For A Desi Lookbook, Head To These Stores To Buy Pretty Dress Materials

In the crowded lanes of MG Road stands Cheap Jack — an 80-year-old store housing a variety of vibrant dress materials. If your fashion choices include comfortable cotton salwar kameez, floral prints, embroidery as well as some glitzy mirrors and kundan work, this is your shop. They've got material like ikat from Pochampally, and that's not all, you get these at prices as low as INR 550 (for a cotton three-piece dress material). 

Street markets have some of the best fabric stores, and Rajesh Fabrics in General Bazaar is one such store. This small store stacks varieties dress materials for daily and party wear. Straight cuts and Patiala-style — they've got plenty in embroidery, prints, and colour blocks. The prices are super affordable, and you can even get fabric per metre. 

Tucked away in the oldest lanes of Ameerpet, Amaravathi Saree House is a hidden gem with some of the best fabrics and dress materials out there. We found a huge variety of ikat and Kalamkari which are rarely found in other stores along with beautiful Shibori print dress materials. Apart from regular colours, they have off-beat ones too turquoise, tangerine, and mehendi. 

Thunga Swamy Silks is an 80-year-old fabric emporium that sources fabrics and dress materials from Pochampally as well as Kancheepuram and other Indian towns. We were told that the owner handpicks the ikat and Pochampally materials at Pochampally himself. Right from peacock greens and sunflower yellows to subtle beige and furious reds, they have stocked up on plenty. The price range starts at INR 150 per metre in terms of fabric. 

Narsingh has multiple branches all across the city but we heart its first branch in Ameerpet. This store has fabrics and materials like pure cotton, raw silk, pure georgette, brocade, pure crepe, Benarasi silk, and a lot more. We found dainty printed dress materials for regular wear, and ikat and Kalamkari have their own dedicated sections. Their price range starts at INR 110 and upwards. 

Swadesi Wardrobe is located in Sarath City Capital Mall, and if you're hitting up its Bazaar section, we're sure you'll spot this. These folks have a fine collection of chikankari kurtas and anarkalis, dress materials, dupattas, and bags. Sourcing all their products from Lucknow, Kashmir, Pakistan, etc, you can only expect the best.