A saree is the staple attire of the Indian woman, a traditional attire that every Indian woman has in her wardrobe. Available in various styles, the sari is also draped in different ways. Here’s a complete guide on Sarees.
What’s a Saree
The Saree or Sari (also pronounced as saadi) is a traditional Indian garment for women, that consists of a drape that is wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder (known as the pallu), baring the midriff. The sari is prevalent in other South Asian countries as well.
Most Indian women wear the saree almost daily, and festive occasions and weddings is the time when women are draped in their best saris, with the designer ones reserved for special occasions such as weddings.
Designer sarees cost around 15k-20k (a few hundred dollars) and the better ones can easily go over a lakh of rupees.
How to wear a Saree?
As mentioned, depending on the state, the style of draping changes a bit. Here are the more common ways to drape a sari.
Watch: How to wear a Saree, like most Indian women do
The gorgeous and sexy Shilpa Shetty Kundra shows how to drape a chiffon sari (including a few tips to get it right)
However, depending on which part of India you live in, the Saree is worn in slightly different manner. Here are some of the popular ways in which a sari could be worn.
Bengali Saree draping style
Maharashtrian saree draping style
This style is different from the other most common ways of draping a sari. The sari used is 9 yards whereas most other sarees are 5.5 to 6 yards.
Rajrani saree draping style
Rajrani is a variation of the Gujarati saree draping style, and its the way to dress up like royalty. Mostly worn during the festive season.
More Fashionable Styles
Over the years, several trendy ways have emerged in which a sari could be draped. After all, you can’t expect the Bollywood stars to wear the sari in only the traditional manner. And these styles are also one of the reasons that the world now finds the saree extremely fascinating.
Here are some fashionable variations (designer trends) in which the sari could be draped, and which will make you look ravishing on every occasion – be it a party, event, or wedding.
Butterfly saree draping style
This is how most Bollywood divas wear a saree. Materials like chiffon, net, etc., are worn and the pallu is made very thin, such that the midriff or navel is visible.
Mumtaz style saree drape
Remember yesteryear’s actress Mumtaz? and her lovely saree in the hit song Aaj kal tere mere pyar ke from the movie Bramhachari? here’s how to create that retro look.
Lehenga saree draping style
You can take the saree and drape it to look as if you are wearing a lehenga
Mermaid saree draping style
Best suited for the curvaceous body types, the lower portion is draped to look more like a skirt.
Traditional Sarees That Every Indian Bride Must Have
Besides the various draping styles, the material of the saree also differs, and every state in India has their own varieties. Take a look at some of these beautiful sarees, from different Indian cultures, which every Indian bride must have in her closet.
- Bandhani: Also known as bandhej, these sarees are from Gujarat and Rajasthan.
- Kanjivaram: Also known as Kanchipuram (their place of origin), these sarees are made of silk.
- Banarasi: Named after its place of origin (Benaras), these are hand-woven sarees with explicit embroidery
- Paithani: From the state of Maharashtra, these come in impressive colour combinations, and their pallus are embellished with beautiful designs.
- Patola: The intricate design (weaving is done in Patan, Gujarat) of these sarees make them expensive.
Buy Bollywood saree salwars gagras from Sudarshan Silk.