Five of India’s Best Dressed Celebrities


Relentlessly pursued, scrutinized, criticized or lauded for their dressing sense, celebrities – both in India and the world – are scarcely an enviable lot. Nonetheless, for every scathing tabloid review lambasting a celebrity’s tacky-looking gown or suit, he/she has a legion of fans ready to take up the cudgels for him/her. And while we can go on musing on the pros and cons of being a celebrity, judging celebrities – based on the way they dress – is far more fun and less contentious. Here’s a list of five Indian celebrities, who – we think – deserve a resounding pat on the back for being consistently well-dressed.

Sharmila Nicollet: The youngest Indian golfer to qualify for the Ladies’ European Tour, Nicollet has earned fame for her golfing prowess as much as she has won accolades for her impeccable dressing sense. From her body-hugging tees and vibrant shorts on the golf course to her sensuous one-piece dresses at public events, the girl’s sartorial choices indicate her spunk. With a total of 11 wins on the Women’s Golf Association of India tour in her kitty, this young Indo-French golfer sure plays it well, be it on or off the course.

Sonam Kapoor: This 33-year old must be given due credit for reigniting the distinctly western, retro trend in India. This girl always manages to exude oomph – be it on the cover of ‘Vogue’ or on the red carpet at Cannes. Her Chintz-printed sarees by Sabyasachi, lace-detailed designer gowns by Elie Saab, Swarovski-embellished lehenga-cholis by Anita Dongre – everything spells sheer grace. Just when the tabloid journalists thought this look or that was her very best, she gave them yet another reason to write their most-gushing ever review of her outfit and style sense. Not one to rest on her laurels, eh?

Priyanka Gandhi: If there’s one word that could define Priyanka Gandhi sartorially, it would be ‘elegant’. We love her minimalist style sense, so uncannily reminiscent of that of Indira Gandhi. Known for her checked, solid, and colour-blocked handloom sarees, simple strappy sandals, and no make-up dew-fresh look, Priyanka Gandhi puts an altogether new spin on the idea of power dressing. Add to that her ebullient persona and dimpled smile and you know that the lady’s ‘Got the Look’ like Roxette sang so many years ago.

Naina Lal Kidwai: This well-known banker, Chartered Accountant and former General Manager and Country Head of HSBC India is rightly lauded for taking pinstripe suits off the hallowed pedestal of corporate-wear and putting artisanal designer sarees on par with them, nay higher than them, in the hierarchy of workwear attire for Indian women. Kidwai’s distinctive Khadi silk sarees, block-printed cotton sarees and two-toned south silk sarees, along with her no-jewellery look has set a new trend and reshaped attitudes with regard to what women in high-powered corporate roles should wear at the workplace.

Lakshmi Menon: It was in the early 2000s that Lakshmi Menon took the international fashion world by storm with her stunning, dusky looks. Having walked shows for fashion labels like Chanel and Stella McCartney, Menon’s dressing sense isn’t confined to outfits she wears on runways and while gracing the covers of the world’s top fashion magazines. Look closely and you’ll realize that this cracker of a woman has a style sense that is no less than extraordinary. Be it her stilettoes, smoky eyes, and flamboyant little dresses in public or her minimalist distressed jeans, no-frills shirts, and pulled-back hair in private – Lakshmi Menon manages to make a phenomenal statement. Every time.

We believe that true style is very much about individualism, not about being inspired or influenced by others. And each woman on the aforementioned list has carved her own style, admittedly, with unparalleled aplomb.

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