We invited like-minded readers to share the sustainable, sensible swaps they made to their wedding looks.

A judicious mix
Saba Poonawala, 32, hair and make-up artist

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Saba Poonawala in her pure crepe silk salwar kameez

“Working in the wedding industry, I often see brides buying beautiful and gorgeous clothes for their weddings only to tell me a few months later that they’re stuck with their outfit(s). While I am not against splurging a bit on a wedding outfit, I wanted mine to be more wearable.

So, for my wedding, I wore a pure crepe silk salwar kameez with aari work. I paired this with flared pants that were custom tailored and a dupatta embroidered with the khombi work that’s traditional to the Kutchi Memon community. I was quite surprised when the other attendees applauded my choice and decided to do the same with their future purchases too.”

Upcycling to the rescue
Prerna Sinha, 46, yoga teacher and entrepreneur

 Prerna Sinha in the upcycled dress

“When I got married 20 years ago, I decided to tailor the blouse for my lehenga in such a way that I could wear it with other skirts as well. But then, a few years ago, I decided to take the plunge and convert the entire outfit into a dress that I can wear more frequently.

It proved to be an excellent decision as I have since worn the dress numerous times and it is so much more comfortable than a lehenga is. Encouraged by the experience, I have also repurposed two more heavy wedding sarees into a gown and a jumpsuit.”

Traditional crafts never go out of style
Shruti Sharma Maini, 42, admission officer

“Growing up, I would see my mother carefully taking her wedding dress out of the attic, reliving the experience and then putting it back in storage. So, with that in mind, I chose an outfit that would live in my wardrobe rather than in the attic. I chose a lightweight Bandhani saree in vibrant hues, which I wore 15 to 20 times after my wedding with multiple drapes. I recently turned it into a lehenga choli where each piece can be worn separately or in combination with the other.

Read before you buy

“Your wedding dress is one of the most expensive apparel purchases you will make in your life; many are waking up to the fact that it’s not worth spending a lot on an outfit that they will wear only once. Storing an extremely ornate wedding dress can also be cumbersome. The rule of the thumb is to visualise five places you can wear an item of clothing to, before you buy it. This brings down the cost-per-wear to a reasonable amount,” Mihika Bhanot advises. Follow her tips to get the most wear from your wedding wear:

>> Choose a subtler outfit and spend more on jewellery, which can be re-worn many times

Mihika Bhanot

>> Monochromatic outfits can be easily broken up to mix and match pieces with multiple outfits. This way, when you re-wear the pieces, they won’t be as easily recognised. Bold prints, on the other hand, make a more lasting impression on observers and will be recalled relatively sooner

>> For men, embellished lapels are a great way to dress up a suit; they can be easily removed for a simpler, more wearable look. For women, capes are a great way to completely transform how your blouse or lehenga looks

>> Don’t be swayed by statement pieces — features such as ruffles and dramatic sleeves go out of fashion quickly. Also, invest in high-quality pieces that you will enjoy wearing multiple times 

>> All-season fabrics like silk can be worn more times as compared to satin that is prone to sweat stains in hotter environments