Eesha Kulkarni

If you’re obsessed with fashion, you must have regularly rummaged through Instagram accounts in search of inspiration, especially during festive season. With Diwali right around the corner, we think it’s time to give your wardrobes a makeover and up your style game. The world of fashion is constantly evolving and it may seem daunting to keep up with the trends and concoct wearable outfits without sacrificing style. But fret not, your favourite Instagram influencers are here to the rescue with cheat sheets for the festive fashion trends and endless tips and tricks to help you dazzle this Diwali.

Fashion’s brightest and boldest stars, including Komal Pandey, Kritika Khurana and Diipa Khosla, among others, manage to go beyond just clothes and work their alchemy to take their ensembles from drab to fab. What helps them stand out is their approach, which seems to lean toward specificity, creativity and art as a relief from the jarring churn of forgettable fashion content we get to see on various social media platforms these days.

Thanks to these Indian fashionistas who have wowed millions with their discernment of cultures, colour theories, body types, silhouettes and trends, coupled with ingenious ideas of putting together outfits, you won’t have to look any further for inspiration this Diwali. From testing fashion and lifestyle brands and sharing reviews, to offering style tips and even life advice, these fashion influencers have built an Instagram empire with a loyal and engaged fanbase. Some even donned the entrepreneurial hat and launched their own successful fashion and beauty brands.

Featuring breezy georgette sarees, dainty pastel anarkalis and bright, bedazzled lehengas, read on to know which Instagram accounts we are following for our dose of Diwali fashion inspiration this year.

Komal Pandey

Boasting nearly two million followers on Instagram, Komal Pandey had humble beginnings with an online blog called ‘College Couture’ marking her first venture in the world of fashion and beauty. After this, a booming lifestyle company scooped her up and began featuring her in their fashion videos which garnered them millions of views and loyalists. Cut to the present, Pandey has caused quite a storm online in recent years given her risqué clothing choices and vividly conceptualised Kardashian-level high-fashion content. As far as Diwali content goes, no one can top Pandey’s cinematic and ‘therapeutic’ reels incorporating mix-and-match, colour-blocked styles inspired by 1950s, 1980s, retro and modern styles, along with Indian traditional looks featuring unique bohemian twists.

Siddharth Batra

Siddharth Batra’s relationship with fellow-fashion guru Komal Pandey is surely ‘goals’ for their fans, and the couple-fashion content created by the dynamic duo has made them an internet sensation lately. Full of bright, colourful, ethnic and modern fits, accessories and experimental styling ideas to die for, the couple’s content is a treasure trove of inspiration for the festive season. Batra, who has rightfully christened himself as the CEO of ‘guy beauty’ with his stereotype-defying fashion videos, gender fluid clothing and make-up looks for men, is lauded for his refreshing reels and devil-may-care attitude. So, go check out his Instagram account, pronto!

Kritika Khurana

Another trusted source of festive fashion inspiration is Kritika Khurana a.k.a ‘That Boho Girl,’ whose style gives the ultimate quirky, bohemian and girl-next-door vibes, peppered with colourful and wearable everyday pieces of clothing. With over 1.7 million Instagram followers, a successful YouTube channel and a lively podcast with her sister Deeksha Khurana called ‘What is up sister’, Kritika radiates the aura of an older sister offering fashion and life advice that every young girl wishes to have. Featuring glimmering silver sarees, colourful lehengas and pastel kurtis accentuated with simple ‘no-makeup’ make-up looks, and oxidised silver jewellery, Kritika is already in the running to become the queen of festive content on Instagram. Run, don’t walk to her account for accessible and easy-to-replicate fashion inspo!

Diipa Büller-Khosla

This social media star dons quite a few hats, including that of a mother, wife, fashion influencer, model, advocate for skin and body positivity and founder of her brainchild IndeWild—a beauty brand that amalgamates Ayurveda with clean ingredients and formulas. Khosla has earned impressive street cred by amassing nearly two million followers, and bagging prestigious brand collaborations, including Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Bulgari and Dior along with quite a few international magazine covers, TEDx awards and red carpet appearances.

Globally synonymous with fashion, clean beauty, lifestyle as well as self-love, motherhood and entrepreneurship, Büller-Khosla’s Instagram account is a no-brainer when it comes to digging for Diwali fashion inspo. If you love wearing bright Indian outfits like sarees, lehengas and indo-western fusion clothes with a touch of old Hollywood glamour, Diipa’s account should be your go-to. And, if you’re in desperate need of serotonin, or if you are a new mum looking for inspiration to dress your toddler, don’t forget to tune in to her adorable daughter and rising social media star, Dua’s Instagram account.

Isha Borah

Another rising fashion star to look out for is the Assam-born and Bengaluru-based Isha Borah, who is blowing up on Instagram lately thanks to her achievable everyday ‘get ready with me’ style videos. Borah’s unique yet attainable style and beautifully captured reels is what helped her gain 1.2 million followers over the years. The self-proclaimed ‘outfit-repeater’ also advocates for sustainable fashion by purchasing from and promoting home-grown fashion labels like H.O.P.E.S, Paher, Rust orange, Kaxhori and Jovi to name a few. The versatile and chic dog-mum puts together both neat, simple Indian ethnic looks featuring lightweight sarees and suits as well as contemporary streetwear or fusion date looks with ease. Borah believes fashion and styling to be a therapeutic exercise and her soothing, aesthetically pleasing dress-up videos stand as testament to that. If you’re a fan of minimalist, comfortable, stylish, subtle and planet-friendly fashion inspiration this festive season, look no further than Isha Borah’s Instagram account.

House of Misu

The childhood best friend and business partner duo from House of Misu, Mitali Sagar and Summiyya Patni, started a fashion consultancy brand to bridge the gap between fashion and styling, before rising to fame as top fashion influencers of the country. Staying true to their Instagram bio ‘Our 2 greatest loves–great style and each other’, House of Misu has built a strong community of over 4.3 lakh subscribers and followers thanks to their easy beauty tutorials, expertise in styling and make-up and their love for clean beauty products. If you’re into simple and elegant Indian clothes featuring gorgeous nature and wildlife prints and motifs, muted hues and complementary fusion jewellery, head over to House of Misu’s Instagram page. Apart from Diwali styling tips and mood boards, you’ll also get to learn how to fashionably navigate the new mum-life and twin with your kid from the page.

Amrita Thakur

Amrita Thakur started her own fashion label in 2011 and blessed bridal and Indian wear with a refreshing revamp highlighting some classy elements like minimalistic embroidery and vibrant colours. She has come a long way since then and is an inspiration to young women all over the world. Adept at giving a modern twist to Indian clothes, characterised by fun colours and tastefully blended contemporary and classic old world elements, Thakur’s Instagram is a mecca of fashion inspiration, especially during festive season. If you are an Indian woman who loves traditional drapery with ingenious styles and cuts of cloth, and easy to wear, breezy festive wear, go check out her page. Her label practises a invigorating take on Indian wear using elements free of excess noise. We love her high-low kurtas with shararas, her light, bright backless kurtas and her straight kurtis with pants sets from her various collections.

Mira Rajput Kapoor

Mira Rajput Kapoor has become a style icon and come into her own over the years after getting married to superstar Shahid Kapoor. Hailed as a fashion and wellness influencer with a massive following of nearly 4 million, she believes in the mantra of “keeping it real”—just what her Instagram bio says. That is perhaps why we love her fashion sense, refreshing candour and her ability to do it all at once, while being a devoted mum, daughter and wife. An advocate for good, conscious, slow and healthy living backed by the principles of Ayurveda, Rajput Kapoor’s style is similar to her lifestyle—rooted in Indian culture and traditions. If you’re a fan of breezy, versatile and accessible fashion choices with cream-coloured, light-weight sarees, simple yet chic Indian suit sets and fusion wear, visit her Instagram page for more. Rest assured, the budding style queen will deliver with effortless and classy sartorial inspiration.

Athiya Shetty

Actress Athiya Shetty’s style entails classic, minimalist silhouettes like unfussy, flattering lehengas, elegant statement anarkalis or even brocade pantsuits, co-ord sets and Indian suit sets paired with intricately woven potli bags and beaded hoops for festive occasions. If you’re a fan of casual, comfortable, edgy, stylish, and non-overtly tailored ensembles, then Shetty’s page should be on the top of your list. You can get inspired by her blend of trendy-but-make-it-your-own kind of style. She pairs her outfits with bare feet and a minimalist approach to make-up and jewellery.

Ankush Bahuguna

Ankush Bahuguna is another Instagram content creator for men who love make-up, fashion and style. He started out with making funny skits and hilariously straight-faced monologues and rants about everyday life and has blossomed into creating fashion and make-up content as well. Defying stereotypes and gender norms, one winged eyeliner at a time, follow Ankush for Diwali fashion inspo featuring kurta-pant-sets, ethnic embroidered jackets and multicoloured Indo-western fusion outfits in funky prints and bright, sparkling hues. You can’t miss his social media accounts, not only for kicks and laughs but for some empowering fashion content as well.

Anushka Ranjan

Fashion model and actress Anushka Ranjan made waves on the internet with her chic and understated lavender bridal lehenga and her subtle make-up with metallic eyes and nude lips during her wedding festivities last year. Ranjan’s fashion choices are simple and revelatory of her casual-with-a-hint-of-glam kind of approach. Head to her Instagram page for her bright, floral-loving pieces and her gorgeous, classic and lightweight fabrics including easy-going sarees, cotton suits and sharara sets.