What Are You Wearing This Avurudu?

As we get closer to Avurudu, everyone is looking forward to the rituals and ceremonies, and of course - the parties that take place over the weekend. Every year, astrologers choose a colour that is to be worn by everyone on New Year's Day at an auspicious time - it is usually a bright, happy colour to represent the joy of the season. The thing is, the Avurudu festivities go on for about a week after the festival is over so you ideally need to have several outfits planned for the celebrations. For those of you that don't know, this year, the colour is blue! Luckily, there are many shades of blue that you can pick from - there is most definitely something for everyone, whether you are a light blue person or a dark blue person.

Traditionally, people wear Sri Lanka's traditional clothing in the respective colours for the season. You would usually see the children in reddai hatte or sarongs, the ladies in osaris or lungis and the men in coordinated shirts and sarongs! As time has passed, the outfits and ensembles have become more modern - with a fun mix between the new and the old, the modern and the traditional - if you will.

There are a lot of factors that come into play when you are deciding what to wear for the festivities . Is the event indoors or outdoors? What is the weather like? Are you meeting friends or family or both? Fortunately, there are a myriad of options so you can work through them as you welcome in the new year. And if you love fashion, this is an added benefit. Here are a few options for what to wear, this Avurudu;

Lungi and Crop Top; This is one of the more common ensembles you will see when you attend parties with friends or close relatives - it is a modern and feminine twist on the sarong. Often, the lungi's are batik or patterned and the top remains plain (either white or black) but you can always alternate accordingly depending on what you have. This is one of the easier outfits to put together and you can mix and match the top and bottom throughout events!

Reddai Hatte; A classic Avurudu outfit - this is usually recommended for the more traditional celebrations. The top piece is similar to a saree jacket, and the bottom half is a skirt with a frill. Typically, this is found in the 'cheetha' material but nowadays, you can find a variety of styles in different materials - all of which look beautiful and drape stunningly. There are ready-made ones but you can also get them custom made (if you have enough time!).

Sarong and Top; If you are running around preparing for the new year, the last thing on your mind will most likely be the outfit. An easy and fashionable ensemble is a sarong and a top! You can pair any sarong with any top - it's that simple. Blue is one of the more common sarong colours so it should not be too hard to find, but you can also borrow one from your friends or family.

Kurtha and Lungi; This option is a great go-to option if you want to avoid the hassle of the more traditional pieces. Usually, the kurtha's are linen - and it is not too hard to find one to match the lungi if you purchase them separately. It is also a good choice if you have a long day of events, because you can always switch the lungi out for a pair of trousers or shorts (depending on the weather).