20 best looks from Deepika Padukone’s traditional wardrobe—from sarees to kurtas

She can work them showstopper gowns and voluminous trains, but Deepika Padukone holds a special spot in her heart (and wardrobe) for the classic sari. Credit it to all the period roles she’s essayed on the big screen if you will, but there’s no denying that a part of the Mastani magic lives on in the twirl of her lehengas, and is visible in her stiffly pinned pallus, which speak of the forgotten elegance of a bygone era. With the wedding season looming, take a quick peek at the winning ensembles that Deepika Padukone has favoured in her ethnic wardrobe.

Inside Deepika Padukone’s wedding wardrobe

As a bride, Padukone played with proportions, serving classic Kanjeevaram saris and exaggerated sari pallus with equal ease. The star channelled the power of bridal reds for weddings on her social calendar. Case in point: the head-to-toe red sari Padukone was spotted in at Isha Ambani’s pre-wedding bash. 

Her go-to trick for standing out from the crowd? An eye for unconventional silhouettes—her Fabiiana pick featured an unusual pleated pallu, layered over a halter neck blouse and multi-tiered necklace. 

The hue continued to pull favour in her wedding wardrobe—the main Ambani wedding ceremony saw her juxtaposing the puritanical white of her sari with a full-sleeved blouse in siren red.

For Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’ Mumbai reception, she gave in to the allure of a classic lehenga, and found a winner in a showstopping black and gold number by Sabyasachi. She accessorised the look with a statement emerald choker and the suave Ranveer Singh on her arm, dressed in all-black as well. Those looking for ways to work coordinated couple style without entering matchy territory, take notes.

Inside Deepika Padukone’s ethnic wardrobe

Given the choice between a lehenga and a sari for a red carpet event, the stunner turns to the seven yards in a wide array of the country’s most prized weaves. For an award show, she tapped into the power of tone-on-tone dressing with a chikankari sari by Rahul Mishra, teamed with a beaten gold blouse. 

Another social event saw her walking arm-in-arm with Singh to greet the paps in a silk brocade sari from Raw Mango. Drawing support from the label’s classic aesthetic, she wore the high-necked blouse with a gold choker and traditional floral bun. 

Padukone has also shown an affinity for designer Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla, with wearing an ethereal creamy white saree for the Cannes closing ceremony. 

While Padukone has an unerring eye for timeless classics, when she does decide to experiment, she isn’t afraid to go all the way. For a recent conference on the future of fashion, she left the power suits behind at home and stepped onstage in a voluminous Sabyasachi sari in cheery hues of pineapple yellow. A closer look at the details lends further power to the sunshine colour palette—the pussy-bow collar of the blouse is complemented with billowing sleeves, while the sleek bun is rounded out with shoulder-grazing chandelier earrings and oversized Elie Saab frames.

Padukone's red carpet glamour when it comes to Indian wear is a strong contender for fuelling upcoming trends, but it's her collection of comfy kurtas that takes the prize. Padukone styles a breezy pink Bandhani kurta with a quick-fix messy bun that just hits the nail on the head. 

Scroll ahead for some ethnic outfits from Deepika Padukone’s wardrobe that you’ll want to bookmark for the wedding season ahead.

Also read:

5 lessons in fashion you need to learn from Deepika Padukone

16 times Deepika Padukone effortlessly aced ethnic wear

What you can learn about wearing a sari from Deepika Padukone