Best Gharara Outfits from Pakistani Celebrities. Modern Pakistani fashion is a force to be reckoned with. It doesn’t shy away from borrowing heavily from its roots, thereby paying tribute to the styles of the past in a way they deserve.
If we peer closely at the latest trends circulating the current fashion scene, we’ll see many bygone staples making a comeback in a big way. Gharara, it so happens, is one such garment. It used to be reverently worn by house-wives and grandmothers in Pakistan, much like sarees are revered by Indian women. The 21st century saw a tremendous rise in fame and, therefore, the demand for ghararas. And so, here we all are.
How to Wear Ghararas like Celebrities?
A classic piece with a rich historical background, ghararas transport us into the days gone by, when old grandmothers used to sit sipping from huqqas and spoke in pure, unadulterated Urdu dialect. The current hot trend that many people, including celebrities, have been following is revamping ghararas passed down from their mothers and grandmothers with modern accents.
You can do it too! All you need is something old and something borrowed.
Gharara 101 – Know the Basics
What is a Gharara?
A gharara is a traditional outfit that was part of the everyday attire of the Muslim women of the subcontinent. A gharara outfit consists of a short shirt known as kurti, a dupatta, and the gharara itself, which was a pair of pants that were ruffled at the knees into a dramatic, wide-legged flare.
Difference between Gharara and Sharara:
Ghararas are actually a slightly modern version of a sharara. The latter dates back to the Mughal Era and has its roots in Lucknow. It was a staple in old Bollywood movies.
Shararas are pants that are only fitted at the waist and flare out from there to the hem. They tend to look like lehengas until you’re close enough to spot the difference.
Ghararas are pants that are fitted to the knees and flare down from there till the hem. The joint at the knee is usually hidden by using laces and such. Because of their fitted nature, they take up less fabric than shararas.
How to Sew Your Own Gharara!
For the DIY enthusiasts out there, we know nothing will satisfy you except what you make with your own hands. Here’s a straight-forward Youtube tutorial to get you started.
A couple of tips you may benefit from:
- Take your complete measurements before getting started.
- Practice makes a man perfect, so for your first trial, use a rough and cheap fabric.
- Go through every related tutorial you can find. Each video has a helpful sewing tip that’ll add to your experience.
Want to buy ready-made Ghararas online? We’ve got you!
Check out these fantastic online stores for amazing gharara suits:
- Lashkaraa: Available in silk, georgette, and net fabrics, embellished by sequins, thread embroidery, and zari work. It’s a great place for women in the US, UK, and other European countries to shop from.
- Sanas.pk: Adorable gharara suits for kids.
- Reeshma: Affordable ghararas ranging from $67 – $109.
- Deemas Fashion: The UK store offers classic pieces from Pakistani designers.
PAKISTANI INFLUENCERS WEARING GHARARAS
Here’s a look at some of the best gharara outfits of Pakistani influencers and fashion bloggers:
↓ 25 – Bridal Gharara
First of we have Waliya Najib looking ravishing in her bridal gharara outfit, designed by the renowned Pakistani designer, Mohsin Naveed Ranjha.
↓ 24 – Wedding Guest Ghararas
Award-winning Pakistani blogger Hira Attique shows us some amazing gharara outfits that are perfect for the wedding season.
This beautiful pastel colored gharara that Hira is wearing is by the brand Mehrunnisa Couture.
↓ 23 – Gharara Outfits for Eid
Content creator Hemayal’s look is perfect for Eid outfit as she has paired a plain white gharara with a semi formal shirt dupatta from MariaB. I feel a white gharara is a must-have for our wardrobes as it can be paired with literally any shirt you want.
↓ 22 – Designer Gharara
Fashion blogger Naiha looked breathtaking in this gharara outfit by renowned Pakistani designer Ali Xeeshan. We love how beautifully she accessorized it for her brother’s wedding.
↓ 21 – Semi-formal Gharara Outfit
While adding a lace to your ghararas is not necessary, we highly recommend it for semi-formal occasions as it adds a spark to simple, solid colored ghararas. This is proven here by sister bloggers Umara and Kashaf:
VINTAGE CLASSICS
A brief glimpse of what this garment looked like in the good old days.
↓ 20 – Mother of the Nation Fatimah Jinnah
Ghararas had been popular during the reign of the Mughal kings, and they remained the main part of everyday attire for women until well after the division of the sub-continent. The mother of the nation, Fatimah Jinnah, wore ghararas, shalwar kameez, and other traditional ensembles frequently. She can be seen wearing a sleek pink silk gharara with a matching kurti and dupatta. The cut and fit of her gharara remind one of the gharara pants that have become so fashionable these days. For more on this style, check out our previous post on Outfits with Gharara Pants.
↓ 19 – First Lady Begum Liaqat Ali
Another important political figure in a gorgeously simple gharara, the first lady, Begum Liaqat Ali, looks regal in her traditional outfit. We cannot tell for certain but, her gharara may have been white with dark-colored piping lining the edges of her dupatta and the knees of her gharara. She completes her look with traditional earrings and a dainty handbag. She’s proudly representing her country and her culture among a group of foreigners, and we admire her grace.
↓ 18 – Mawra Hocane’s Delicate Pink Silk Gharara
Mawra’s costume from the sets of the period drama Aangan brings to mind Fatimah Jinnah’s outfit from above. Indeed, she drew comparisons as soon as she posted these pictures on the internet. The elegance and simplicity make it charming, the lushness and shine of the silk make it appealing. It’s a classic gharara that you can pull off at weddings easily, provided that you wear the right kind of jewelry, as Mawra has. In fact, this is kind of what most brides go for on their nikahs these days. Since Mawra is an undoubted style queen, I highly recommend that you check out this collection of the best ever Mawra Hocane Outfits.
MODERN
In this lineup, we look at more than a dozen variations of the classic gharara, revamped and modernized by our capable fashion designers.
↓ 17 – Maya Ali’s Purple Perfection
Maya Ali can always be counted upon to deliver stylish and iconic ethnic looks. We’re envious of the actress’s wardrobe, which must be full to bursting with pretty outfits. Her purple gharara with silver accents is one such outfit. It fits close to her body, unlike the loose silhouettes favored by the ladies of times past. The design at the hems is dainty and minimal, and the same goes for the silver stripes and lace on her chiffon dupatta. Here are some more of our favorite Maya Ali Outfits.
↓ 16 – Maria B’s Bridal Ensemble
Maria B’s brand is synonymous with intricate, almost lovingly crafted ensembles that tell their own story. The brand is known for its experimental yet original designs that are always sophisticated in their cut and design and loved by many celebrities. This gorgeous nude bridal sharara by Maria B is a testament to the designer’s prowess. It gives delicious vintage energy but is too modern to be categorized as such. Sara Khan looks a vision in the suit. Her jewelry looks incredible. One need only add a necklace, and a whole bridal ensemble will be ready.
↓ 15 – Festive Nameera By Farooq Gharara
Speaking of bridal ensembles, this festive orange and red gharara Mahira Khan is seen modeling can be the perfect choice for you. If you want to be a fun bride as well as a regal one, you can’t do better than this. It is so perfectly bedecked with finery that you wouldn’t have to agonize over the choice of complimentary jewelry. Anything minimal and simple in appearance will do nicely since the outfit will do most of the work. While the colors are what you typically see on mehndi functions, we urge hopeful brides to experiment with such sharp and citrusy colors on their main wedding events.
↓ 14 – Sumbul Iqbal’s Fairytale Dress
The queen of melodrama has a happy-go-lucky persona in real life, perpetuated by the ethnic outfits she chooses to wear. Whether it’s Eid or someone’s wedding, Sumbul can be relied upon to look pretty as a picture. She was once again the center of the internet’s adoration when her pictures wearing this magical red gharara went online. The infinitely ruffled chiffon gharara, complete with gold gota trimmings, stole everyone’s hearts. With expertly applied variations to hair, makeup and jewelry, this suit can serve as a party dress, an Eid outfit, and even a wedding ensemble!
↓ 13 – Sania Saeed in a Block-printed Suit
The definition of graceful aging and wisdom personified, Sania Saeed looks refined and polished in this ice-blue block-printed gharara on the sets of one of her projects. Block-printed ghararas are rarely seen, which is why this one looks so refreshing. Sania wears nothing but plain earrings and all-natural makeup with her outfit and looks effortlessly radiant in the process.
↓ 12 – Angelic Naimal Khawar in Faiza Saqlain
No matter how many times we call Naimal Khawar ‘angelic,’ the word still falls dreadfully short of describing her timeless beauty. It doesn’t help matters that the wife of Hamza Abbasi has always been a stunner, belting out one glamorous look after another. After she vowed the world on her nikah, Naimal and her sister Fiza both wore Faiza Saqlain ghararas on Fiza’s nikah. The baby pink ensemble enhanced the glow on the expectant mother.
↓ 11 – Ayeza Khan’s Pretty Eid Outfit
Let’s face it, the camera loves Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoor, which explains why they always get photographed on festive occasions such as Eid and birthdays. It’s a good thing, too, for we get to see them dressed up in fancy outfits such as these. Ayeza’s personal aesthetic is a mix of traditional and modern that is always conservative. She wore this peach and lead-green gharara suit on one of the Eids past, and we instantly fell in love. The colors were trendy, and a peplum top over a gharara was a great idea on Ayeza’s part.
↓ 10 – Ayesha Khan’s Adorable White and Teal Ensemble
Ayesha’s appearance has a bubbliness to it that amplifies when she wears light-hued dresses. Her wedding wardrobe did have dark shades, but it predominantly consisted of pastels. She wore this stunning cream-white gharara suit on her nikah. The flared part of the gharara was teal and embroidered much the same way as the rest of the outfit. She gets a solid 10/10 for this one.
↓ 9 – Casual White Gharara
Not only is Madiha Imam a tremendously talented actress, but she also knows how to pull off ethnic looks. The VJ-turned-actress looked like a delicate treat in this all-white ensemble that had gota touches on the hems. With her cute bob-cut hair and minimal jewelry, Madiha gave serious style goals for dressing up on Eid.
↓ 8 – Hira Mani’s Funky Attire
Hira’s style aesthetic isn’t distinct enough to draw attention normally, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t impressed with her fashion choices. She wore this bubblegum pink and butter yellow combination presumably on Eid, and we consider ourselves duly impressed. Her nonchalant attitude, messy bun, shades, and colorful bag made the entire look considerably funkier than usual.
↓ 7 – Cotton Ghararas
Yes, ghararas are most commonly seen on formal occasions and special functions, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the opposite isn’t possible. Ghararas can be a casual, everyday attire just as easily. Ayesha Omar and Mawra Hocane show us two ways in which that can be achieved. Ayesha has paired her gharara with a lawn suit, while Mawra is seen wearing white cotton gharara pants with a yellow kameez. Dreadfully easy, no?
↓ 6 – Ayesha Omar’s Comfy Chic Look
The color scheme of Ayesha’s outfit is much the same as Ayeza’s shown above. The difference lies in the fact that Ayesha’s suit is more laid-back and comfy owing to the fact that it’s made of cotton or lawn fabric and is light-weight. The leafy-green net dupatta looks sweet in contrast.
↓ 5 – Sanam Baloch’s Somber Ethnic Suit
Sanam Baloch’s chocolate brown and forest green gharara ensemble proves that there aren’t fixed color schemes that you should follow. The dimpled beauty pulls off unusual colors with incredible grace. The embroidered kurti looks magnificent with a beautifully ruched gharara.
↓ 4 – Aiman Khan’s Alluring Gharara Pants
The young starlet looks phenomenal while modeling for a brand in this picture. She wears a short frock top with lean gharara pants, the ultra-modern version of the stereotypical gharara.
↓ 3 – Mahira Khan’s LSA Outfit
Mahira Khan rocked this other-worldly white gharara during the LSA’s some time ago. The details are dazzling. Of course, there is also the Mahira Khan Effect, which is basically her looking beautiful in literally anything she wears.
↓ 2 – Sanam Jung’s Elegant Banarsi Outfit
Sanam’s outfit is a balanced mix of formal and casual. Her banarsi dupatta is on the former side of the spectrum, while the simple kurta and mildly ruffled gharara have a casual feel to them.
↓ 1 – Hina Altaf’s Embroidered Gharara
You can take pointers from Hina Altaf on how to look adorable in a gharara. Her multi-color embroidered gharara has the same funky vibe as that of Hira Mani’s. The gharara is ridiculously long but looks stunning regardless. Hina is wearing a simple white kameez on top.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our picks! Please give us your feedback down below.
