Made In Heaven S2 stylist Bhawna Sharma talks about the archival Sabyasachi ‘revenge dress’ and more

Is that not how we dress in real life too? If you’re angry, you tend to gravitate towards reds and blacks, with a heavy hand on styling and makeup, and of course, how can we forget: a great pair of boots to stomp around in? And when you’re happy, you show up in a breezy little outfit, probably with some kind of summer print on it. And when you want to prove a point, you dress like Tara Khanna in her archival Sabyasachi dress, like you own the world and the people in it.

Bhawna (the third from left) with her team from Made In Heaven S2. (Picture credit: Bhawna Sharma)

Talking about the dress and how she came up with the idea, Bhawna revealed the idea behind the dress initially hadn’t started off as “the revenge dress”. “You’re at a party you’re not even invited to where your ex is going to be along with the circle of friends who have long abandoned you. The idea was not revenge or malice but that Tara was going to keep up her ‘tara’, you know?”

The “revenge dress” as an idea had been popularised when Princess Diana wore an iconic black slinky number to an official event in her stead as the princess, after her the-then husband Prince Charles (who is now the king) publicly admitted to cheating on Diana. Instagram fashion pundit DietSabya deemed Tara’s archival Sabyasachi piece a “revenge dress”, considering the circumstances she wore it in and the energy it emulated.

“Though it may have killed Tara to be there, she wanted to stand tall and say I’m fine and say, ‘Hey, I’m all right. No matter what’s gone down, I’m good. I’m here to stay. And I own this.’ That’s her fighting spirit. She’s not going to take defeat lying down but she’s going to stand looking as impressive as ever,” Bhawna added.

Upon asking how she managed to convey the emotions of the characters so well, Bhawna responded by saying that her focal point had all along been the script, but most importantly, having grown up in Delhi, she had seen these women in real life. “I have met women like Tara or Bulbul. You know, I have met these people in different times so it was very important for me to keep that true relatable history alive in the characters.”

Revealing that Jazz was one of her favourite characters to dress on Made In Heaven S2, Bhawna said. “She’s so catty and fun. Though she’s rooted, she looks up to Tara and wants to emulate her, especially the way she dresses.” Also, who hasn’t been a Jazz at least once in their lives? For the go-getter boss who’s always in sharp clothing or that professor in college who seemed to have your dream wardrobe.

But it is easy to lose your way when it comes to emulating someone else, like Jazz, and in situations like these, Bhawna recommended always to focus on your true North: “your own style”. This remains the same if you want to be a bride as unique as the ones on Made In Heaven.

Have a colour palette for the venue and even your family’s outfits like on the Made In Heaven weddings. (Source: Stills from Made In Heaven)

Bhawna advised following your own instincts. You don’t need to focus on what a Bollywood celebrity or even your own cousin or friend wore for their weddings unless that is what defines your style too. “Have a colour palette for the venue and even your family’s outfits like on the Made In Heaven weddings and it’ll go a long way to make your wedding look stunning and cohesive,” she said.

Talking about how difficult yet enriching it was to work with different directors and designers for each bridal episode, Bhawna recalled, “When I spoke to Zoya (Akhtar), I said I want to celebrate Indian couture houses. This had never been done. You know, we see them on runways. We see showstoppers but we’ve never seen an auditory medium. Every wedding had a palette, every wedding had a background, and mood boards.”

Here are some of Bhawna’s other tips on dressing like you’re on the cast of the show too.

How to dress like Tara Khanna from Made In Heaven

Tara has such a strong personality that it overshines and also brings up the clothing at the same time. (Source: Stills from Made In Heaven)

Tip number 1 from Bhawna on dressing well is to “never compromise on your personality or your personal style. Of course, fashion is aspirational. But the question is why should you dress that way?”

Tip number 2 is to not overdo it because less is more. “If you see Tara’s character, whether she’s in a dress or a sari, there’s nothing loud about her style. Don’t focus on branded monogramming on your outfit. But if you love it and can get away with it, my biggest tip would be to have a curated and cohesive look rather than piling all the things on at one go.”

Tip number 3 is to wear the clothes and not let them wear you. Bhawna explained that it doesn’t matter what brand you’re wearing or even the design but your personality. “Tara has such a strong personality that it overshines and also brings up the clothing at the same time. So, the first step in that direction is to embrace our own personalities. Your personality is very important and should come through, not the design,” she said.

Tip number 4, and perhaps the most actionable one, is to always accessorise with a few things but the right ones. “When you accessorise, you’re not just wearing an apparel but it becomes a complete ensemble. Tara is not just a plain Jane in a dress. Her accessories, her shoes do the talking for her,” Bhawna said. “People with long necklines can accessorise with chandelier or dangling earrings, short ones can do studs. If you’re not a bracelet person, you can add a watch onto your daily wardrobe. Even something simple and old looks good.” “Remember Kareena Kapoor’s old watch in 3 Idiots? though it may have been old, it lent her character personality and depth in droves,” she said.

Bhawna’s parting words were to have fun with fashion and be true to yourself. “Be passionate but veer away from who you are.”

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