In a wedding held recently in Hyderabad, the bride’s family was dressed in pastel colours with gold thread work while the bridegroom’s family opted for outfits in dark blue. Not only did it clearly indicate to visitors who belongs to which family, the whole effect was eye-catching and pleasing. These days, while parties have theme-based decorations, for functions people prefer colour-coordinated clothes for the entire family, be it kids, elders, youngsters and even their pets.
Girija, a designer based in Hyderabad, says that while the colour-coordinated trend has been observed for the last few years it has grown in popularity recently. “Many people are approaching me for such matching outfits for their family members and opting for customised designs.”
For her 6-year-old daughter’s birthday celebration held recently, Hyderabad-based Deepika Boyreddy says that she and her daughter wore grey-coloured netted dresses. She adds that for her brother’s wedding, all the family members dressed up in theme-based outfits of the same colour.
Though the trend of matching outfits has been around for the last three or four years, design experts say that it has picked up especially after the lockdown. For family events, which are now being celebrated with smaller groups due to COVID-19 norms, the focus has shifted to clothes and accessories suited for photoshoots.
Another city-based designer, Architha Narayanam, says, “These days, many ceremonies are being conducted on a smaller scale, so the focus is more on making memories through photoshoots. They want to gel well for the shoot together, so many clients are preferring matching outfits. Not just daughter and mother, but the father and other members of the family are also keen to wear them.”
For such combo outfits, fabrics such as net, organza and silk in floral designs are popular and are customised by designers according to their clients’ preference.
Costumes designed by Architha Narayanam
A similar trend of colour-coordinated outfits is widely seen in small family functions like birthdays as well. At a recent birthday party, a family of mother, father and daughter donned outfits in matching light green. While the mother and daughter were seen in netted gowns, the father wore a shirt and an overcoat.
Designers suggest outfits to clients based on the party or event’s theme. “If, for example, the party has a decor with light or pastel colours, then we suggest that the client go for brighter colours so they can stand out in the photos,” Architha explains.
According to designers, the cost for these matching outfits usually ranges from Rs 15,000 to 1 lakh per outfit and can increase or decrease depending on the client’s budget.
Sravani Gupta, who lives in Hyderabad’s Srinagar Colony, says she matches colours with her husband and daughter for almost all family events. Speaking to TNM, she says for a recent family function, she got outfits done for the three of them in light pink and purple shades, which cost about Rs 1 lakh. She adds that for major ceremonies like weddings, her in-laws also join in on the matching trend.