When Tradition opens doors to Creativity & Uniqueness
The Sari or the “Unstitched Cloth” is the traditional 4 to 9 yard long cloth worn by Indian women. It brings out the rich, bright and deep-rooted Indian culture just by its elegant draping styles worn in different parts of India.
Ever since its origin, dating years ago even before the British rule, the sari has been worn traditionally by most women and today, even women from other countries are sporting it with a lot of poise and grace.
Since we all love the concept of the Sari, it is always good to know the ways of draping it. I am sure all of us own at least two Saris and always wondered how it could be worn apart from the standard traditional way.
Here are some different sari draping styles that hold strong even in today’s modern society.
Along with tradition, designers are also trying new ways of wearing the sari and bringing out a little bit of the contemporary feel to the concept
Check out these draping styles which are still sported by women today. There are also various drapes which have been invented by designers recently.
The Traditional Sari
Kareena Kapoor at the NDTV Indian of the Year 2013 awards.
An eclectic mix of ones personality, grace and design, the traditional sari drape is timeless and can be carried off very well by anyone! Its sometimes good to stick to your roots, to stand out 😉
BENGALI SARI DRAPE
Bipasha Basu looks elegant in a Bengali style sari.
Traditional, simple and a little more conservative, the Bengali Style Drape brings out the elegance of the Bengali housewife smoothly.
GUJARATI SARI DRAPE
Katrina Kaif in a Gujarati Style Sari at IIJW
The Gujarati style lehenga sari drape is one of a kind. Its beautiful and speaks loud about the Gujarat culture. Nowadays, it has gone through a period of evolution making it look a little more modern.
MAHARASHTRIAN SAREE STYLE
Rani Mukherjee in a traditional Maharashtrian Sari Style at the launch of her movie “Aiyya”
Seen those traditional Maharashtrian dancers and how confidently they carry off those bright, vibrant colors, Yes, that itself speaks a lot about the confidence and boldness of the people of Maharashtra which makes them stand out in style!
TAMILIAN STYLE SAREE DRAPE
Vidya Balan & Rekha in the traditional Tamil Nadu’s famous Kanjeevaram Sari
Down South we see a lot of these huge gold borders and fabrics made of gold threads and earthy colors, the Kanjeevaram is the one famous drape of Tamil Nadu gained its popularity all around thanks to beauties like Vidya Balan & Rekha. It takes A LOT to carry off this piece.
MUMTAZ STYLE DRAPE –
More of a trend of the 60s than a tradition, this draping style became popular after the famous actress Mumtaz.
KERALA MUNDU STYLE DRAPE –
Asin in a Kerala Style Sari.
The Kerala style sari drape is light and mainly white in color. Very rare would you find this piece in other colours and styles. Its one sari drape that has stuck by its roots and when worn, brings out the true south indian simplicity.
SOME DRAPES CREATED BY FAMOUS INDIAN DESIGNERS. (the pictures below are from http://www.deccanchronicle.com)
Below is a drape designed by Shantanu & Nikhil
Designed by Anupama Dayal (below
Dev R Nil designed this eccentric and creative saree style as opposed to the standard traditional drape
Below is Tarun Tahiliani’s saree drapeare elegant, graceful and absolutely stunning!!
The belt blending in so well as an accessory makes Kiran Uttam Ghosh’s designs rather unique
When Tradition & Creativity meet, the possibilities are endless! Each designer thinks differently but still keeps the roots in mind so that it doesn’t end up looking vague. Today’s women are constantly looking at change and while that happens, they change their perspective about style too. We all live in a very dynamic society and to survive, a little “out of the box” thinking would do us good.
August 25, 2013
Diya Asrani
StylePinch 