One outfit. Multiple festivals. Zero guilt. The old festive dressing rule — new event, new outfit — is getting a Gen Z rewrite. Why buy another lehenga when the one sitting in your cupboard can have a completely different personality with a new pair of shoes, a different drape or a borrowed jacket?For a generation that likes its fashion personal, practical and a little experimental, repeating an outfit isn’t exactly repeating the look. It’s about reimagining what you already own or what is accessible to you. This festive season, Mumbai Gen Zs show us how.
‘I’M NOT WEARING A NEW OUTFIT FOR EVERY EVENT’
Richa Jain, a third-year BBA student from Lalbaug, isn’t interested in collecting outfits for one-time appearances. She’s taking one look from a wedding straight into Navratri — with a footwear switch. “I am a budget paglu! So, I bargained a lot for this outfit. Buying a new outfit for each event and party can become expensive and wasteful, and I believe in repeat dressing. I wore this for my brother’s wedding and now I’m going to repeat it during Navratri, and pair it with sneakers. This is very comfortable so I can play garba very well in it.” Same outfit. Different vibe. That’s the point.
YOUR MOM’S CLOSET? ACTUALLY, A GOLDMINE
Why shop when there’s an entire archive sitting at home? Hiya K Mehta, a mass-media student who loves putting together festive looks, went straight to her mother’s wardrobe and turned a sari into something completely different. “I really loved my mom’s ombre bandhni sari in pink-orange and so I made this Indo-western outfit with it. I created this long shrug and wore it with a pair of blue jeans and a white tank top and accessorized it with oxidized jewellery. I believe that your mom’s closet can be a treasure trove!” And suddenly, an old sari becomes a new fit.
THRIFTED, PRE-LOVED AND DEFINITELY NOT BASIC
For Ronak Thakkar, a third-year Mass Media student from Kandivali, festive dressing comes with a little thrift-store hunting. “I’ve thrifted this garba-ready denim jacket. Preloved thrifted fashion is a good route to choose during the festive season. I feel the bonus is that with this you are far less likely to turn up at a festive event wearing the exact same outfit as someone else.” Because honestly, the best festive outfit might be the one nobody else has.
BORROW, DON’T BUY
Not everything in your festive wardrobe has to belong to you. Sometimes, it just needs to look good on you. Vrinda Talati, a first-year BBA student, borrowed her festive outfit from a friend rather than buying one for herself. “I think borrowing clothes is actually a practical way to dress for festivals. We often buy festive outfits and wear them only once or twice, so instead of buying something new, I borrowed this one from a friend and styled it in my own way. Borrowing saves money, gives me more options, and is a more sustainable approach to fashion. I think what matters is how confidently and creatively you wear an outfit, not whether you own it.” The flex isn’t owning the outfit. It’s what you do with it.
STYLE IT DIFFERENTLY. IT’S BASICALLY A NEW OUTFIT.
You don’t need a new garment. You need a new combination.
- Switch the jewellery: Go from traditional jhumkas to chunky silver hoops.
- Change the footwear: Sneakers, juttis, boots — change the shoe, change the mood.
- Add a belt: Give a sari, kurta or flowy outfit a completely different silhouette.
- Change the dupatta game: Drape it differently, ditch it altogether or swap it with another one.
- Layer it: Throw on a denim jacket, oversized blazer or long shrug.
- Change the hairstyle: The same outfit can look traditional, cool or party-ready depending on what you do with your hair.
- Switch the bag: A potli says festive. A structured sling says contemporary. A giant tote says I came prepared.
