick band is present to hide the joint and is made with beautiful lace. Again, gharara can be worn at any traditional e