The Secret to Fusion Dressing

So I am sure y’all are like me and have observed the Desi Fusion trend in everyday dressing. This is a particular favorite of mine because I strongly support a multi-functioning wardrobe. And as a South Asian woman, there was nothing more frustrating to me than having two separate wardrobes. Talk about WASTE. So, a few years ago, I decided to start being more experimental and started this journey to figure out how to execute this fusion life.

I started wearing my kurtas to work with my trousers, pairing them with loafers or oxfords. I belt a shawl to my pant suit. I pair a white button down with my simple lehenga skirts or with my sharara pants. I throw my leather jacket over my salwars.

Slowly, I’ve figured out how to utilize almost 75% of my desi wardrobe with my regular “American” clothes. The goal is to get it to a full 100%, but three quarters ain’t bad y’all.

THE KEY: you need fundamentals in your wardrobe that allow for the transition. These pieces are the foundation to support the glitterati that is desi clothing in general. I hope you use this guide a checklist/shopping list and let me know what lewks YOU create!

I created a list of 12 fundamental pieces that you should own in order to get way more mileage out of your desi clothes and bring them into your everyday life. This guide will allow you to :

1. Gold Band Belt : This SHEIN belt is one of the best purchases I ever made because it is the best to cinching my dupattas to my outfits. Best 5 bucks ever.

2. Broad Black Belt: I like to use this for a more casual approach to belting my dupatta

3. Fitted Black Blazer: First off, if you don’t own a fitted black blazer, my friend, you are no where near fully adulting. Second, this is my favorite thing to thrown on top of my salwars

4. High-Waisted Trouser in Black/Cream: The key to trouser looks where you use your saree blouse is HIGH-WAISTED. I know we all wanna rock crop tops/saree blouses but its way more elegant when paired with something high-waisted. If you layer with a blazer, then you have a cute full look to wear that is office appropriate.

5. Crisp White Button Down Shirt: This is the key to utilizing those lehenga skirts or gharara pants into your regular life.

6. Black Turtleneck: Another great piece to dress down lehengas or ghararas

7. Faux Leather leggings: Favorite trick to pair with kurtas and make them instantly more street cool.

8. Palazzo Pants: Really nice, dressy palazzos makes your kurta boardroom ready.

9. Mom Jeans: I love mom jeans, I am a recent convert, and they are the perfect cut to pair with saree blouses or lehenga cholis.

10. White Sneakers: This is just a cute to add to a full salwar minus the dupatta so you have a more co-ord look.

11. Black Loafers: This is what I love to wear when I am rocking a kurta at the office

12. Leather Jacket: Get your Insta one when you throw one of these bad boys over your lehenga and go #badbeti mode at the next fam jam.