11 Indian Wear Essentials Every Desi Girl Needs In Her Closet!

No matter how many trends come and go, ethnic wear will forever be our best friend! We’re sure you know a few essential fashion staples every girl should invest in, but do you know what are the Indian wear wardrobe essentials you need? If you love your desi wear as much as we do, look no more! Here are 11 ethnic wardrobe staples EVERY girl needs in her closet. 

1. The Quintessential Kurta

Image: Nargis Fakhri On Instagram 

Every girl needs a kurta in her closet for some comfy desi style. Be it a colourful kurta to light up the dull days or a plain one to accessorize differently each time, kurtas will always come to your rescue! If you don’t own a kurta yet, start by buying a neutral coloured one so you can style it differently and experiment till you invest in some more. 

Recommends: Textured Kurta (Rs 675) 

2. Comfy Palazzo Pants

Image: Athiya Shetty On Instagram 

Palazzo pants are a trendy new addition in the ethnic wear family and we absolutely love them! Palazzos are the most comfortable bottom wear you’ll ever find. You can rock them with kurta or kurtis, crop tops, ethnic tops and basic t-shirts. Once you invest in them, you’d want to wear them all day long! Indigo prints and plain beige palazzos are easier to style and have been in vogue for a while. Pair them with a simple kurta for a comfy but chic daily style. 

Recommends: Black Palazzo Pants (Rs 799) 

3. Long Ethnic Skirt

Ditch those pencil skirts and make way for some beautifully printed ethnic ones! Brands like AND, FabIndia, Sabhyata and Biba have a droolworthy collection of long ethnic skirts that are really pretty. A maxi skirt can be styled in ways more than one. So go crazy and team it with your favourite crop top, kurti, or even a denim shirt! 

Recommends: Blue Printed Maxi Skirt (Rs 799) 

4. Desi Jhumkas

Image: Sonam Kapoor On Instagram 

Doesn’t every girl NEED to have that one pair of pretty jhumkas that she can wear with just about anything? If you don’t yet, go and buy one already! Jhumkas can be the perfect accessory for a basic tee with jeans kinda outfit or the classic salwar suit. Jhumkas are one accessory you will not regret splurging on! 

Recommends: Floral Jhumkas (Rs 699) 

5. Some Jutti Fun

Image: Fizzy Goblet On Instagram 

You don’t necessarily have to be wearing traditionals to wear juttis. You can pair juttis with your basic jeans and t-shirt as well! We all need that one pair of juttis we can not only wear with all our Indian wear, but also on a regular basis to work. They’re the easiest way to nail fusion styles! 

Recommends: Puppy Print Juttis (Rs 1,650) 

6. A Patiala To Go With All Kurtis!

Image: Karisma Kapoor On Instagram 

Add some Punjabi fun to your closet with super comfortable and colourful patiala salwars! You can wear them infinitely with your kurtis and tunic tops. They’re comfortable and just the perfect kind of desi. Need we say more? 

Recommends: Orange Patiala Salwar (Rs 599) 

7. That One Chunni!

Image: Aditi Rao Hydari On Instagram 

Be it phulkari or bandini, we all need that one chunni which can brighten up any dull outfit! A pretty dupatta can up your glam quotient very easily. Go ahead and splurge on embroidered and bright dupattas and add a splash of colour to your wardrobe! 

Recommends: Pink Net Dupatta (Rs 599) 

8. Salwar Suit!

Image: Alia Bhatt On Instagram 

A salwar kameez set is a great investment for every girl. Be it a traditional function, a friend’s engagement or just another day, salwar suits can be flaunted just about anywhere! Kareena Kapoor in Jab We Met and Alia Bhatt in HSKD set major desi girl style goals when they wore the most beautiful salwar suits we’ve seen! Time to take some inspiration, girls! 

Recommends: Salwar Suit Set (Rs 3,150) 

9. A Basic Saree Blouse

Image: Sonam Kapoor On Instagram 

Even if you’re not a regular saree wearer, keeping a blouse in handy is only going to help. Go for a well tailored neutral coloured blouse that you can use when you make an impromptu plan to wear a saree. We all borrow our mom’s sarees from time to time, so having a neutral blouse in your wardrobe will always come to your rescue. One should always be prepared for a stylish night out, right? 

Recommends: Kalamkari Print Cotton Blouse (Rs 1,499) 

10. A Traditional Saree

Image: Deepika Padukone On Instagram 

Whether it’s your own or your mom’s, sarees have a way of making us look perfectly traditional for any occasion! It’s only obvious that we all need at least one or two of these traditional wonders in our ethnic wardrobe. Keeping a saree in your closet for any sudden plans of going for a diwali party or a traditional event is going to help you more than you think. Go and have a look at your mother’s old collection of sarees and you’ll find something for yourself without even having to pay for it! 

Recommends: Art Silk Saree (Rs 999) 

11. Gorgeous Anarkali!

Image: Anushka Sharma On Instagram 

A long and flowy anarkali will be a great addition to your ethnic wear wardrobe. You can wear it for wedding functions and festivals! Anarkali suits, unlike other ethnic fads isn’t a trend to go out of style ever, plus they flatter all body types. It’s time you go and get your hands on one. 

Recommends: Floral Anarkali (Rs 1,125) 

Now that you know what are the essentials you MUST have, it’s time for some shopping!