There are two types of women – one who loves wearing a saree and the other, who can’t drape one to save her life, and for whom, a lehenga is a sartorial godsend. But every so often, women from the saree camp find themselves lurking in the lehenga territory. It must be exhilarating to wear an outfit that doesn’t require to be held together by one thousand safety pins.
I, for one, am the kind who belongs to the aforementioned Team Saree and yet has repeatedly imagined being in a lightweight lehenga that lets me kick things without having to worry about accidentally undoing my outfit. However, what stops me from making an impulse purchase is the wearability factor which is guaranteed to slump after the initial infatuation with the lehenga will wear off. What will I do then? Will my money be reduced to a stash of hand-embroidered separates that I will no longer enjoy? Because let’s face it, I will return to my beloved sarees eventually, notwithstanding the number of times I have been pricked by one of those infamous pins.
During one such lehenga/saree mental quandary, I came across a post of Komal Pandey which literally showed me the way to enjoy a lehenga without actually purchasing one. The super-innovative influencer, who has been entertaining me via her Fashion Therapy, was playing around with a Torani saree when she magically draped it around her waist and let it fall like a lehenga – no pallu! Just a saree, worn like a wrap-around skirt.
As if I didn’t already love the saree – the most versatile piece of garment in the Indian wardrobe – I saw an instantaneous six-fold (or shall I say, 6-pleats?) increase in my liking for it.
This got me thinking - that like me, there must be multitudes of women who are trying to find if their love for a lehenga is strong enough to drop a bundle on it. Until then, I thought, why not suggest chanderi sarees that can moonlight as whatever outfits you want them to be? And since I have proven how much I love them, it wouldn’t hurt to completely look toward the options I suggest; the fact that they are on discount only work in your favour!
Take a look!
Have a traditional look in mind? This fuschia saree is perfect to be worn with a choli (or a shirt - take your pick!) of a contrasting shade for the perfect colour-blocked look, which is all the rage this season.
Ivory - another colour I can't stop raving about right now - with mirror-worked hem here is perfect for a sangeet or reception party. Accessorize with your best kundan jewelry and a heavily embroidered organza dupatta, and no one will know this is not a lehenga; I promise!
For a look that's equal parts modern and traditional, swap your traditional choli with a bralette top or a bustier, take a netted dupatta, throw on a choker and wrap this saree for a lehenga. You're good to go!
So much talk has happened about modern lehengas that I cannot complete this recommendation list without mentioning this Saksham Neharicka abstract printed saree that can totally be swapped for new-age lehenga. I suggest a black velvet blouse and choker for maximum impact!
Wanted to own a floral lehenga (thanks to Katrina Kaif's countless appearances in them) but don't know how to go about it? This Pranay Baidya floral-printed chanderi saree is your answer to all those styling woes. Wear it with a matching blouse and a contrast dupatta and regardless of whether it's summer or otherwise, you're raising the temperature with this look!
