40 Trendy Sister of Bride Outfit Ideas || Indian wedding dresses for bride's sister

Brides have to keep things traditional on their wedding day but for bride's sister there are no rules to follow. You can experiment like crazy, wear any colour you want and have fun with latest trends.  My sister got married recently and I must say I  had a lot of fun shopping and putting together my look for her wedding. I had three different looks at my sisters wedding an all my looks were striking and unique. These days there are a lot of trendy outfit ideas for the sister of bride to choose from. You can go desi and opt for traditional lehengas or sarees and style it with statement accessories or pick new age silhouettes like capes, dhoti pants, palazzos etc.

For my sisters wedding I tried to bring in a lot of variet with all my looks. After a lot of  research I zeroed in on a burnt orange indo-western anarkali gown for a day before wedding, neon pink cape gown for wedding aka nikaah and a green jacket lehenga for reception. In addition to adding variety of colours to my outfits I also kept my makeup looks different for more drama. If your sister is getting married it is important that you experiment with different styles at gher wedding instead of going the regular lehenga or anarkali route. Today in this post I bring to you some super stylish sister of bride outfit ideas which will help you make a statement and stand out without overshadowing the bride.

All these outfit ideas work well even for the sister of groom or friend of bride.

40 Trendy Sister of Bride Outfit Ideas

#1 Gorgeous sharara suits with short kurta


For an Indian wedding sarees and lehengas are a regular outfit choice but if you want to keep things traditional yet a bit hatke opt for a sharara suit. If you own a heavy punjabi suit then just ditch the patiala bottoms and get a matching sharara pants stitched and you have a trendy outfit ready. Sharara suits work best for nikaahs but they can also look awesome when wore at a wedding reception or sangeet of your sister


If you are a sister of bride looking to wear sharara to the pre wedding functions go minimal on bling and choose rich fabrics like silk or interesting prints



Even light pastel colours work great for pre wedding functions.

#2 Floor length anarkali gown


Anarkalis are a huge hit at weddings but you are the bride's sister so try floor length anarkalis which look regal  and are easy to carry off too. If your floor length anarkali gown is heavily embellished or embroidered you can even skip the dupatta for fuss free wedding outfit. 

#3 Simple lehenga with high low cut top


Lehengas are fail proof sister of bride outfit ideas but you need to keep things interesting so try a different blouse design. Asymmetrical hemline blouses are in vogue this season and can help you stand out  in a crowd of lehenga girls .

Super long high low lehenga blouses give illusion of a cape and can look full on glam. You can choose to skip dupatta with this too. If you  have an asymmetrical hemline anarkali just pair it with a light lehenga and you are good to go.

#4 Asymmetrical sheer cape with lehenga


Capes are everywhere and it is one trend which refuses to fade off. Sheer capes look chic and feminine making it perfect outfit choice for bride's sister. Sheer long capes means no dupatta hassles so you can easily perform all your sister of bride duties in total comfort. If you want to wear a cape style lehenga for wedding choose an outfit which features an embellished cape or a heavy work lehenga . You can wear this style to your sisters mehendi or sangeet too by opting for lighter work.

#5 contemporary saree drape with peplum blouse

Sarees still are an amazing outfit idea for anyone when it is wedding related. If you are a sister of bride you should try new age saree drapes and contemporary blouse designs to look youthful yet traditional.  The peplum saree blouse paired aith a vibrant saree is a good outfit idea.

#6 Trendy lehenga with fringe detailed blouse design


Fringe is another trend which going anywhere soon. Ethnic wear with fringe detailing can be diffiult to pull off but they sure make for a striking look. Your good old lehenga with fringe detailed offshoulder blouse design is glam all the way.

#7 Light ombre lehengas for sister of bride


With so much running around to do bride's sisters prefer light outfits. You can opt for breezy ombre lehehngas which are fun and visually stunning. You can get your lehengas stitched  from your local tailor and then dip dyed from fabric shops. Use plain flowy fabrics like Georgette and get your very own gorgeous outfit which costs lot less but is super stylish. This kind of outfit idea is best suited for smaller wedding functions but if you get your blouse sleeves and dupatta embellished you can wear it even for your sisters wedding reception .

#8 Stylish saree with embellished high neck blouse design



#9 Latest anarkali dress with cape for sister of bride


Everyone seems to be wearing anarkalis at weddings these days and there is a reason for that. This mughal era ethnic attire looks stylish yet is uber comfortable. If you also want to wear anarkalis then go for latest deigns which feature an attached cape instead of dupatta.  Style your cape anarakli with heavy jewellery and bold eye makeup or lip colour and viola you are ready for your sisters big day.

#10 Modern pre-stitched sari gowns


If you dont want to wear a saree because handling all the pleats and pallu feels like a chore then fret not. Pre-stitched saree gowns are your best option. Just wear it , zip it up and you are reception ready, no worries about getting the drape right. Go for bold colours or feminine pastels when buying a sari gown and pair with statement jewellery like rani haar and huge kadas. You can even add metallic belts to your sari gown look.

#11 Lehenga with off shouldered blouse


Up the style game at your sisters wedding, instead of the normal choli pair your lehenga with a sexy off shouldered blouse. Watch how this look reaps compliments.

#12 Floor length middle slit kurta with dhoti pants


Dhoti pants add a quirky touch to ethnic outfits and when paired with long kurta with a middle slit makes for a alluring sister of bride outfit. try this look for wedding reception or your sister's mehendi.

#13 New age dhoti style drape saree

If dhoti pants arent your thing then give the dhoti drape sari a try. This contemporary saree drape is sure to grab eye balls at any wedding and you wont over shadow your sister too. Complement your dhoti saree look with fun accessories like a belt and kundan neck pieces or ear cuffs. This outfit is easy on pocket as you can just pick a saree from your moms wardrobe and get it draped in dhoti style. This kind of look works well for sangeet, cocktail or even wedding reception.

#14 Trendy ruffled or tiered lehenga designs  for bride's sister


Lehengas are available is so many stunning designs these days but you need something very different because the sister of bride outfit needs to be Ah-Mazing. While most lehenga designs offer innovative blouse design ideas try tiered or ruffled lehenga style which offer something interesting in the lehenga pattern.




Simple two tiered lehengas or layered ruffles with fringe detailing all work well bride's sister.

#15 High slit lehenga with off - shouldered blouse featuring sweeping sheer cape


#16 Indo western pants and blouse with sheer cape


#17 Long asymmetrical kurta with palazzo pants


#18 Long side slit kurta with palazzos 


#19 Ethnic long jacket with palazzo and crop top


#20 Glam fringe detailed saree designs for sister of bride



Fringe in ethnic wear is huge these days and fringe detailed saree is best way to flaunt this trend.  Saree detailed with gives a very modern touch the traditional garment and is quiet easy to carry off for sister of bride.

#22 Balloon pants with asymmetrical kurta


Flared baloon pants with high low cut kurtas make for a nice sister of bride outfit for smaller wedding events like mehndi or haldi.

#23 Silk sarees with a modern twist as sister of bride outfit

Brides sister in south India mostly turn to silk sarees but you can keep things youthful and fresh by styling it with a modern twist. Opt for blouses with contemporary cuts and add metallic or leather belts to your silk sarees.


You can even layer your silk sarees with sheer capes for a  more chic look. For more modern blouse design ideas to pair with silk sarees see this post here.

#24 Indo western fusion gown 

Love all those princessy Cinderella gowns popular in the west? You can sport one with a traditonal twist at your sisters wedding. Indo western fusion are high on comfort and look super gorg. I myself wore an indo western anarkali fusion gown at my sisters wedding and it was the best outfit choice. I did all the running around in my gown and dint feel one bit uncomfortable. With anarkali gowns you can skip the dupatta and ofocurse wear to any wedding function you like with a bit of styling tweaks. For sangeet an anarkali gown works well with a pair of statement earrings, for wedding add a light dupatta and layered neck pieces and for reception  pair your anarkali gown with a low bun and bold eye makeup.

#25 Long kurta with lehenga 


#26 Anarakali with high middle slit and embellished pants



#27  Hot in trend Can Can saree drape

Tia Bhuva introduced this modern twist to silk sarees, the can can saree drape. Add a can can lehenga skirt to your silk saree drape for more fluffed up modern silk saree look. See full tutorial of how to get the can can saree drape right here

#28 Saree with cape


Capes with sarees is one trend even celebrities are flaunting. This trend is easy to try with your existing sarees. All you need is a good tailor to stitch you a sheer cape. This look works best as sister of bride outfit for wedding reception. Take your sheer cape to a karigar and get its hemline embellished or embroidered.

#29 Floor length embellished anarkalis


#30 Asymmetrical sheer anarkali with lehenga



#31 Pre stitched dupatta blouses with lehengas


 

#32 Asymmetrical hemline anarkali designs


#33 Sharara pants with short anarakali kurti


#34 Floor length middle slit kurta with lehenga


#35 Anarkali kurta with dhoti pants


#36 Chic floral lehengas for bride's sister


#37 Draped fusion gowns for sister of bride



#38 Floor length cape sleeve blouse with lehengas


#39 Simple lehengas with high neck blouses


#40 Lehengas with peplum style blouse designs


Styling Guide for bride's sister: The Dos, Donts and Tips for sister of bride

  • Ditch the rules: For sister of bride there are no rules when it comes to choosing your outfit. Unlike the bride you have no need to be very traditional or trying to please the in laws! So, get quirky and have some fun with your indian wedding dresses. Opt for western cuts and contemporary drapes.
  • Opt for offbeat hues: If you dont want to experiment crazy but want to still look stylish choose trendy colours. Sea foam green, ivory, lilac, powder blue, rose gold and  pastels are all a huge hit this wedding season. 
  • Choose comfort: Sister of bride outfits need to be stylish yet comfortable because she has a lot of running around to do. Choose silhouttes where you can easily skip the dupatta like a anarkali cape, lehenga with cape blouse or lehenga with floor length sleeves etc. For the wedding reception which is hosted by the boys side you can wear something more trendy like sari gowns etc.
  • Traditional with a twist: If you really want to stick to safe traditional outfit choices like sarees or lehengas then try interesting blouse patterns. Peplum blouses, off shoulders, cold shoulders or even capes can make you really stand out. If blouse experiments also look too bold for you then try hatke dupatta or saree drapes.
  • Accessorize right: Accessories are an absolute  important part of any Indian wedding look. A bride's sister is allowed to go over the top. Jhumkas and kundan neck pieces look super trendy and go for necklaces with a touch of green or emerals which are very popular these days. For other smaller functions try simple matha pattis or  fun ear cuffs and ofcourse dont forget the maang tikka. If you dont like heavy or bold accessories then choose outfits in vibrant colours.
  • Shoes: For footwear you need to definitely choose comfort over style becuase you probably have a lot of stuff to do, because hello your sister is getting married! Try ballet flats, juttis or wedges. Most outfits are floor length so not much of your footwear will be visible anyway.
  • Hairstyles need to complement your outfit well. Side swept hair dos work best if you want to wear  a maang tika. Braids are fuss free and you can make them interesting accessorizing with pearls or tiny flowers or even mogra. Make sure you set your hair with a hair spray so you dont have to deal with fly aways.
Which sister of bride outfit idea are you more drawn to? Tell us in comments below.

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