Drape the saree like a chaniya skirt.
Drape a nice dupatta and pair it with a jeans and some jewellery.
Well if you have a flowy anarkali or a bandhani kurti you are done!
You only need a top now. Take any plain top that matches and throw a dupatta on (optional). You can even pair your skirt with a kurti.
Guys, please don’t do the “Oh my god, I have absolutely no clothes” or “I’m not a girl, why would I get dressed up?” bullshit (let alone the blatant misogyny). You have a closet. You have a mirror. You presumably have some functioning neurons. That shall suffice.
There are 3 steps. Simple steps.
Textured would be nice, but even a plain one is all good. Go for a classic, neutral colour: white, black or dark blue. No kurta at all? Time for Myntra/Ajio/Amazon: ₹500–1,000, and nowhere above ₹2k. Kurtas are like shirts; anyone can charge anything based on fabric and craftsmanship, but there are diminishing returns, and you’re dressing for a garba night, not an IAS interview or your wedding.
Reading this 1–2 days before (or God forbid, 1–2 hours before)? Zepto/Blinkit has decent kurtas, but don’t pay above ₹500 there. At that point you’re paying for the privilege of being unprepared. If nothing works, grab a slightly oversized plain shirt.
Have a festive koti? You’re done! Congratulations. So proud of you.
If not, two options. One looks better but requires you to talk to people (scary!). The other is a bit less polished, but you’ll never have to talk to anyone. Choose your fighter.
Blue or black jeans. I’m a sucker for blue jeans + kurta, but you do you. They should fit reasonably well: not fighting for their lives, and not enough fabric to accommodate a second person.
Wear sandals (if you have them) or clean shoes. For the love of god, not running shoes or formals. It’s neither a marathon nor a meeting. Clean sneakers count as good dress shoes.
Ask the opinion of a smart person (other guys don’t count; I won’t be explaining myself), perhaps the mahila mitra from Step 2. If something feels off, ask what. Iterate till perfect. If they say something doesn’t work, don’t argue. You asked for feedback, not a debate motion.
Finally, remember, this is the most effort you’ve ever put into an outfit. So dance, enjoy and click a shit ton of photos.
Um, just look at the style guide. Also, don’t stress it. Turn up in any ethnic (or even general party) wear. It’s just a party. None of us have anything “fancy”.
Garba from ~7:30 to 10, then we’ll slowly transition into DJ till 12.
Pls don’t till 10. Then just pre-game till like 10:30–11 and then DJ…
Couples do turn up to garba and do some cute stuff, but it’s not a couples dance. It’s a group dance. Sabh ko aana hai.
“Group dance wale hi memories banate hai. Couples toh sirf reels banate hai.” – Om Chaudhari
Turn up to the workshop at 6:30 in DS Area on the 23rd. Can’t make it at all? You can learn by copying what other peeps are doing. Garba is a folk dance, not some complicated breaking or bharatnatyam.
Follow the person in front of you. If everyone’s going the opposite way, it’s you. The workshop will fix this in ten minutes.
Everyone is too busy worrying about their own steps to watch yours. Join the outer circle, copy the person ahead, and smile. That’s the whole trick.
NO! Proper Gujarati garba songs, each with its own vibe. The canonical Chogada and Kamariya will be there, but no Bollywood garba fusion.
Um, songs are just a vibe. You don’t need to know anything about Gujarati.
Ideally add something ethnic: a dupatta, a shrug, a kurta, jewellery. Pure western is not banned, but then it’s a bit of a missed opportunity, no?
Comfortable, closed and clean. Sandals or sneakers are fine. Heels are a brave choice for 4 hours. Slippers and running shoes are not (see the boys’ guide).
PS: Real ones dance barefoot
You can, but the circle has a way of pulling people in. Fair warning.
Ask Kangna, Harshitha or Arjun (see Contact below) before you plan on it.
Garba is literally a “Gujarati” thing, not a “Hindu” thing. Also, it’s a dance party. Don’t read that much into it.
Ekdum. Pls send a strongly worded letter to the following:
Nothing found. Try another word, or ask the organisers.