Indian Sari.... All about it

It is an undeniable fact that the sari adds to the
elegance and mystery that surrounds a woman and gives
her personality a new dimension. However, today more
and more young women are shunning the sari for more
“comfortable’, less cumbersome’ and manageable
clothes. Even though, most of the people who are of
the opinion that the sari is rather difficult to
manage have no doubts about its versatility. According
to Poonam, “I love wearing saris but unlike trousers
which I can just slip on and off in a jiffy, wearing a
sari means an extra half hour. But, I do agree that
this apparel is an epitome of grace and beauty,”A sari
lends itself beautifully to project the very best (in
terms of physical appearance) in all women
irrespective of her dimensions. In fact, the
versatility of the sari is best brought about by the
following lines.” The sari's radiance, vigor and
variety, produced by a single straight length of
cloth, should give us in the West pause and make us
think twice about the zipper, the dart and the
shoulder pad.”

 The possibilities of a sari as a garment are
tremendous and here are two concrete facts to support
it. Firstly, several books have been written about the
different ways in which a sari can be worn. One
example of a rather popular book on the subject is
“Saris: An Illustrated Guide to the Indian Art of
Draping which is written and illustratred by Chantal
Boulanger.” The second fact is - `Sensual Saree
Wearing,' a VCD from Fourth Dimension. It features
demonstrations accompanied by voice-over of 18
different styles of wearing the saree plus 10
additional variations of the same. Designer Nita Lulla
has been quoted as saying, No mini skirt and no bikini
top can portray what a sari can.” Nita points out,“No
matter which country you belong to, a sari never fails
to bring out your inner beauty, a fantastic feminine
side that every woman has.”

Shaina N.C a designer of repute is one of the pioneers
in the field of rediscovering the magic and
versatility of the sari by using creative and
innovative methods of draping it in several different
ways. Well, if you are one of those people who cannot
think of wearing a sari with trousers then, its time
to think again. Shaina, whose forte is innovative
draping of saris manipulates the pallu (also known as
aanchal) in several ways to give the sari a new
silhouette each time. Since the pallu is one of the
most visible part of the sari., on should use every
trick in their box to best display an embellished
pallu.

Another area that can be played around with is the
pleats. The double sari, which is in actual fact two
different kinds of garments, which are worn as one, is
a product of her creative genius. "Instead of spending
money on ghaghras, (which is normally put back safely
in the cupboard) investing in two saris will be
worthwhile as the saris can be worn on other occasions
too," says Shaina.

Some tips form experts in the field that will help you
wear your sari perfectly:
· Avoid wearing a petticoat that is loose or dragging.
Ideally, get your petticoats stitched to size.
· Make sure that your cotton sari is adequately
starched and well ironed. When draping the sari
remember to press down the pleats with your hand to
keep the sari form flaring out.
Choosing the right accessories is the best way of
enhancing your looks. The main reason for this is that
your choice of accessory reflects your personality.
Hence, choosing the right accessory is as important as
choosing you’re the right clothes.
In the case of saris your accessories would include
blouses in addition to jewellery, shoes, bags and
bindis. Most designers suggest that that it is not a
bad idea to experiment with the different kinds of
blouses that are in fashion. The good old low back
blouse is one thing that never goes out of fashion.
However, the important thing is that the blouse should
be well fitted.

Coming to shoes. The right shoe with any outfit is one
that is comfortable. Matching the colour of your shoes
to your outfit is a good idea. Having neutral colour
shoes in your wardrobe is an excellent idea as these
colours go with almost any kind of sari. Another thing
to keep in mind is the occasion. Weddings and other
such occasions demand that you wear shoes that are as
grand as your outfit. But, a party in the evening
would require you to wear something more elegant.

Now we come to jewellery. This is an age old passion
as far as women are concerned. The thing to remember
here is that jewellery is worn to complement your
looks and to overshadow your personality. Therefore,
choose jewellery that complements not only your looks
but also your style. Daytime jewellery needs to be
light-thus pearls, stones and light gold and silver
jewellery is a good idea. Jewellery worn in the
evening can be heavy and bright.

Last but not the least bags have come in a big way as
not just beautiful but also useful accessories. What
makes choosing bags a much easier affair than anything
else is their names as they are classified party bags,
evening bags, shopping bags etc.

All this information will help you turn a million
heads wherever you go. So, head for your wardrobe.