- Raj Desai | 3/27/23
- Brand Publisher: Desi Is Me

Nothing beats South Asian fashion. We can take any color, dream up any pattern, make it in whatever style we like, and it always—ALWAYS—looks good.
Obviously, we’re amazing. But also, that’s a *lot* of choices to make. On top of the thousands of other choices you have to make during wedding planning.
When you’re ready to pick out formal wear for your bridal party (and I say this as the little lazy devil on your shoulder 🙋🏾♀️), my advice to you is to go with a simple approach…
Go with what’s trending! Your bridesmaids can still have classic outfits that they’ll love and reuse, with a modern twist to keep your wedding with the times. Here are 3 of the latest and greatest trends for South Asian fashion that your bridesmaids will love to wear.
Magenta
Every fall, 7 experts from the Pantone Color Institute come together, reflect on color trends they’ve studied throughout the year, and eventually announce (drum roll, please) The Pantone Color of the Year!
My instinct is to laugh about how a bunch of white guys sitting at a table probably just pick a color, but these experts are actually incredibly accomplished and diverse, and justify their predictions intelligently and eloquently (who writes about colors like this?? It’s poetry!)
This year’s color is Viva Magenta, a vibrant color that we’re used to wearing as South Asians (and that we ALL look good in!), that’s also a nice contrast to what I usually see brides pick for their wedding party (neutral shades and pastels).
The trick is to experiment with your overall color palette, because magenta looks good with just about everything. Whether you’re in a light or neutral lehenga, or wearing a rainbow to your wedding, magenta is a lively, elegant choice to complement your wedding outfit.
Off-the-shoulder
Oh, hello, late nineties/early 2000’s fashion, fancy seeing you here. I love love love that off-the-shoulder tops are back. They’re sexy. Chic! Deepika Padukone Oscars 2023!
Talk about a classic look. Off-the-shoulder lehengas, saris, gowns, suits (salwar/kameez), and shararas, when done right, give off gorgeous, timeless, Hollywood bombshell vibes. Pick a bridesmaid outfit like that and you’ll have people paying you to be part of your wedding party!
Sharara
In my pursuit of suits (ha) for an upcoming family destination wedding, all I’ve found are shararas. And I’m not complainin’. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the sharara is my favorite post-quarantine life, loungey, pajama-esque, formal outfit of choice.
It’s easy to move around in, gives you a lehenga’s flare without the scratchy tulle, and is a flattering silhouette for every body type. That’s the kind of outfit your bridesmaids can run around in come wedding day and still get sh* done. It’s also now 2 of my 4 destination wedding outfits. 😬
The only thing better than picking a bridesmaid outfit based off one of these trends is customizing a look that puts them all together. A magenta, off-the-shoulder sharara? We love to see it!
What are some of the prettiest bridesmaid outfits you’ve seen? Share with other brides (and me) in the comments!

Raj Desai
Content strategist and UX writer who’s been researching and writing about weddings for 5 years. Addicted to Netflix, dirty martinis, and naps.
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