Indian Accessories

Saree, the traditional costume, could easily be considered as the national wear for Indian women.

Even the ultra modern youngsters and teens wear saree on very special occasions like weddings, festivals etc.

Saree is not a readymade dress; it is a fabric with a length of nearly 5meters (6yards) and width 1- 1.25mts. But depending on the body shape and style of wearing, the choice of Saree could be four yards, six yards, eight yards (almost obsolete now), and even nine yards of length.

The saree can be made of shimmering silk, fine cotton or an elegant chiffon material with the most intricate embroidery using silk, silver or even gold threads. The colors could be either vibrantly bright or subdued pastels. This garment can fit any size and shape and might be worn in several ways. The color, texture and the manner of draping the saree indicate the status, age, occupation, region and religion of a woman.

Draping the saree over the body beautifully and neatly is a special art. A short top known as blouse/jacket/choli is also worn under the saree. Even though the blouse is available as ready made, it is better to stitch, taking the measurements of the person. This top covers the chest portion and the upper part of the stomach and clings to the body and giving the necessary charm to the upper part of the body. Saree blouse will be stitched with a full opening either in the front or the back with buttons or hooks to join it. Choli might be long or short sleeved or sleeveless.

Another accessory required is a long petticoat worn under the saree. This waist to feet undergarment similar to a long skirt, without any frills holds the saree in place. The petticoat, made of cotton or polyester, is tied at the waist using a string. This is available as ready-mades in various measurements. A tailor can stitch it taking the correct measurement of the lady. The color of the blouse and the petticoat should match with that of the saree.

A saree could be draped in many ways according to the custom of each state. Following is the most popular way of wearing a 5meter sari.

Start by putting on the long petticoat and tying the drawstring around the waist tightly. Wear the matching close fitting blouse/ choli. Beginning at the navel, the inner top edge of the sari is tucked into the petticoat in front a little more to the right side, with the sari going towards the left and wrap the sari once completely around the body, ending again at the left side.

See that the hem of the saree touches the feet. Holding the tucked waist tightly, begin pleating the sari material 5 inches deep with your fingers, evenly and neatly, and tuck them into the petticoat, slightly towards the left side.

Gather about 1 yard of the saree into approximately 7 to 10 pleats and see that the pleats are piled on top of each other evenly.

Hold them together so that they fall evenly. The lower edge of the pleats should also be even just above the ground. Wrap material fully around the waist one more time from left to right. Bring the remainder of the sari up under right arm and drape over the left shoulder such that the edge or pallav/pallu falls to about knee level.

Using a small safety pin, fasten the left shoulder portions of the pallav and blouse together to prevent pallav from falling from the shoulder. Small safety pins might be placed for extra safety wherever needed.

ifferent parts of India follow different styles of wearing the sari. In the state of Maharashtra the nine yard traditional sari does not require a petticoat and when draped, it will be more like a pant. In the Southern regions, sari is worn, however, with pleats in the front and the pallu or pallav falling over the left shoulder. The Bengali women wear it with the pallu falling over their shoulders to the front. The Coorgis wear the sari without a blouse and with the pleats in front. Gujarati style is different with the pallu falling over the right shoulder to the front of the body.

Earlier an Indian Hindu bride used to wear her wedding sari in the traditional way. But now in wedding functions women prefer to wear saris in modern styles. Fashion designers have made it easier with new ways to drape wedding saris which are very popular among present generation. Indian saris, having a sensuous and elegant look, are available in different fabrics such as cotton, silk, georgettes and crape.

election of wedding sari itself is a difficult task when a wedding is fixed in a Hindu family. The cost of a wedding sari is very high, ranging from few thousands to few lacks ($150 to $5000) depending on the texture and golden thread used to weave the sari.

These saris, in enchanting colors, have embroidered borders and pallu woven in golden threads. Very precious saris have golden designs all over the material. Latest saris, coming in different varieties and designs have a lot of work done on them, such as zari, embroidery, organza, zardosi, sequence, cut works, mirror works, patch work, pearl work, kasab, kundan etc.

An Indian bride used to wear only a very heavy rich Banarasi or Kancheevaram sari on wedding day. But now even though today’s bride prefers to wear a sari for the wedding she opts for a very sleek and light in fabric.

An Anglo Indian Christian bride’s wedding costume is a white full skirted gown usually made of around five to seven meters of material, but might vary according to design. The other sects of Indian Christian brides usually wear a costly white or cream sari. She often covers her head with a white veil and a crown- a tiara or a bunch of white flowers, holding a flower bouquet in her hand.

A sharara, a long following skirt and blouse, or a lehanga suit or salwar kameez is the bridal dress of an Indian Muslim bride and a dupatta covers her head. Indian Sikh brides usually wear salwar and kameez with a dupatta.

Bridal costumes are usually made of expensive materials like silk and velvet, often trimmed and embroidered in gold thread. All brides with their bridal costumes and beautiful hair styles and accessories want to look the best on their wedding day. Any bridal outfit should make moments cherishable. Like the saying, you don’t get married everyday.

Set mundu is the traditional attire worn by the women of Kerala, a southern Indian state. It is two pieces of cloth in the form of a sari with white or cream color. The lower piece, usually hand woven, is known as ‘Mundu and the upper piece, lighter than the mundu, as ‘Neriyathu. The style of wearing them involves much care and complication.

Set mundu also requires a blouse similar to a sari blouse. Both men and women wear mundu. The mundu is worn below the navel and around the hips and tied firmly. The neriyathu is worn in the same way as the upper portion of the sari. One end of the neriyathu is tucked in the left side of the mundu. Then wrap material fully around the waist from left to right. Bring the remainder of the neriyathui up under right arm and drape over the left shoulder such that the edge falls to about knee level just like sari pallu. Using a small safety pin, fasten the left shoulder portions of the neriyathu and blouse together to prevent it from falling from the shoulder.

Set mundu has many varieties. One such variety of set mundu has brocade along the edges known as ‘kasavu’, Sometimes this golden brocade is laced with ordinary cotton thread of contrasting bright colors known as ‘kasavu kara’(border). Usually, set mundu with ‘kasavu’ is worn on special occasions. Otherwise, people prefer to wear ‘mundu’ without ‘kasavu’ since they are cheaper.

Today set mundu is worn by old women of Kerala and it is replaced by set sari consisting only of a single piece of material. Kerala women wear set sari only on festive occasion and religious functions. The accompanying accessories are jasmine garland on the hair and gold jewels on the neck and wrists.

The Christian women wear the mundu differently with the pleats hanging out at the back and a long white blouse (chatta) and a Neriyadhu over their upper body.

Brahmin ladies of southern states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala in India wear nine yards sari in an entirely different style. This style, known as Madisar style, does not require a petticoat, but a blouse similar to a sari blouse.

The Madisar style needs some expertise to wear and the young generation drapes this sari with the help of old experienced women. There are two sects of Tamil Brahmins, Iyer and Iyengar. Iyer will put the pallu over the right shoulder whereas Iyengar wears over the left. While old women still continue to wear the 9 yards sari, young ladies prefer to wear it only on religious festivals and ceremonies, especially on wedding days.

Half Sari: This costume is very popular among teen age girls in all South Indian states, irrespective of caste and religion. This consists of a long skirt, a blouse (same as a sari blouse) and a half sari, measuring 2-2.5 meters long. The skirt is a cone- shaped, waist to feet garment covering the legs and it is made out of a single piece of material.

Most skirts are fitted round the waist with the help of a string and have very small pleats on the waist portion. Modern skirts are usually made of light to mid-weight fabrics like denim, jersey, worsted or poplin. Skirts of thin or clingy fabrics need slips to help the material of the skirt wear in a better way.

The half sari is made out of thin fabrics such as crape, georgette, nylon, chiffon, very thin cotton etc. After wearing the skirt and the blouse the half sari is worn over the blouse with its one end tucked inside the left side of the skirt and the rest is the same as draping the top portion of the sari.

The color of the half sari and blouse should match either that of the skirt or the border of the skirt. A matching ribbon tied to the hair will make this costume more attractive.
Still young girls in the age group 4-13 wear only the skirt and the blouse, the blouse a bit bigger and longer than the sari blouse.

Now the wearing of such traditional dresses is limited to certain occasions only. Interestingly modern ladies prefer to wear casual wears like ‘churidar’ and jeans on most of the occasions, which allows easy and free movement of the limbs.

Indian sari fabrics are different and distinctive. Important fabrics used for Indian saris are cotton, crepe, georgette, silk, and chiffon. Cotton sari is light in weight and very cool to wear in summer. Cotton sari is easy to wash and iron. Different colors make cotton saris exciting and preferable to all. It could be worn on festival days as well as a daily wear. .

Georgette sari is a traditional wear, usually made up of nylon and polyester yarn and is the most graceful fabric. It will add the charm and beauty of the lady if properly draped. As the texture is very soft and delicate it is comfortable to wear. It is a party as well as festive wear which has the most intricate designs. Zardozi or embroidery work will enhance the look of georgette fabric.

Saris, made out of Chiffon fabric, are a symbol of elegance and firmness making it an ideal choice for daily as well as evening wear. Chiffon is a very fine fabric found in nylon and silk. Various prints and embroideries such as block prints, bandhni style, resham work and gold embroidery give these saris a unique fabulous and enchanting look. It is a bit difficult to carry as it is bumpy.

.Crepe fabric’s attraction lies in its simplicity and sobriety and crepe is a fine light fabric originally woven in silk, but now woven in other fabrics also. Crepe saris are suitable for many occasions like wedding, any get together, parties etc. Various colors and designs make crepe saris exciting. . The printed crepe saris, and crepe saris with resham and gold metallic embroidery works increase the beauty of a lady.

Silk, a precious gift of nature and an evergreen fashion fabric is used to make exquisite and gorgeous silk saris, ranging from Kanjeevaram to Banarasi, Patola and Mysore silk. Since silk requires extra care steam press is recommended. Silk saris having zari work on them are very high in demand. Silk saris are the most exotic, sensual, glamorous and smart fabric saris.
Other categories of fabric include Tissue, Net, Faux, Linen, Velvet, Viscose, Art silk, Satin, Organza, Lizi-Bizi, Soft Crush, Laser and many other cool fabrics.

Each Indian state has developed its own unique sari style, with different fabric and weaving style. The reservoir of Indian sari is very large comprising embroidered sari, classy silk saris and special bridal wedding sari. Bandhani is a classic handwork style of Rajasthan and Gujarat. This handwork involves tying and dying of cloth resulting in the production of elaborate patterns and designs on the sari fabric.
Kota Doria, a traditional style of Rajasthan, is created in small villages of Kota City. This style uses a combination of threads to create fine designs, cotton lending firmness and silk giving airy soft feel.

Banarsi, of Banaras City in UP state, is popular and widely appreciated as an exclusive silk sari. This sari exhibits Mughal patterns and designs. Pure silk (katan), organza with zari work, georgette and shatter are the diverse styles in Banaeasi sari collection.

Kanjeevaram silk sari, originated in Kanjeepuram, is one of the finest and most popular forms of silk in Tamilnadu. Its specialty is a combination of colored threads and a lot of zari work. Its significant attractions are the beautiful tribal designs. Now latest patterns are also getting attention.

Orissa Ikat silk saris – The word Ikat means “tied” and justifying it this style handles tie and die process to produce eye catching patterns. It has a heavy gauge and a fine metallic touch, including wide temple style borders.

The light and simple Chanderi saris of Madhya Pradesh are unique with an airy feel and narrow borders and decently designed anchals with buttis.

Paithani saris of Maharashtra are hand-woven and simple looking. The borders are designed with delicate square and pallus with a peacock pattern while the kaleidoscope designs are enchanting.

Cotton printed saris, the cool summer wear, are available in large fabulous varieties, including batik work, bandhni style, block printing and hand made drawings are printed in cities like Mumbai and Kolkotta.

Cotton handlooms, such as Tant, Jamdani and Baluchari Bengal Handloom saris, are known for their lightness and great comfort. The borders exhibit delicate silk threadwork designs, simple but artistic and unique.

Southern weaves include Pochampalli, Venkatgiri, Gadwal, Guntur, Mangalpuri saris of Andhra Pradesh, Coimbatore and Chettinad styles of Tamilnadu and Mysore silk of Karnataka.

One of the accessories along with sari is a tight fitting short top called choli or blouse worn under the sari. Cholis are usually made of cotton or silk material with or without a collar and sleeves. They are usually more tailor-made than simple knit tops, and may look more attractive by adding” feminine” details such as ruffles or embroidered decorations. The 10th century AD cholis were only front covering with a bare back, still common among Rajasthani ladies.

Sari cholis are quite snugly and comfortable wear, fitted in varying lengths, necklines and sleeves. Some cholis have short neckline while some have low-cuts. In the case of sleeves, cholis are long sleeved, short or sleeveless. Style-wise, the permanent favorites are the short-sleeved ones and wrap-arounds with or without straps. Blouses having prominent buttons in the back are very desiarable.

Blouses with long sleeves in transparent chiffon or lace are also very popular. There are off-shoulder fashions and those held up with strings and Lycra blouses for a casual, modern look. Sari blouses are stitched with a full opening in the front or the back. After wearing the blouse the opening ends are joined by hooks or buttons. The material required to stitch a choli is 1 or 1.20 to .80meters long depending upon the size of the lady and the length of sleeves.

Ready made blouses in various colors and designs are available; but a blouse stitched by a tailor with correct measurements of the lady is preferred.

Though blouses are available in all the bright shades reds, maroons, wine red and whites are in great demand with attractive sari. The work such as Zardozi, in-laid with stones, antique and gold work or sequins on them form part of the embroidery. A bridal choli contains lavish use of gold and antique threads.

The fabrics used for designer blouses are mostly crepes, georgettes, silk and satin, crepe in more demand. Ceremonial Designer cholis have sequins, beads work, and rich chikan embroidery in colored thread or embroidery work in gold and bronze threads all over.