Diwali 2026 Outfit Ideas for Men: What to Wear for the Puja, the Lunch and the Party
Diwali is on 8 November 2026. What men should wear for the puja, family lunch and Diwali party: kurtas, kurta sets and Nehru jackets at every budget.
Diwali is on Sunday, 8 November this year. Dhanteras falls on Friday the 6th and Bhai Dooj on Wednesday the 11th, so for most of us it isn't one evening. It's a week of pujas, lunches, card parties and visits to relatives, and you'll want more than one look.
Here's the short answer, if that's all you came for. For the Lakshmi puja, wear something light in colour and easy to sit in: an embroidered cotton or Japanese-fabric kurta with a white pajama. For the evening and the parties, go richer: silk, all-over embroidery or a kurta set. And if you want one outfit that does both, put a Jamawar or jacquard Nehru jacket over a plain kurta in the evening and take it off for the puja.
The rest of this post is the long answer, with actual pieces from our shop and what they cost as I write this.
First, the dates, and when to order
The festival is on 8 November, but your outfit needs to arrive before Dhanteras, ideally with a day spare for ironing. Our shipping page says orders are processed in 1 to 3 business days, stretching to 5 in the festive season. After that, delivery takes 3 to 5 business days to the metro cities, 5 to 7 to tier 2 and tier 3 cities, 7 to 10 to remote areas, and 10 to 14 to Jammu & Kashmir and the North East.
Work backwards from Friday 6 November, assume the slowest case, and you get dates like these:
| Where you are | Order by |
|---|---|
| Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata | 23 October |
| Tier 2 and tier 3 cities | 21 October |
| Remote and rural areas | 16 October |
| Jammu & Kashmir and the North East | 12 October, or as soon as you can |
Shipping is charged on every order and worked out at checkout from your location and the parcel's weight, so you'll see the exact figure before you pay.
If you're in Delhi, you don't need a courier at all. Our store is at D-4 Basement, Abul Fazal Enclave, Thokar no. 3, Okhla, about five minutes from Okhla Vihar metro station on the Magenta Line, and it's open every day from 11:30 AM to 10 PM. Colours are always easier to judge in person than on a phone screen.
What to wear for the Lakshmi puja
The puja is the part of Diwali where comfort matters most. You'll be sitting on the floor, getting up and down, lighting diyas and handing out prasad. Nobody needs a stiff, heavy kurta for that.
My advice is a lighter colour, embroidery that stays near the collar and placket, and a pajama you can actually sit cross-legged in.
- Our Pure White Embroidery Work Kurta is an off-white cotton-blend kurta with a panel of multi-coloured resham threadwork down the placket and around the mandarin collar. Its listing names Diwali puja as the occasion, and I agree with it.
- The Mustard Yellow Embroidered Festive Kurta is for someone who wants colour. It has all-over self-toned thread embroidery with small sequin highlights, and yellow never looks wrong at a puja.
- The Ivory Embroidered Neckline Kurta keeps it simple, with beige-gold embroidery along the collar and placket and nothing else.
- If you like a cleaner look, the Japanese embroidered kurtas in ice blue, beige or white keep their embroidery to the collar and placket too.
Embroidered Kurta
Embroidered Kurta - Pure White
Embroidered Kurta
Mustard Yellow Embroidered Festive Kurta
Embroidered Kurta
Elegant Ivory Embroidered Neckline Kurta
Embroidered Kurta
Ice Blue Japanese Embroidered Kurta
For the bottom half, a white pajama. Our Classic White Cotton Pajama is straight-fit with a drawstring waist. The White Cotton Aligarhi Pajama is loose through the thighs and tapers at the ankle, which some people find more comfortable on the floor. Both are cotton, and on most kurta pages you can add one in the same step.
One practical point. If your kurta has wide sleeves, keep them away from the diya flame. It sounds obvious until you're reaching across the thali.
What to wear for the evening and Diwali parties
Evenings are where you can go further. The lights are low, the photos happen, and silk and sequins finally make sense.
- The Royal Indigo Embroidered Festive Kurta is covered in swirling geometric threadwork with scattered sequins and has a bandh gala collar. This is a party kurta, and it doesn't pretend otherwise.
- The Soft Rose Taupe Embroidered Festive Kurta does the same thing in a softer colour, and its listing names receptions and Diwali parties.
- The Jet Black Embroidery Work Kurta puts zari and threadwork on the neck panel and keeps the rest plain. More on black further down.
- Our embroidered silk kurtas, most of them ₹3,500 to ₹4,500 right now, have all-over embroidery and a mandarin collar. They're the dressiest single kurtas we sell.
Embroidered Kurta
Royal Indigo Embroidered Festive Kurta
Embroidered Kurta
Soft Rose Taupe Embroidered Festive Kurta
Embroidered Kurta
Embroidered Kurta - Jet Black
Embroidered Kurta
Men's Black Geometric Embroidered Silk Kurta
If the evening is a card party at a friend's place rather than a formal dinner, look at the printed party kurtas. They're a linen blend with digital prints inspired by royal processions, temple art and vintage florals, and they have a wooden button placket. At ₹1,500 they're the cheapest way into a festive look that still feels special.
The kurta set route: nothing to match
Some people don't want to think about which pajama goes with which kurta. Fair enough. That's what kurta sets are for.
- Dola Silk Embroidered Kurta Sets, ₹3,500 at the time of writing: Dola silk, embroidery inspired by floral and heritage motifs, a concealed placket and a matching straight-fit pajama.
- Cotton Silk Embroidered Kurta Sets, ₹6,000: cotton silk with embroidery and subtle sequin work, full sleeves and a matching pajama. If Diwali dinner is at your in-laws' house, this is the one.
- Japanese Embroidered Kurta Sets, ₹3,500: floral-tree embroidery, embroidered cuffs and a matching pajama.
Kurta Set
Men's Navy Blue Dola Silk Embroidered Kurta Set
Kurta Set
Men's Sand Gold Cotton Silk Embroidered Kurta Set
Kurta Set
Men's Forest Green Japanese Embroidered Kurta Set
The whole range is in our kurta sets collection.
Add a Nehru jacket and one outfit covers the whole day
If I had to pick one thing for Diwali, it would be this. Wear a plain or lightly embroidered kurta to the puja. In the evening, put a Nehru jacket on top and it becomes a party outfit without a change of clothes.
- Jamawar waistcoats have woven paisley and brocade motifs with metallic zari threads, in maroon and gold, golden yellow, crimson, rust, ivory and a few pinks. At ₹2,500 right now, down from ₹4,999, they're the best value in the shop. One warning: anything marked down by more than 40% can't be exchanged under our policy, so be sure of the size before you order.
- Jacquard waistcoats, ₹3,500, have woven or embroidered motifs and look a little more formal.
- Thread linen waistcoats, ₹2,500, are the lightest. Good if your Diwali is warm or you're indoors all evening.
Nehru Jacket
Royal Maroon and Gold Jamawar Waistcoat
Nehru Jacket
Golden Yellow Jamawar Waistcoat
Nehru Jacket
Jacquard Waistcoat - Black
Nehru Jacket
Thread Linen Waistcoat - Teal Blue
The rule I follow: if the jacket is patterned, keep the kurta plain, and if the kurta is busy, choose a plain jacket. I've written a separate post on how to wear a Nehru jacket with a kurta if you want the details.
Is it okay to wear black on Diwali?
People ask this every year, and the honest answer is that it depends on your family. Many households consider black inauspicious for the puja itself. If your mother or your grandmother is one of them, Diwali morning is not the time to start that debate.
For the party later, black is completely fine, and it photographs very well against fairy lights and diyas. Our black options include the Black Japanese Embroidered Kurta, the Jet Black Embroidery Work Kurta and the Black Dola Silk Embroidered Kurta Set.
So my suggestion is something light for the puja, and black for the late evening if you like it.
Diwali outfits by budget
Here's what complete outfits cost in our shop as I write this. Prices do change, and the product cards on this page always show the current one, so treat the table as a guide.
| Budget | Outfit | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| About ₹2,000 | Printed party kurta + Classic White Cotton Pajama | ₹1,500 + ₹550 |
| About ₹3,000 | Japanese embroidered kurta + White Cotton Aligarhi Pajama | ₹2,500 + ₹300 |
| About ₹5,000 | Japanese embroidered kurta + Jamawar waistcoat | ₹2,500 + ₹2,500 |
| ₹6,000 | Cotton Silk Embroidered Kurta Set, pajama included | ₹6,000 |
| ₹7,500 | Aari-work three-piece: kurta, stole and pajama | ₹7,500 |
Shipping is extra and shown at checkout.
Colours that work for Diwali
You can't go wrong with jewel tones in the evening: maroon, wine, royal blue, emerald and deep indigo. For the puja and the daytime, ivory, off-white, mustard and the pastels (ice blue, mint, powder pink) look fresh and keep you cooler.
If you're layering, put the deeper colour on top. A maroon Jamawar over an ivory kurta, or a teal linen waistcoat over a white one. That pairing works at almost any Diwali gathering, from your grandmother's puja to an office party.
After Diwali: dealing with ghee, wax and mithai
Diwali clothes come home with marks on them: a drop of ghee, a smear of mithai, a little candle wax. Deal with them quickly, and follow the care label rather than scrubbing.
- For silk and the heavily embroidered pieces, the label says dry clean recommended. Take it in while the stain is fresh and tell them what it is.
- For the embroidered cotton kurtas, if you wash at home, hand wash separately in cold water, then iron on the reverse side at low to medium heat so the threadwork isn't flattened.
- Never bleach any of them.
- Store silk somewhere cool and dry, away from direct sunlight, until next year.
A few last thoughts
Our own shipping page warns that processing can take up to five business days in the festive season, so don't leave it to the last weekend.
If you're stuck between two sizes or two colours, message us on WhatsApp at +91 95994 44945. Send a photo of what you're planning to wear it with and we'll tell you what we think, honestly.
Happy Diwali from all of us at Shades of Linen.
— Faisal
Questions people ask
What should men wear on Diwali 2026?
For the Lakshmi puja on Sunday, 8 November, a light-coloured embroidered kurta with a white cotton pajama. For the evening and Diwali parties, a silk or all-over embroidered kurta, a kurta set, or a Nehru jacket over a plain kurta.
What colour should I wear for the Diwali puja?
Light, festive colours such as ivory, off-white, mustard or pastels. Many families prefer to avoid black for the puja itself.
Is it okay to wear black on Diwali?
For the puja, many families would rather you didn't. For Diwali parties and the late evening, black is perfectly fine and photographs well against diyas and fairy lights.
Can I wear a Nehru jacket over a kurta for Diwali?
Yes. It's the easiest way to make one kurta work for both the puja and the party. Keep one of the two plain: a patterned jacket over a plain kurta, or a plain jacket over a busy one.
When should I order my Diwali outfit so it arrives on time?
To have it before Dhanteras on 6 November, order by about 23 October in metro cities, 21 October in tier 2 and tier 3 cities and 16 October in remote areas. For Jammu & Kashmir and the North East, order by 12 October. In Delhi, you can visit our Okhla store any day from 11:30 AM to 10 PM.
