What is the best to wear at a Diwali party High Latitude Style

Dress up for Diwali

When you are invited to a Diwali party or bought tickets to attend a Diwali celebration for the first time, you wonder about what to wear to a Diwali event and whether there is a dress code. This post adresses these questions for Diwali parties or celebrations in US college towns. There are usually a large community of Indian students and may be several professors.

What to wear at Diwali as a men

At Diwali parties in college towns, most men wear casual party outfits. However, you can see Indian men or men married with an Indian woman wearing everything from a plain western jeans and shirt look over Indo Western outfits to traditional Indian looks from various regions. You can see men in sherwani, kurta pajamas or a Jodhpuri suit, and occassionally a Nehru jacket.

“MENS KURTA” by TMSart Bazaar is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

“Best Jodhpuri Suits Available Online In 2019” by Vicky Shukla is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Man wearing a sherwani. “Majestic” by Drkangeltex is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

a young couple and an older woman traditional clothes from the sub continent

My friends and I in traditional clothing

Women outfits celebrating the festival of lights

What to wear at Diwali as a women

Most Indian women wear sarees. Only a few of them dress in kurtis, salwar kameez, anarkali suit or lehengas. It’s rare to see one of them wearing a head-to-toe western outfit. Non-Indian women wear something along the lines of a fancy dinner party or an upscale restaurtant. Some wear traditional Indian clothes mixed with western items like a global trend inspired Indian embroidered blouse with skinnie outfit or wear a fancy panjeree. Once in a while you see one in a saree.

Young women in colorful lehengas Woman in traditional clothes

Women in embroidered sarees

Munaz style wrapped black embroidered saree accessorized with Indian style belt, pendant necklace, short necklace, three multi-color bangles on each wrist, multi-color earrings (all own), and glamorous statement necklace c/o Happiness Boutique Burgundy silk with gold hand painted embellishment panjeree

When in doubt, wear something new

It’s a tradition to wear something new. Doing so is related to Diwali indicating the beginning of a new year. Thus, you don’t want to wear something that has old (painful) memories of the past. In other words dressing in new clothing has some symbolic. It’s a nice gesture to commemorate this tradition when you attend Diwali. When you follow my blog already for a while, this tradition once stressed me out what to wear for Diwali. I had nothing new and my friends expected me to attend in traditional clothing.

Can I wear black on Diwali?

Diwali is about fun and happiness. Thus, would it be inappropriate to wear black, which is associated with mourning in many western cultures? Diwali is a special, auspicious event. Black is a special festive color. Go for traditional wear if possible.

Stylist’s tip: Black is the most suitable color to wear on Diwali.

Happy Diwali!

Don’t let the right outfit be a random thing. Wear the right look in every situation by looking up what to wear when in How to Dress for Success in Midlife. Buy my book now.

P.S. Like these outfit ideas? If so, please feel free to pin them to your own Pinterest board.

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Photos of me: G. Kramm