How to Style a Men’s Kurta

Styling a kurta is mainly a question of proportion, colour balance and occasion. Start with the kurta’s strongest feature—colour, print, embroidery or border—and keep the remaining pieces quieter.

Choose the right bottoms

White and ivory churidar-style bottoms work with most printed and embroidered kurtas. Beige and sand tones suit olive, cream, maroon and multicolour designs. Black or charcoal trousers can sharpen grey, black and navy kurtas. Straight tailored trousers create a more contemporary line, while traditional bottoms give a fuller ethnic silhouette.

Balance prints and embroidery

When a kurta has an all-over print, avoid patterned trousers or a heavily decorated jacket. For a border-led design, make sure the hem remains visible. With tonal embroidery, a plain jacket can work, but it should not conceal an embroidered collar, chest motif or placket.

Compare the printed kurta guide and embroidered kurta guide for design-specific advice.

Match colours without over-coordinating

• Blue: white, ivory, beige or light grey bottoms.
• Black: cream, beige, black or charcoal bottoms.
• Olive: off-white, beige or sand-coloured bottoms.
• Maroon and wine red: cream, ivory or beige bottoms.
• Cream and off-white: white, beige or a restrained colour drawn from the print.
• Yellow and pastel pink: white or ivory bottoms for daytime functions.

Select footwear

Mojaris, Kolhapuri-style sandals, loafers and simple leather shoes can all work. Brown and tan footwear coordinate easily with cream, olive, maroon and beige. Black footwear is useful with black, grey and navy. The cleaner the kurta, the more flexibility you have with footwear; detailed kurtas benefit from simpler choices.

Add a jacket or stole

A Nehru jacket can make a solid kurta more formal. With a printed or embroidered kurta, use a plain jacket in a related neutral. A stole should introduce texture or a controlled accent rather than repeat every colour in the kurta.

Dress for the function

For Haldi and Mehendi, lighter colours and floral prints are practical choices. For evening receptions, black, navy, maroon and olive create a stronger presence. Read the wedding kurta guide for function-by-function recommendations.

Check the fit

Styling works only when the garment fits correctly. The shoulder seam should sit near the shoulder edge, the placket should lie flat and the sleeves should allow comfortable movement. See the men’s kurta size guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can a kurta be worn with trousers?

Yes. Plain tailored trousers create a contemporary outfit, particularly with straight-fit and solid kurtas.

Should footwear match the kurta or the bottoms?

It should coordinate with the complete outfit. Neutral footwear usually creates a more balanced result than an exact colour match.

Can a printed kurta be layered?

Yes, but choose a plain jacket and make sure it does not hide the principal border or motif.

Browse the complete men’s kurta collection.