India, Sept. 28 -- Festive dressing gets complicated when every occasion seems to call for something different. A garba night, family puja, Diwali party and wedding function may all fall within the same festive season, but that does not mean the same outfit works equally well for each one.

For me, the easiest way to decide between a chaniya choli, lehenga and saree is to think beyond which outfit looks the prettiest. The better question is: How much movement do I need, how formal is the occasion and how dressed-up do I actually want to look?

Here is how I would choose between the three for different festive occasions.

If the plan involves dancing, walking around for hours or spending an evening at a garba or dandiya event, a chaniya ch...