Many of us would admit - even though sarees look extremely glorious and elegant, they're not the easiest of ethnic pieces to wear. Getting our pallu stuck in a dreamy stranger's watch is all fine, but we dread more about all the draping and pleating, what goes where, the fear of it undoing. If you're clouded with these exact thoughts, or maybe if you simply want to change of perspective toward your sarees, then we have something in store for you (literally, too).
We're pinning down inspiration from our favourite fashion bloggers to wear our good 'ol sarees in a new light. They're new, fresh, yet tried-and-tested ways to drape the classic six yards for the modern you. We suggest, now that Diwali is fast-approaching, save yourselves some bucks and give repurposing a try (it's eco-friendly too).
Check out these blogger-approved ways to wear a saree.
*Wear it as a dhoti*
Komal Pandey is an unstoppable trailblazer when it comes to experimenting with ethnic styles. At the max, one may think of turning a classic saree into a fusion one, but Komal sets the benchmark higher by wearing this modern floral-printed saree from Prints by Radhika as a dhoti. If you struggle with the regular draping and pleating, we suggest you give dhotis a try, which is comparatively much easier to wear; and not to mention that it's extremely trendy.
P.S. - Komal also wore a Torani saree as a lehenga, check out how!
*Pant-sarees FTW*
If you've scrolled to as many bloggers as we have, then you'd know the number of times we've come across oh-so-chic pant-saree looks. If you want to repurpose your traditional sarees (cue the Gabriella-approved Kshitij Jalori piece) into something more modern, take out your go-to jeans (skinny-fits, not mom ones) and go for it. There's only a minimal amount of tucking and pleating involved, plus there's enough legroom. Convinced yet?
*Explore creative draping*
We get it, after a point, even the classic saree vibe can get boring. If you're just not having it with the run-off-the-mill look, experiment with drapes. Take cues from Maia Sethna here, and look up draping styles that you'd like to try. Since there are so many rich Indian customs of draping the quintessential elegant six-yards, give different ones a go.
*Team your blazers and waist-belts*
Not restricted to meeting rooms and Zoom calls, blazers have paved their way into our ethnic wardrobe as well. Want to look bold and confident? Pick layers that have retro shoulder-pads. To structure the look, we suggest you team it up with a waist-belt, just like Shereen Sikka and Urmi Daga.
*Experiment with your blouse*
Till date, we were leaning on statement blouses with contemporary details, like a chic keyhole cutout or a deep-back. But hey, if you want to take it a notch above, pull out all the stops. Take cues from Natasha Luthra who styled hers in a tribal-chic way. This one is definitely for the strong-hearted, but don't be afraid to show some skin by experimenting with blouse-draping.
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Image Credits: Komal Pandey/Gabriella Demetriades/Natasha Luthra/Maia Sethna/Shereen Sikka/Urmi Daga/Instagram