Do you find yourself spending way too much time and money trying to dress like Hailey Bieber or Deepika Padukone but often end up being disappointed with the results? Fashion is a form of self-expression and we’ve all lost hours of sleep trying to decide what to wear to work the next day – but when you put the outfit together and look at yourself in the mirror, a disheveled gremlin draped in ill-fitted pillowcases looks back at you, instead of the chic professional you had hoped for. A fashion stylist is calling out the style habits holding Indian women back and offering a reality check on personal fashion choices.
Fashion influencer and stylist Lakshita Sehgal, who has a following of over 400K on Instagram, points out in an interview with HT Lifestyle, that despite splurging more than ever on fashion, a few Indian women still don’t have the basics sorted. Cutting out the sugarcoating and pleasantries, she reflects on 10 blunt truths that may be uncomfortable to hear, but have the potential to transform your fashion journey.
Also Read | Making your 1st capsule wardrobe? Stylist gives tips, essential pieces to include and more
“You’re wearing the wrong size lingerie”
Lakshita explains ill-fitting lingerie as the root cause of most of your styling mishaps. “The wrong bra ruins the fit of your blouse, makes your kurta look boxy, and your dresses hang badly,” she said. She recommends getting measured instead of trying to guess your size while lingerie shopping. “A well-fitted bra will do more for your outfit than a new designer bag,” she says.
“You look like the wedding décor”
Weddings are an exciting excuse to play dress up but most women go overboard and end up looking like “the lights, the stage, and the tent all rolled into one.” All that intricate embroidery, flashy colours and blinding sequins pave the way for visual chaos, drawing away focus from yourself. The stylist recommends wearing something minimal and accessorizing with statement pieces. “Pull back. Wear something minimal, add one strong piece of jewellery, and let yourself – not your outfit – be the focus.”
“You cannot copy celebrities and expect to look like them”
All the hype about copying celebrity outfits goes unfounded when people ignore their own proportions and forget to consider whether the outfit is built for their physical structure. “Deepika’s frame is not yours. Priyanka’s proportions are not yours. Copy-pasting their looks will only leave you disappointed,” said Lakshita. Instead of focusing on duplicating celebrity fashion, she recommends using it as styling inspiration, and reworking the outfits in a way that suits your body frame, features, complexion and lifestyle.
“Your clothes don’t fit”
Even expensive clothes end up not looking up to the mark when they don’t fit right. Lakshita quips, “Most wardrobes are full of garments either too tight, too loose, sleeves too long, trousers dragging on the floor.” Her advice? Find a good tailor who can make adjustments according to your proportions, since perfect fitting can make even an affordable kurta look like couture.
“You’re drowning in accessories”
Going overboard with accessories leads to chaos and confusion. “When you stack bangles, necklaces, logo bags, glittery footwear, and hair clips all at once – you don’t look stylish, you look confused,” the influencer explains. She advises that restraint is chic, and one must make sure the accessories don’t take away attention from one’s expression.
“You confuse comfort with carelessness”
Sloppiness is often confused with comfort. Wearing stretched-out clothes, decades-old shoes and leggings under everything in the interest of prioritizing comfort, comes off as neglect masquerading as effortlessness. Lakshita Sehgal is reshaping the narrative around comfort and style: “Comfort can be stylish. Structured cotton kurtas, crisp shirts, good flats, easy blazers. Comfort does not mean sloppy.”
“Trends are not for everyone”
Brands like Zara and H&M often push fast-moving trends like neon co-ords or chunky sneakers and people cannot wait to jump on the bandwagon and score a pair. However, not all trends are for everyone and can sometimes do more harm than good. Lakshita advises to be selective and adopt trends only if they flatter your proportions and personality because “style is what suits you, not what’s on the rack.”
Also Read | 10 Stylish chanderi silk kurta sets for women; Top elegant picks to look ethereal
“Your grooming is letting you down”
An expensive dress that flatters every part of you goes totally down the drain if you are not paying attention to proper grooming. Smudged eyeliner or unkempt hair ruins the impact of even your most well thought-out and hard-hitting ensembles. The fashion influencer deems grooming as a non-negotiable. “Keep hair neat, nails polished, and make-up clean. Even minimal effort shows.”
“You think money equals style”
“Logos don’t cover up lack of taste,” reiterates Lakshita, explaining that a perfectly fitted ₹2,000 outfit that is tailored to your body will stand out over an ill-fitting ₹20,000 outfit. Instead of falling for brand gimmicks and chasing labels, she recommends spending on tailoring and timeless basics instead. Your choices reflect your style, not the price tags or your wallet.
“Your wardrobe has no backbone”
Building a basic foundation that works for you is important. “Closets are bursting with heavy occasion wear, yet you struggle to put together a simple, sharp look for work or a dinner”, because you’re missing the basics, explains Sehgal. Building a strong foundation with good jeans, crisp shirts, blazers, nude heels, seamless lingerie will save you the “I have nothing to wear” existential crisis before leaving the house.
Lakshita concludes with what style is actually about: “Style is not about showing off, copying celebrities, or spending big. It’s about proportion, fit, grooming, and restraint.” Her advice serves as a reminder that genuine style isn’t about fitting in, it’s about refining the basics so well that you stand out effortlessly.
