Instead of spending ₹5,000 on a designer suit, I’d pick these affordable kurta sets

Instead of spending ₹5,000 on a designer suit, I’d pick these affordable kurta sets (Pexels)

Samarpita Yashaswini is a Content Producer for Fashion (HT Shop Now) at Hindustan Times Digital. She has five years of experience in lifestyle writing, specialising in fashion, beauty, and trend-led commerce content. She covers everything from seasonal must-haves and wardrobe essentials to brand reviews and styling edits that make everyday dressing easier and more exciting.

She began her writing journey in 2020, but her love for fashion started long before that. Over the years, she has interned with Times Internet and Desi Martini, and worked with Pinkvilla and Schbang, building a strong foundation in digital storytelling and audience-first content. At HT Digital, she writes and creates fashion affiliate content for both the website and social media, blending trend awareness with shopping practicality. Her work sits at the intersection of style and strategy combined with equal parts aesthetic and analytics.

A self-confessed fashion enthusiast, Samarpita has a sharp eye for colours, prints, silhouettes, and textures. She notices the fall of a fabric, the mood of a palette, and the difference a good cut can make. Her expertise lies in translating trends into wearable, relatable style and helping readers shop smarter, not louder.

She studied at Delhi Public School and graduated from Miranda House, University of Delhi in 2019, where she also wrote for the college magazine. She later completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Advertising and PR from MICA, Ahmedabad.

Samarpita believes fashion content doesn’t need to be complicated or overly eloquent. It should be simple, fun, and genuinely helpful, guiding readers through daily style decisions with confidence and joy.

What to look for while choosing a kurta set, to make it look classy

I look for fabric and fall before anything else

A kurta can have the prettiest print in the world, but if the fabric looks stiff or doesn’t fall well, the outfit can immediately feel less elevated. Viscose blends, georgette and Chanderi are some of the fabrics I tend to look at when I want something that feels a little more premium.

Its A-line silhouette and fluid viscose blend give it movement, while the coordinated pants and dupatta make the outfit feel complete.I would style something like this with minimal jewellery and pointed flats for a polished daytime look. The brown palette also makes it much easier to repeat than a very occasion-specific colour.

Then there’s embroidery, but it doesn’t need to be excessive

When I’m looking at a more affordable kurta, embroidery is one of the easiest ways to make it feel dressier. But I prefer pieces where the embroidery has some breathing room rather than covering every inch of the garment.

The kalidar silhouette already gives it movement, while the embroidery and organza dupatta add the occasionwear element. This is the sort of outfit I’d save for a festive lunch, family gathering or a smaller celebration. Add earrings and dressier footwear and it can easily look much more expensive than its price suggests.

A good dupatta can do a surprising amount of work

I’ve also noticed that the dupatta can completely change how an otherwise simple kurta set looks. A coordinated or slightly dressier dupatta instantly makes the outfit feel more styled.

The silhouette itself is relatively straightforward, but the embroidery and matching dupatta give it enough detail to feel occasion-ready. I’d keep the rest of the styling fairly restrained here. Let the kurta and dupatta do the work rather than adding layers of jewellery.

For evening dressing, I would choose a fluid silhouette

Not every designer-looking kurta needs embroidery. Sometimes the fabric and silhouette are enough.

Georgette naturally gives the outfit a softer fall, while the palazzos make the silhouette feel relaxed rather than overly formal. This is the kind of set I’d wear for a dinner, festive evening or even a wedding-related event where I don’t want to go completely overboard. Add statement earrings, a small bag and heels and you’re done.

Sharara pants are my shortcut to making a kurta feel festive

If there’s one silhouette that can instantly make a relatively simple kurta look more elaborate, it’s a sharara.

The straight kurta keeps things relatively clean, while the wider sharara changes the proportions and gives the outfit that celebratory feel. I’d wear this for a festive gathering or pre-wedding event with statement earrings and embellished juttis. You don’t need much else.

And if I actually want that designer-kurta feel, I’d look at Chanderi

Chanderi has a natural elegance that makes even relatively simple silhouettes feel special. It has that subtle sheen and lightweight quality that works particularly well for Indian occasionwear.

It combines several of the details I associate with more expensive ethnicwear: Chanderi silk, embroidery and an organza dupatta. This would be my pick for a dressier occasion when I want the outfit to look elevated without going for a heavily embellished lehenga or an elaborate designer suit.

So, what actually makes affordable ethnicwear look expensive?

For me, it’s less about trying to make an affordable kurta look like a designer one and more about identifying the details that make good ethnicwear look polished in the first place.

A good fabric. A flattering silhouette. Neat finishing. A considered colour palette. And styling that doesn’t compete with the outfit.

That’s also why I’d rather spend ₹2,000 or ₹3,000 on a beautifully cut kurta set that I know I’ll wear repeatedly than ₹5,000 on something that looks impressive but spends most of its life hanging in my wardrobe.

And if you’re shopping for that elevated look on a budget, I’d start with the fabric and silhouette before getting distracted by the label. That’s usually where the real difference is.

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