13 Ways To Drape A Dupatta For Your Wedding

New-era brides are being experimental with almost everything, whether it is the cut or fabric of the lehenga, color of the outfit, sleeves of the blouse, jewelry pieces, or anything else. If you style one part of your wedding trousseau differently, the whole look standouts beautifully, even as little as interestingly draping the dupatta. Yes, draping a dupatta does count and could make or break your look. 

You don't have to go the traditional route and just pick what's already there like taking the dupatta on the head or one side, go ahead and try different ways of draping the dupatta with your lehenga, Anarkali, Gharara, or even a suit. 

Interesting Ways to Drape a Dupatta

Ethnic wear with a dupatta looks stunning and the way you drape it makes it look even better, and can amplify the whole look. The best part? You can also repeat your outfit in the future by simply changing the way you have draped the dupatta earlier. Yes, it's that easy! Here are a few draping styles, that we absolutely love and want you to try at least once!

1. The OG Around The Neck Style

Source: Frontier Raas

The dupatta taken around the neck looks simple yet elegant with traditional wear. This draping style gives a ‘girl-next-door’ vibe and is perfect for any festive occasion or wedding event like Mehndi and Haldi. If your outfit has a light fabric dupatta, draping it around the neck will be easy and it will not restrict your movement.                                            

2. One-Side Draping Style

Source: Sara Idrees

Another OG draping style with your dupatta which looks traditional is taking your dupatta and pinning it on one shoulder. This draping style looks stunning with a lightweight fabric with intricate embroidery or prints and it will showcase the beauty of the dupatta. The look adds grace to your ethnic wear. With this draping style, even a heavily detailed dupatta will look good.

3. One Side Pleated Drape

Source: Seema Gujral Design

It is another fuss-free way of draping the dupatta. The center of the dupatta is pinned on one shoulder, neatly pleated through the width of the fabric and adding a balance. Pinup the pleat with a safety pin or try a brooch to accessorize it. On your sangeet or reception night if you don’t want to deal with handling the dupatta yet wore a Lehenga, or a heavy gharara suit, go for this style. You can also add a belt around your waist to accentuate the whole look. This style would also look amazing if the dupatta has intricately designed borders or simply heavy borders. 

Also Read: Top 90+ Bridal Lehengas For Every Bride

4. Diagonal Drape

Source: Alina Rahman Photography

This draping style gives a carefree and cheerful vibe to the bride or the bridesmaid. You just have to pin it at one shoulder and take the front side and wrap it to the backside and tuck or pin it on the center. Leave the dupatta open, like a saree pallu and you will look gorgeous and shine like a princess. This style is very comfortable to drape and is perfect for events like Mehendi or Sangeet.

5. Pleated Diagonal Drape

Source: Trenholm Photo

Neatly pleat the dupatta and pin the center on one of your shoulders. This way one end will be on the front side and the other on the backside. Take one end of the backside and bring it in front, wrapping it under your arms and then pinning it on the shoulder where the center of the dupatta is already pinned. The pleats will give a neat look and this draping style is another way to keep your movements free. Take a dupatta with a beautiful border so that when pleated, the border will be the highlight of the outfit.

Also Read: Top 10 Shades Of Pink For Your Bridal Lehenga

6. The Punjabi Style Drape

Source: Jayanti Reddy Label       

Another dupatta draping style that gives a traditional and festive look is the Punjabi style drape. Just neatly pleat the dupatta and pin the center on one of your shoulders. Take the corners of both the ends, front and back, tie them and drape the tied side on the other shoulder. The front and back will give a U-shaped look and the set pleats will set the flowy look. Usually, this drape looks stunning with a Patiala suit, but you can try it with your Anarkali or Sharara suits too. 

You can also add a belt with your lehenga to accentuate the whole look. You can keep the front-side length of the dupatta at your convenience. 

7. The Waterfall Drape

Source: Vivek Krishnan Photography

If you have a simple Anarkali or Lehenga, go for a heavy or bold-colored dupatta that will give a contrasting effect to this draping style. Take the dupatta and make a waterfall pleat where the folds will be visible as you are going to arrange the pleats sizewise. You will start with the pleats and will keep shifting the fabric a little upward one by one so that at the end, you can pin it up on one of your shoulders. For the leftover fabric, either you can leave it free on the back or you can tuck it on the opposite side if wearing a lehenga. Try out this drape for your bridal look and set a fashion trend. 

Also Read: 10 Type Of Fabrics For Your Wedding Outfit

8. Cowl Neck Drape

A unique way to carry the lightweight fabric is to drape it in a cowl neck style. Both the end of the dupatta is taken to the back by draping it around the neck and leaving it loose like that. It creates the cowl effect and gives a contemporary look to your lehenga. Just make sure the dupatta is light in weight and plain fabric to make it look different and unique. 

You can go for this draping style when wearing a sleeveless Anarkali to give a traditional yet modern look. 

9. Wear It Like a Jacket Drape

Source: Rimple & Harpreet Narula

The cape is a very royal and elegant way of draping the dupatta. This draping style would be perfect for your reception, especially if you are choosing a heavily embellished dupatta with a plain-colored lehenga. This draping style will look chic and traditional.

Source: Banu Designs

You can take the two ends of the dupatta over your arms or you can leave it open, spreading it across your arms to give a proper cape look. 

10. The Gujarati Style Drape

The most common yet easy and hassle-free drape is the Gujarati style drape. One side of the dupatta is pleated and draped at the front and the remaining dupatta, left at the backside is pleated and tucked around the side of the waistband. Then the corner of the underlying border at the front is secured at the side seam with a pin.

This draping style is generally practiced at weddings by the bride to give an ethereal look.

11. Half-Saree Drape

The southern Indian women are seen draping their lehenga or Pattu Saree in this style. 

This classic half-saree drape gives the whole look a traditional and regal vibe. One end of the dupatta, that is the right side, is pleated and tucked at the center front of the lehenga. Then the other end is wrapped around the hips and brought to the front side and the remaining front part is formed into pleats and pinned onto the left shoulder.  You can also tie a ‘kamar bandh’ around the waistline to accentuate your whole look. 

12. Off-Shoulder Drape

Source: Ekaya Banaras

This draping style is for brides who love fusion outfits.

Take the dupatta and wrap it around your shoulder the way that both the end of the dupatta is at the front. Then take both sides of the dupatta and pin it up like how you button a shirt and slide down the upper part from your shoulder to give it an off-shoulder look. Wear a lehenga or a gharara with an off-shoulder bralette and drape a printed traditional Bandhni print dupatta like this and secure the waist with a slim embellished or plain belt. Complete the whole look with a statement neckpiece and a high ponytail to give a chic look.

Try this look on your engagement or reception night to turn some heads with several compliments. 

13. Asymmetrical Drape

Source: Aza Fashions

For the asymmetrical drape, both the ends will cross each other from the same shoulder and one will end up in the front and the other at the backside. This draping style will give a contemporary touch to your lehenga.

If you want to try something different, go for this drape for your wedding reception and become a sensation already with your style. It can also be called an off-shoulder cowl style, wrapped around front to back and then secured just at the shoulder. You can put a statement brooch on your shoulder to highlight it. 

Also Read: 11 Interesting Ways To Reuse Your Wedding Lehenga

Conclusion

See, wasn't that easy? Styling your dupatta can change the whole look and the special thing about the dupattas are - you can pair them with any traditional wear or Indo-western. Just note down these above-mentioned dupatta draping styles as we have got the easy and hassle-free ones for you to try. Draping is an art in itself and if one learns the tricks and methods, you can match every piece from your wardrobe with your dupatta in a unique and different draping style. And as we always say, do not hesitate to try new things and adapt them.

Edited & Photo Sourced By: Neha Garg Ahuja