10 Accessories to Pair with Your Choli

A lehenga choli is an essential item in any Indian woman’s wardrobe. The traditional look is timeless, elegant, and inherently sexy. Whether you’re off to a festival, celebrating your best friend’s wedding, or a blushing bride, the right ensemble can help showcase your unique sense of style. 

A little sparkle can go a long way, even as a wedding guest or for more informal events like mehndi’s or festivals. Especially for brides, the right jewelry can add the perfect finishing touch to elevate any look. Here are ten accessories you can pair with your choli to complete your glamorous look and feel like royalty. 

1. Dupatta

No lehenga choli ensemble is complete without a delicately draped dupatta. Play with various draping styles, like a u-back or traditional across-the-body saree drape, to see what best accentuates your form and the choli you’ve chosen.

As the bride, you are allowed to be a little extra. Wear a longer sheer dupatta overhead and a heavier, more intricately embroidered one on your body. Be bold and double up your dupatta to achieve a regal look.  

2. Heavy Choker 

Get extravagant with your accessories. Choose heavy stones that play up the colors from your lehenga choli. Play up your neckline with a heavy choker; for the 2022 season, the more ornate choker, the better.  

Classic stones like emeralds are having a moment. Use these to elevate a bridal look and let your regal side shine. A multi-layered choker can elongate the neck and open up the neckline of your choli. 

3. Temple Coin Jewelry 

Temple coin jewelry, made of thin gold coins, is a tried and true traditional look that complements any bridal ensemble. Add a modern twist by looking for coin jewelry that incorporates other precious stones or pearls. 

4. Mang Tikka 

Many brides dream of finding the perfect mang tikka to complete their bridal look. This pendant jewelry worn on the forehead is part of the bride’s solah shringar. You’ll want to pair your mang tikka with your bridal lehenga choli and the other jewelry you choose for the big day. 

Ornate embellishments are trending this wedding season. For an even more dramatic look, wear a mang tikka that includes details down your entire part rather than only on the pendant. 

5. Jhoomar 

Brides in North India may also include a jhoomar, a crescent-shaped hair accessory, on the left side of the head. It is an essential piece of jewelry for Muslim brides with whom the tradition of donning a jhoomar began. 

The shape celebrates a crescent moon which is believed to help prevent the bride’s emotions from overwhelming her on the big day. 

6. Jandanagam 

Wear your hair in a braid to let the neckline of your choli shine. The jandanagam is a stunning hair serpent worn along the braid. It is a traditional hair accessory from Southern India originally worn by Devadasis, sacred temple dancers. 

A jandanagam elevates your lehenga choli, whether you are a bride, a wedding guest, or celebrating a festival. 

7. Flowers 

Sometimes you won’t be wearing your choli to an occasion that merits heavy gold jewelry like a mang tikka or jhoomar – a simple touch like an in-season flower is the perfect understated hair accessory for a lehenga choli.

You could even weave the flowers through a long braid like you would a jandanagam to create a soft romantic look perfect for wedding guests or festival attendees. Perfect for brides at a Sangeet or Mehndi ceremony or wedding guests. 

8. Intricate Earrings

Elegant heavy earrings can elongate the neckline and bring attention from your choli to your beautiful face. For a festival, you could choose a traditional earring like a ring-shaped Bali or a bell-shaped jhukma. 

Attach your earrings to your hair with a Sahara chain for a more formal look. If you are wearing your choli for a more casual occasion, a chandelier or hoop earring could also draw the eye to your face and give your classic look a more modern twist. 

9. Nose Ring (Nath) 

Punjabi brides traditionally wear a large hoop nath attached to the hair. While this look is stunning, it may be a little too dramatic if you are not the bride. 

Even for simple occasions, a nose ring can all a little more sparkle to your look and help bring all your jewelry together. Try a simple stud at your next festival. Add some drama by wearing it with a long chain draped over your cheek to mirror the look of northern brides in a modern setting.

10. Bangles/Churis 

If you plan on dancing the night away in your lehenga choli at your best friend’s wedding or your next festival, you’ll want to have some bangles on your arms. These produce a delightful tinkling sound when you move and add some flair to your ensemble. 

Don’t just wear churis for special occasions. These delightful bracelets can jazz up a choli and jeans and bring a classic touch to your next night on the town.