Us Indian women are in the possession of one of the most versatile nine yard ‘strip of cloth’ – that can wrapped and draped around our bodies in more ways one. Be it the elegant nivi style, the dance-friendly lehenga style or Dharma Productions’ patented open pallu chiffon sari. A woman in a perfectly draped sari complete with a crisp pallu or flounce of pleats is a dreamy vision. The amazing designers in our country never fail to reinvent the sari’s sartorial drape. We list our most beloved sari draping styles that are sure to work their way from the mehendi to your wedding reception.
1. The Dhoti Sari
The brainchild of designer’s designer Anamika Khanna, the dhoti sari is a fusion of comfort and elegance. Bidding adieu to the nine yards, this is the answer when you want to wear a statement sari without worrying about falling flat on your face. A comparatively shorter, pre-stitched sari worn over a dhoti allows free movement of the leg. This fuchsia pink and red dhoti sari is the perfect alternative to the bright-coloured lehengas usually reserved for the mehendi. This bride gets brownie points for the floral jewellery.
Image: Morvi Images on Instagram
2. Under Your Belt
Wearing a belt over the sari has always been a part of our culture. From the engraved South Indian-style kamarpatta to the string of jasmine around the waist, and now wearing an obi belt or one made of leather, Swarovski or pearls is a matter of the bride’s choice. Wearing a belt over your sari not only adds an edge, it allows you to play with drapes – whether you want a billowy effect or a more structured one.
Image: Dipannita Sharma on Instagram
3. The Cowl Drape
Leave it to Bollywood to come up with new ways to drape the sari and ‘wow’ us. And this cowl-effect sari is just that. It definitely looks complicated at first – we also wondered how the cowls are formed – but we assure you it’s probably the easiest way to drape a sari. All you have to do is wear the pallu in the same way as a dupatta and let the cowls form naturally. The beauty of this drape is that it doesn’t require much effort!
Image: Bollywood_clear on Instagram
4. The Shredded Pallu
Popularly known as the fringe sari, this creation by designer Rimzim Dadu has the pallu in shreds, formed from separate strips of the cloth. Draped as an open pallu, it’s one of the hottest trends to wear during a day wedding where the strands of the cloth and their dance is sure to ‘wow’ under the natural sunlight.
Image: Rimzim Dadu on Instagram
5. The Double Pallu
Nope you’re not seeing double, yes you’re seeing double. Lucky for you, we have solved the case of the mysterious double pallu. It’s nothing but a dupatta in the same colour as the sari or in any other colour. Tuck one end of the dupatta on one side of the waist and the other is either wrapped around the neck or let fall on the opposite side of the original pallu. This is a genius way to amp up your sari game at a wedding. Our tip: go for a plain sari and an extravagantly embroidered dupatta for the best of both worlds.
Image: Rhea Kapoor on Instagram
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