Return to regal roots

Ghararas rival farshi shalwars this Eidul Fitr

Eidul Fitr fashion had fabulous variety to offer this year, though it wasn’t exactly sweeping the floor as eagerly as everyone had predicted. But even if the fire for farshi shalwar was doused sooner than anticipated, traditional picks flourished as always and statement pieces returned with a fresh flair.

All in one colour

Despite the splash of colour that takes to the soirées every year, monochrome fits dominated the scene this Eid. Take, for instance, Mahira Khan’s glossy white kurti and churidar pajama – an ensemble whose only point of deviation was the spangle of gold sequins on its pale dupatta. Owing to the light shimmer on the otherwise clear outfit, Mahira elevated the dress with golden bangles and jewellery, and a pair of brown khussa. The Ho Mann Jahaan star topped off the look with natural makeup, tinting her lips a soft pink and flaunting a sunshine-friendly glow.

Consistency in white was key for Hania Aamir too, as she donned a pale, embroidered pair of shalwar kameez with sheer sleeves and bottom hems, and draped a twin-white dupatta around her neck. Unlike Mahira, Hania drove the point home with her white-and-silver bangles and dangling earrings and white mehendi. Leaning into the traditional look, she let an elegant pair of pazaib fall over her sandals. When it came to her makeup, however, Hania did agree with Mahira. Letting the sun be her spotlight, she opted for a similar soft flushed look, though not without a sleek wing coating her eyelids.

Even the boys came in clutch with this trend, though instead of adopting white for their three-piece ensembles, they opted for darker colours. Showbiz pals Osman Khalid Butt and Uzair Jaswal celebrated Eid in blue and black respectively. While Osman’s dark blue shalwar kameez and upper were delicately complemented with a decorative rosy handkerchief and white sneakers, Uzair stayed committed to his inky outfit down to the vest and polished shoes.

Pouring all over

Those keeping up might agree that one look at Hania’s wind-swept Eid attire is not enough to decipher the silhouette. Ask me – it took me longer than one glance to confirm that the Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum star was wearing a kurti that poured down her legs and effectively camouflaged with the other pieces.

But camouflaged or not, ensembles flaunting long kurtis as their centrepiece were one of if not the hottest trend this Eid. And for all the right reasons, too. Just look at how Saba Qamar overlayed a soft-sheer dress shirt over a crop top and crushed dhaka pajama. Even Maheen Siddiqui went for a similarly fluttery look with a sleeveless anarkali top allowing a dazzling peek at the crushed pajama underneath.

Aamina Sheikh’s puff-sleeved kameez was also not to be taken lightly. The pink top exhibited a scatter of embroidered leaves, adding a gleaming botanical touch to the monochrome ensemble. Owing to the theme, Aamina kept her mehendi design at a minimum, having marked her dorsal sides with a sprinkle of leaves.

And of course, an inspection of a flowing look isn’t complete without mentioning Sadaf Kanwal, who championed the trend on the first two days of Eid. Ever the master of donning the perfect fit, neither too tight or too loose, Sadaf paired a geometrical print kameez with a high-rise shalwar on the second day of Eid. The cream ensemble came together with a silver scarf and nude makeup that had a glossy edge to it.

Pulling off long kurtis either requires simplicity, if you lean more towards the minimalism side, or congruence, if you prefer traditional options. After all, opting for this top is like carrying a scroll around, except this one contains text big enough for everyone to read. So, it’s best to flaunt the story you want to tell, as these showbiz stars did.

Easy, breezy, and always in

Sometimes, your sartorial story works best as a bold statement, one that’s recited like an incantation across generations. That’s what ghararas mean for Eid – or for any cultural celebration, really. It’s no wonder the farshi shalwar lost the joust this time around; the competitor is practically unbeatable.

Iqra Aziz’s regal gharara shimmered through the occasion this year. Camillie, the Faiza Saqlain ensemble, was dotted with pearls and sequins, helping Iqra shine as bright as her smile. The short kurti was composed of see-through churidar sleeves, with the hem looped over her finger like an embellished gauntlet. The golden armour of a fashion statement stood well on its own, not requiring more finery than a pair of earrings.

Another actor to go traditional this Eid was Hareem Farooq, who stunned in a baby pink and golden-sprayed gharara, topped with an angarkha-style kurti of the same colour theme. Paired with a webby dupatta, the Pearls and Petals ensemble served royalty, which is a given when it comes to the floor-sweeping gharara.