With Eidul Fitr just around the corner, women are ­­­­­gearing up to dress to the hilt despite the sweltering weather. However hot it may be, what is Chand raat or Eid without an ethnic touch here and a traditional touch there to finish our look on the big day marking the end of Ramazan. Trends may vary but when it comes to shopping for Eid, fancy little trinkets from bangles to bobby pins keep the festive spirit alive. Without colourful bangles and rich henna patterns Eid wouldn’t quite be Eid.

“Girls buy more than one set of glass bangles during the days before Eid to match with their outfits according to their budget and age,” says a salesman at a shopping mall in Karachi’s Clifton area.

There are bangles in glass, metal and plastic available in glittery, matte or velvet finish to suit a variety of tastes. Some prefer to wear jingling bracelets that have the bling factor, others opt for a more understated look. Whatever your style may be, bangles are one of the best ways to accessorise your outfit.

Dressing up for Eid is not complete without vibrant bangles which never go out of style

The price for a set of bangles varies between 60 rupees to 1,200 rupees according to quality and adornment. Glass bangles are cheaper in price than metallic ones. “We have some eye-catching glass bangles for girls and women. Customers just do not leave my shop without buying every new style which is offered according to changing trends,” says a stall owner at the shopping hub on Tariq Road.

Other than your favourite bangles shop, there are plenty of makeshift bangle stalls that pop up across the streets of Karachi selling glass bangles in vibrant colours, trinkets and imitation jewellery. Going shopping late at night is a tradition that most enjoy on chand raat, when the weather is cooler and the bustle of people rushing to do last-minute shopping enhances the festive ambience.

There are plenty of bangles, rings, earrings, bracelets, anklets, tiaras, headbands to choose from. Bring a mehndi cone home or get it done by the mehndi girls’ stalls dotting the shopping areas and malls.

Published in Dawn, EOS, June 10th, 2018