A Complete Guide To Fabrics To Pick From for Sherwanis, Suits and Kurtas

Indian weddings come with their own fashion conundrum.

You want to look like you have dressed up well - but without being uncomfortable.

You want to look great in pictures - but at the same time, you have to survive the hours of ceremony, meet-and-greet, eating, dancing and endless 'one more family photo'.

And if you have multiple events to attend, you cannot just wear the same type of fabric everywhere as then everything will look same.

Which is why, the wedding outfits have to start with picking the right fabric.

A good fabric can transform any simple silhouette.

On the other hand, a bad fabric will spoil even the best designed outfit.

So whether you are buying a sherwani, a tailored suit or a festival kurta, here are some guidelines on how to choose the right fabric.

First Understand the Function

Before falling for any fabric, just ask yourself one simple question.

Where am I wearing this?

Mehendi party requires an entirely different fabric than a formal wedding reception.

While lighter fabrics work better for day time functions,

you can explore richer textures, deeper colors and more structured fabrics for evening functions.

And the main wedding requires a fabric that can be festive without becoming too costume-like.

Once you know the function, the process of selecting the right fabric gets much simpler.

Fabrics For Sherwanis

Since sherwani is a naturally structured garment, it needs a fabric that has some amount of structure to it but can allow movement at the same time.

Brocade

Brocade remains one of the top picks for traditional wedding sherwanis.

The fabric with woven patterns gives richness without requiring any further embellishments.

If you are the groom or a member of the family, you can go with ivory, beige, muted gold, deep maroon, navy or bottle green to get a strong wedding look.

The thing is balance.

You don't need heavy embroidery, ornate stole and statement jewelry all together if the fabric already speaks so well.

Jacquard

For those men who want a little texture and not too much shine, jacquard fabric is a great choice.

As the pattern is woven into the fabric, it adds depth and is especially good for photographs.

Jacquard sherwanis can transition between traditional and contemporary styles based on the pattern.

Geometric patterns will have a more modern look whereas floral motifs or heritage inspired patterns will give a traditional look.

Raw Silk & Silk Blends

Raw silk gives a beautiful natural texture to sherwanis.

It looks festive but without becoming overly glossy and works well for understated and sophisticated wedding looks.

Silk blends can be a practical choice if you want the richness of silk with easy-wearability.

For understated grooms or wedding guests, ivory raw silk sherwani with matching trousers looks extremely sophisticated.

Fabrics For Wedding Suits

The Indian wedding suit has evolved over time.

It is no longer limited to plain black or navy.

A wedding suit can be rich in textures, have unusual colors, double-breasted silhouette, dinner jacket or subtle checks.

But irrespective of the style, the fabric makes a suit hold its shape.

Wool & Wool Blends

Wool continues to remain one of the best suited fabrics for a suit because of its structure, drape and tailorability.

However, for Indian weddings, a wool blend can be a better choice specially if you are looking for some durability and also a slightly lighter fabric.

Colors like navy, charcoal, midnight blue and deep brown can be safe choices. But for wedding season, there is enough room to explore colors like wine, forest green, muted blue and textured neutrals.

Well-tailored wool blend suit will always look expensive than over-designed suit made of low quality fabric.

Worsted Suiting

The worsted fabrics with smooth finish can create a great structured suit.

In case of a cocktail party, engagement, reception or a formal evening event, a worsted suiting is definitely worth consideration.

It creates sharp lines and photographs beautifully.

Just pair it with a crisp shirt.

Textured Suits Fabrics

Wedding season is the perfect time to go beyond ordinary office suiting fabrics.

Textured fabrics like herringbone, self-patterned fabric, fine checks or textured weaves can add a personality to the outfit without making it hard to repeat.

And it becomes especially important if you want to reuse the suit after the wedding.

Good wedding suit must be a part of your wardrobe.

Fabrics For Kurtas

Kurtas are your biggest advantage in wedding shopping.

You can make it as fancy as possible or keep it as relaxed as you want based on the function.

The fabric has to depend on how formal the event is.

Cotton & Cotton Blends

Cotton fabric is the perfect choice for Haldi, Mehendi, daytime celebration and small functions.

Not only it is breathable and comfortable but also gives you a lot of flexibility in styling.

You can pick cotton fabric with woven texture, subtle stripes, embroidery or tonal details instead of a plain everyday fabric for a festive look.

Pastel shades are the best for daytime functions.

Sage, powder blue, ivory, dusty pink, pistachio, sand and soft yellow are your best options.

Linen & Linen Blends

Linen fabric has a relaxed look that can be ideal for modern daytime weddings.

It looks extremely good in a minimal kurta silhouette.

Linen blended kurta with trousers or churidar gives a festive look without being too formal.

And just remember that pure linen naturally creases. If you prefer a slightly cleaner look, go for linen blends.

Silk and Silk-Blend Kurtas

When it comes to main wedding ceremony or evening festivities, silk and silk blend fabrics can provide more richness.

You don't need loud colors or heavy embroidery.

A plain silk blend kurta in ivory, deep green, burgundy or navy can look perfect because of the sheen and flow of the fabric.

Jacquard Kurtas

Jacquard fabric is a great choice when you want your kurta to be festive without adding layers of embroidery.

The tonal motifs give a great versatility.

It gives enough visual interest to the outfit without losing masculinity and refinement.

Also Take the Climate Into Consideration

Indian wedding season means different weather depending on the city and month.

December wedding in Delhi and a destination wedding in Goa need entirely different fabric.

For cold evenings, the heavier suiting, rich jacquards and layered sherwanis can work well.

For warm destination or daytime ceremonies, light cottons, breathable blends and light silks are way more comfortable.

Don't just pick a fabric just because it looks impressive under the store lighting.

Imagine wearing it for 5 hours.

That changes the whole equation.

Color May Matter But Texture Is Even More Important

Discussions about wedding wear usually revolve around color.

But even two outfits in the same color can look entirely different depending on the texture of the fabric.

Two navies - plain polyester and textured wool blend - won't have the same depth.

Similarly, two ivories - cotton and silk - will create an entirely different mood.

Therefore, when picking fabrics, go beyond color.

Check the weave.

Look at how the fabric catches the light.

And feel its drape.

This is where premium dressing begins.

Build Wedding Outfits You Can Wear Again

One of the most intelligent approaches for shopping wedding fabrics is thinking beyond one event.

Deep navy suit can be reused for formal dinners or business wear.

Textured ivory kurta can be worn for Diwali, family functions and festive dinners.

Minimal jacquard jacket can be worn with other trousers.

So instead of building a one-time outfit, create a wardrobe out of the fabrics you truly enjoy wearing.

At Vaibhav’s Creations, we believe that fabric is the foundation of great menswear.

The best sherwani, suit or kurta is never the one with most decorations.

It is the one where the fabric, occasion, fit and personal style all match.

This wedding season, choose fabric first.

And everything else becomes much easier after that.