Mary Anthony: From Saree to Saree-Gown: The Drape Story

The age when I started playing dress up with my mom's clothes there was only one thing that I was obsessed with 'Saree' yes the six yard drape that is worn in a traditional as well as fashionable way in India one can call it as the National Symbol in Fashion, its sexy, elegant and mesmerizing! I couldn't drape it then so I used to just round it up my waist and wear all the colourful bangles, bindi, makeup and necklace and feel like a perfect 'Indian Princess' to amuse me further my mom used to click pictures of me in that attire and I would happily pose. She always has a huge collection so it was a different 'Saree' everyday! Well I know how to drape it now and still pose in it (Old habits die hard!)

AUTOR: Mary Anthony 

FROM: Beautilicious Freaks

The saree is one of the world’s oldest and perhaps the only surviving unstitched garment from the past. Over the millennia, it has not only become a sensuous, glamorous all-time-wear for women, but also the ‘canvas’ for weavers and printers to create artistic weaves, prints and jewelled or gold-silver embellishments!The saree can be a shimmering silk, or fine cotton or an elegant chiffon material. It can have the most intricate embroidery with silk threads or even silver and gold threads. The colours can be vibrantly bright or subdued pastels. There are sarees to match every mood and every occasion to suit every budget. The saree has an ageless charm since it is not cut or tailored for a particular size. This garment can fit any size and if worn properly can accentuate or conceal. This supremely graceful attire can also be worn in several ways and its manner of wearing as well as its colour and texture are indicative of the status, age, occupation, region and religion of a woman.

The traditional 6 yard saree allows for generous pleating, and draping around the body and over the shoulders almost Grecian in style. The loose end of the fabric, which is thrown over the left shoulder, is known as ‘Pallu’. Pallu usually has extensive design or embroidery woven into it. saree is very flattering to all shapes and sizes and forgiving of the various flaws. It can ingeniously conceal the extra flab of fat, or it can accentuate the well-proportioned curve -- It is just a matter of how you drape the saree. This garment is in style for over 5000 years for the simple reason of its simplicity and practical usage.

This demure garment is a very versatile garment too. The pallu has a very multi-purpose use to it. In case of slight chill in the air, put it around the shoulder like a shawl, if it gets very cold wrap it around the head like a scarf. The saree is so practical to wear that you can even run a marathon in it without any problem.Different parts of India have different styles of draping the saree:-

Bengali Style:-

The Bengali women have a style of their own with the pallu falling over their shoulders to the front.

 Gujrati Style:-

The Coorgi style is daringly worn without a choli and with the pleats in front. 
It is the faithful comfortable Gujarati style of wearing the ulta-pallu that finally finds wide acceptance among women all over India. The style of draping a saree keeps changing with the pallu over the left shoulder for the conventional version or over the right one for the Gujarati look. Designers always try to project the saree in a new light. For formal wear it is still the first choice among the majority of women.




Draping the saree is not as easy as it seems and hence a new trend has emerged 'Saree-Gown'

Saree Gown :-

Fashion has come a long way and so it has evolved the modern women has put up with some more emerging and fashionable trends due to the hectic life and time constraints the gowns fashioned to have the appearance of sarees or that look inspired by sarees are growing in popularity. 'Saree -Gown' is the perfect choice for the Gen-Next. Its easier to wear and has no hassel of draping, they are made to look a little bit more “Western,” they do not have as much of the intricate embroidery details, which makes them an appealing choice for women who want to strike a balance between traditional and modern terms of fashion. With the beautiful Bollywood brigade flaunting this trend it set to increase its presence in the fashion conscious world at large.

So which one would you choose Saree or Saree-Gown ? Till then let me Drape !