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‘Tis the wedding season and that means brides and bridesmaids are all set to slip into gorgeous outfits to make a show-stopping statement. While you get busy choosing sexy lehengas, stunning sarees, and well-tailored gowns that will take you from the aisle to the after-party, do not ignore the right footwear that will stay on your feet the whole day or night. Yes, it’s convenient to pick out those metallic stilettos and make a ‘safe’ choice, but what’s the point if your feet are going to cry out for help in no time? Oh, and the irony is that your pair (however, stunning it is) may hide under the long trains of your outfit.
Enter sneakers — bold and bright, vibrant and vivacious, sexy and super cool! Not only do they make brides stand out, but also add the much-needed touch of comfort that is versatile enough to team with ethnic wear. Whether it’s the wedding ceremony, reception or even the afterparty, sneakers go with all kinds of outfits! No wonder, brides are swapping pretty party shoes for something that’s more casual and comfortable. If you want to let it be hidden under your lehenga or want to flaunt it with your saree — the choice is all yours!
Take cues from Bollywood’s favourite designer and actress Sonam Kapoor’s sister, Rhea Kapoor, who made sneakers a trend with ethnic outfits, way before anyone else. She turned up in an Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla ensemble paired with a classic white pair from Nike at Sonam Kapoor’s wedding in 2018.
Most recently, Rhea wore an Abu-Jani Sandeep Khosla organza maxi skirt with embroidered love motifs in a multitude of languages, paired with a red bomber jacket at her wedding afterparty. No prizes for guessing — she completed the look with a pair of spunky white sneakers!
Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone, too, changed into a pair of comfy white sneakers to dance it out as part of her wedding festivities with Ranveer Singh. Dressed in a stunning Zuhair Murad couture gown, she swapped her red hot heels for sneakers to party the night away, and we couldn’t relate more.
You really don’t have to go gaga over sneakers to get the look right! It’s all about having fun and going for a pair that speaks your style. From ceremonial pairs to those with ribbon laces, crystal-embellished ones to pastels, there’s everything and more available today! Plus, you can also choose to get a pair customised for your big day.
Wondering how to style your bridal outfit with sneakers, or are you a bridesmaid who is looking to make a style statement at your BFF’s wedding? We’ve got some inspiration for you from some top celebrity stylists in India.
1. The classic white or black sneaker
You just can’t go wrong with this classic pair, because it looks great with just about anything and everything! Recently, the newly-weds Rajkummar Rao and Patralekhaa wore bespoke white ensembles and ditched formal shoes at their engagement. They went ahead with matching white sneakers and turned out to be #couplegoals as always!
Another bride who took our breath away was Tanushree Sharma of the Glutton and Owl, who paired her white sneakers with a pink lehenga from Shantanu and Nikhil. You don’t need to have white in your outfit to pair white sneakers — they are super versatile.
Celebrity stylist Eshaa Amin, who has styled the who’s who of Bollywood, including Karisma Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Jahnvi Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor, Pooja Hegde, Bipasha Basu, Chitrangada Singh, and many more has a piece of advice. “Wear sneakers under heavy lehengas, and anarkalis. You really can’t see the footwear, so why wear uncomfortable heels? You could also wear sneakers with wedges, which are available at Steve Madden or Nike. They give you the height that you need, and also the ‘cool factor’. If you want to add a touch of glam, you can opt for classic white pairs that are embellished with embroidery and look great,” she adds.
Bridesmaids too can experiment with the classic whites or blacks, if you want to opt for a neutral colour to pair with cool and quirky lehengas, drape sarees, pant sarees, and jacket lehengas, says Eshaa. “With such silhouettes, it is much easier to wear a sneaker. Colours can be white or black since they fit in so well with most outfits,” she adds.
Our top picks:
Golden Gota Sneaker, The Saree Sneakers
Aldo SPOWERS100 White Women Sneakers
Nike Air Force 1 LXX x Swarovski
2. Golden or silver sneakers
These are two classic shades that go well with any bridal outfit or lehenga without any hassle! Try out the metallic ones or even sequined sneakers that add a touch of glitter and up the glam quotient.
Bridesmaids too can carry gold or silver sneakers with ease as they work well with most colours and look glamorous too. In fact, for bridesmaids, while looking sexy and glamorous is important, it’s important to be able to run around, or be able to dance and sneakers completely fit the bill. "If you are in the mood to flaunt your quirky side, opt for a metallic tone with an LED-lit sole. Plus, you can dance the night away and have so much fun!
Our top picks:
Puma Women’s Basket litter with Platforms
Alexandra from Coral Haze
Dune London Metallic Slip-on Sneakers
PYYIQI LED Light Up Shoes for Women
3. Colour pop
You do not have to keep it bland at all — go for matching sneakers with your outfit, or wear the craziest colours and make a statement!
Celebrity stylist Aastha Sharma — also the founder of celebrity, fashion, film and wedding styling startup, Wardrobist — who has styled Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for her red carpet looks at the celebrated Cannes Film Festival says, “Brides who choose to wear sneakers with bridal wear are those who choose comfort, but also want to make a modern fashion statement. These days you find sneakers in all kinds of colours, and with heels or flats, so pick the one you really like and the one that goes with your outfit,” she adds.
Opt for reds, pinks, or any other vibrant colour, she says. Aastha believes there’s really no particular trend when it comes to colours. In fact, one can even have fun and experiment with a multi-coloured pair!
One of Bollywood’s most celebrated stylists, costume designer and actress, Anaita Shroff Adajania, who recently styled Katrina Kaif at her wedding with Vicky Kaushal recommends matching sneakers for bridesmaids! “If they are wearing pink, maybe a pink ribbon lace can be a great addition, or if it’s yellow, then that. They could also have messages for the bride on the sneakers,” a nifty tip from the celebrity stylist to add a touch of customization to your footwear on your special day.
In July 2021, TV actress Disha Parmar who married singer Rahul Vaidya wore a dazzling Indo-Western outfit and went for a pair of comfortable matching sneakers to complete her look.
Our top picks:
Adidas Originals Stan Smith Sneakers For Women (Pink)
Skechers Side Street-Awesome Sauce Sneakers For Women (Gold)
Embellished Trainers By Monisha Jaising
Almari The Urban Closet- Women Embroidered Bird & Flower Patch Sneakers
Perfect Rainbow Sneakers By Coral Haze
4. Customised sneakers
Move over inscribed lehengas made popular by actors Patralekaa and Katrina Kaif at their wedding and have a quirky message written on your wedding sneakers or imprinted initials that showcase your love for your partner. Whatever is on your mind, you can have those sneakers made for your D-day! There really are no rules — it’s all about doing things that are in tune with your personality (or sometimes not). Here’s what Anaita has to say, “I think for the bride, it will be nice to glitz it up with rhinestones or maybe a message that she likes, on the sneakers. Plus, I feel sneakers are great to wear because the fun you have when you are comfortable doesn’t equate to anything else. So many brands are doing the coolest sneakers ever, so one can wear something with studs or different finishes, and that in itself is a style statement.”
Our top picks:
Banno Tera Swagger by The Quirky Naari
Patakha Dulhan by The Quirky Naari
Customised sneakers by Poshampa by arima
Almari The Urban Closet- Women Statement Floral Patch Sneakers
More tips that will help you rock bridal sneakers:
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So, wait no more and get set to rock the town on your D-day (or otherwise)!
Photo: Shutterstock and Instagram