India, Sept. 11 -- Ethnic wear can be surprisingly difficult to shop for.

You may know you want a kurta set for a festive event, family gathering or even work, but then comes the confusing part: Farshi, Anarkali or A-line?

They can all look elegant, but they create very different silhouettes.

A Farshi set brings drama through its wide, flowing salwar. An Anarkali creates volume through the flare of the kurta. An A-line kurta stays comparatively streamlined, gradually widening from the shoulders towards the hem.

So instead of asking which one is trending, I would start with a more useful question:

Where do you want the volume in your outfit to sit?

That one decision can make it much easier to figure out which silhouette will feel com...