Women in Pakistan wear dupattas in many different styles, and although the styles themselves may change depending on the occasion, there are a few basic guidelines that you can follow to ensure that you wear womens dupattas stylishly and elegantly.
The first thing to keep in mind when wearing your dupatta is that it’s meant to compliment your outfit rather than overshadow it, so avoid pairing brightly coloured or extremely patterned dupattas with otherwise plain clothing.
Style 1 – Lightly Wrapped Around the Neck
At Pakistani weddings, it’s common for women to wear dupattas with their wedding dresses. It can also be worn with an outfit that is predominantly white and yellow or gold.
To execute style 1, lightly wrap your dupatta around your neck in a big loose knot, leaving half of it falling down your back and half hanging over one shoulder. You may opt to let just a small part of it sit on top of your chest as well.
Style 2 – Long, Straight Piece on Shoulder
Though not traditional, you can use your womens dupattas as scarf in many ways. Here, you have straightened it and tied it on one shoulder. You can also wear it on both shoulders like a cape or throw it behind your back while keeping it slightly tucked into your pants. This way, you will keep your arms from getting cold without covering them completely with sleeves.
Style 3 – Evening Gown
The evening gown style of dupatta is perfect for occasions when you’re looking for that extra oomph. It allows you to show off your outfit without overpowering it. Pair your evening gown with earrings, bangles and nail polish and you’ll be transformed into a stylish diva. You can either wrap it in an X across your chest or tie it diagonally at your back.
Style 4 – Two Bowknot Tied at the Waist
You can wear your dupatta in style 4 by tying it around your waist with two knots. It is a simple, chic and elegant way of carrying dupattas. Pair it with an outfit or simply drape one on top of another for a casual look. This womens dupattas style is perfect for summer as you don’t need any pins or belts to keep it in place!
Style 5 – Wrap Around the Shoulder Tie and Scarf
You can take a dupatta and wrap it around your shoulder and tie it. The dupatta scarf is wrapped around like any other piece of cloth would be when wrapping around yourself on a cold day. You can then secure it with any knot of your choice. This womens dupattas style is suitable for both casual as well as more formal events.
Style 6 – Large Bow at Back
The first step is to ensure this women’s dupatta style is that you have tied your dupatta and are wearing it properly. The second step is to place your right thumb between your neck and dupatta. Then grab both ends of your dupatta and bring them forward so that they overlap, with one going across your chest, forming a large bow at back.Â
