Deepavali falls on Sunday, 8 November this year. You have five weeks.
That is enough time to get it right. It is also exactly enough time to leave it until the last Saturday, walk into a crowded store and buy whatever fits.
Here is how to dress for the day, the evening and the family visits in between, without looking like you tried too hard.
Start with the morning, because that is when the photos happen.
Deepavali morning is oil bath, new clothes, sweets and every relative with a phone. You will be photographed more before 10am than in the rest of the month.
Wear colour. Festive mornings are the one time a man can wear maroon, mustard or deep green without anyone asking why. A solid shirt in a rich colour photographs well and never looks dated in the album ten years later.
Keep the shirt simple and let the colour do the work. Pair it with cream or beige trousers, or dark indigo jeans if your family is relaxed about it.
Save the satin for after sunset.
A cotton satin shirt has a soft shine that catches lamp light and firecracker glow. In the morning sun it can look like you are still dressed from last night.
So save it. Change into it after sunset, when the diyas are lit and you are heading out to friends or a family dinner.
Wear a satin shirt with flat-front trousers in navy, black or charcoal. Tuck it in. Plain leather shoes, no logos. That is the whole outfit, and it works because nothing is fighting the shirt.
See the satin and jacquard shirts
Fit matters more than the price tag.
You will be sitting cross-legged, bending to touch feet, lighting crackers and eating more than you planned. A shirt that is tight across the chest will pull at every button by lunch.
Check three things before the day:
- The shoulder seam should sit right on the edge of your shoulder.
- You should be able to pinch about two fingers of fabric at the chest when the shirt is buttoned.
- Sleeves should end where your wrist meets your hand.
If a shirt fails one of these, go up or down a size. Not sure which size you are? Every Derby product page has a Size Guide, and you can message us your height and weight for a recommendation.
Three outfits for three kinds of Deepavali.
The family morning. A maroon or bottle-green solid shirt, beige trousers, brown loafers. Respectful enough for the elders, sharp enough for the photos.
The relaxed afternoon. A printed half-sleeve shirt worn untucked, dark jeans, clean white sneakers. For the cousins' house and the long lunch.
The night out. A cotton satin shirt, navy or black trousers, black leather shoes. For the party, the dinner and the late drive home.
Order this week.
In the last ten days before Deepavali the sizes you want go first. Order now and you have time to try it on, change the size if you need to, and wear it properly on the day.
Most online orders arrive within a week, and you have 7 days after delivery to return or exchange.
