GET SET FOR DURGA PUJA

THE PROFILE PICK INFLUENCERS SHARE EASY-PEASY TIPS

Durga Puja. There’s something magical about this time of the year that, without a doubt, brings a smile to our faces. The sun has mellowed a bit but still hanging on brightly, the city is buzzing with active shoppers and pandal installations, the air feels lighter no matter what, and we get busy thinking up ways to bond with our loved ones some of whom we’ll be meeting after an entire year.

Make no mistake. While spirituality definitely takes centre-stage as we pray to the Goddess to watch over us, it is also the time to dress our best and put our best foot forward.

Over the years, this grand time is when most of us dress to unleash our creative expression through what we wear from Saptami (maybe even Sasthi) through Dashami. It is once again the time to create that beautiful bridge between old-age classic and new-era freshness through how we dress up.

Be as striking or as mild as you prefer treating your own self as a creative canvas through the days of festivity. Don’t be shy of experimenting a bit to make your signature look personal and unique. Let the happy festive days be a time to remember forever.

The Profile Pick influencers tell us that fashion is, in fact, very fluid and you don’t need to rob a bank to look your best and utterly confident with a few basic tips. Read on for what the fashionistas have to say about looking your best on the days of Durga Puja.

• Tanaya Bhattacharjee – For Durga Puja, the saree will forever hold #1 spot for me. Round the year, I am more than happy to wear western outfits as they are easy to pull on and style but when it’s time for the grandest festival of the year I am all for ethnic wear and particularly, the saree.

As far as clothes go, utility plus style gets the thumbs up from me. So, I invest in clothes that come in use through the year. I can pull them on in a jiffy and I am good to go. The more ways you can style a piece of garment, the more creative you are.

For Durga Puja, three basics that I recommend for every young girl are a saree, a versatile salwar in a cut that can be paired easily with a kurta for an Indian vibe or a tank top for a funkier, new-age look, and thirdly, a nice dress in a flowy silhouette like a gown.

Pair each garment with nice jewellery – I personally favour the western cross-over types with Asian influences – and voila, you are ready to rock every Puja pandal!

• Tanushree Dey – I am a fan of ethnic wear and I think any girl can rock a traditional look with minimum effort. Personally, I always start my Durga Puja shopping with a saree and I spend a fair bit of time on selecting because I love to treasure it long after the festivities are over. Do the same – get set for some hard work and don’t rush through your purchase. Go ahead and select that one piece with care and love that you add to your collection and cherish for many years.

Secondly, you may invest in simple dress that will work fine through the year for your classes or office. For Puja, jazz it up by just throwing on a festive scarf. Add some chic jewellery or beautiful hair accessories (oversized scrunchies, padded headbands, hair pins with gems and pearl embellishments, satin and velvet bows, and claw clips are some hair accessories trending big time in 2025). Then go ahead and put on some makeup so you are set for the morning or evening even in your new, utterly simple dress.

I also recommend a pair of blue jeans that is a very versatile outfit and can be dressed up with a variety of tops. When you wear a smart ethnic print top with jhumkas or chandbalis, you are screaming posh even on a wallet-friendly budget. This look works great for the daytime while hanging out at your favourite pandal with friends.

Three looks for three days that I suggest – a saree, a dress, blue jeans and top – all these can be switched up or dressed down long after Puja is over.

• Archika Gupta – Hold your breath, I am going to try something quite edgy this Durga Puja! I plan to wear dhoti-punjabi and I am sure this will add to the excitement that I am already feeling for the coming festive days. If you are planning on an outfit that will really stand out like mine, I suggest you keep it as the focal point of your look. I intend to go easy on the makeup, doing up my eyes well with kajal and keeping the tints on my face light and barely there.

Why don’t you treat yourself to some gorgeous sarees this Puja? We are lucky to live in a country where we have endless choice of textiles and sarees can be styled in endless ways. So, here’s my suggestion to make it impactful through the Puja – a breezy cotton saree for Saptami, a Dakai Jamdani for Ashtami, a silk saree for Navami.

After all, sarees are an investment and stay well for years and years when stored well.

• Mira Roy – It’s ethnic for me during Durga Puja, no doubt about it. I am a big fan of simple clothes that can be worn all through the year for college or univ classes long after Puja is over. But who said the look has to be drab and boring? After all, festivals are all about the fun of dressing up. Add an interesting belt (here’s a pro tip – the belt trend is in across fashion circles all over the world right now and fashionistas are thinking out of the box with fun styling options), put on some smart footwear, fix some delightful jewellery and who’s stopping you from looking like a million bucks for an evening out during Durga Puja!

My top three picks that will make you look 10X more interesting for Durga Puja – a dreamy saree, an elegant kurta-pant or salwar-suit set in modern or classic style as you prefer, a pair of well-fitted jeans. Don’t forget the accessories and makeup and you’re fashion-ready every single day.

With inputs by Neha Karmakar