One of the most sensuous of attire- the sari, adorns a woman to become modest and attractive in it. It is not cumbersome but a great antique that suits to any occasion. The great Indian women in different spheres of life, the rich and the poor admire and appreciate the style and strength of the sari.
Though one of the oldest apparels, there is something mystical about the way one wraps, folds, tucks and drapes a seamless piece of cloth: creating a form from the formless. The sari both conceals and reveals, depending on the weaver’s whim and conditioning. The versatile sari has its variety fashion in adorning in this multicultural society of India . The Style, texture varies from south to north and east to west in India . The latest trend in sari-blouses has become a style of added value to the wearer with a magnetic grace and attraction.
Saree is a rectangular piece of unstitched fabric which is draped in a very fascinating manner. The length of the this fabric is 6 yards ( 5 meters) long. This is a one piece of clothing which fits all.. fat or thin short or tall!!! 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. There is a petticoat , or a slip, which is worn under the saree which holds the saree in place.Along with the saree is a blouse, which unattached to it. The blouse is a tight fitting item of clothing, and adds a fashion statement to the saree. The sleeve length of the blouse is dictated by the hottest Indian film stars. The sleeve length travels from full sleeves to half sleeves to sleeveless over a period of time. 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 with out any problem
The Sari resembles as a canvas to the weaver, the block printer, the textile designer or the mill hand. A hand woven sari is the most organic attire one can wear. When you wear that hand-woven sari, you are paying your tribute to our craft persons who have stubbornly struck to the skills and traditions thousands of years old. It is too easy to look to modernity and risk losing one’s poetry.
Thus sari is not just attire but it embodies the warp and weft of life itself. The essential simplicity of the sari—an untailored length of cloth measuring between four and nine meters long by approximately one meter wide—is set against a wonderful variety of fabrics, colors, patterns, and draping styles. It displays the rich diverse regional traditions of color, pattern, and weave. The etymology (origin) of the word sari is from the Sanskrit word 'sati', which means strip of cloth. This evolved into the Prakrit 'sadi' and was later anglicised into sari.
How to drape
A charming folktale explains...
"The Sari, it is said, was born on the loom of a fanciful weaver. He dreamt of Woman. The shimmer of her tears. The drape of her tumbling hair. The colors of her many moods. The softness of her touch. All these he wove together. He couldn't stop. He wove for many yards. And when he was done, the story goes, he sat back and smiled and smiled and smiled."
History of Sari
saris origins are obscure, in part because there are so few historical records in India. Yet, we know that Indians were wearing unsewn lengths of cloth draped around their bodies long before tailored cloths arrived.
One of the earliest depictions of a Sari-like drape covering the entire body dates back to 100 B.C. A North-Indian Terracotta depicts a woman wearing a Sari wound tightly around her entire body in the trouser style.
This elaborate body-hugging style represented in the terracotta may have evolved among India's temple dancers in ancient times to allow their limbs freedom of movement while at the same time maintaining their standards of modesty.
There are many sculptures of Graeco-Indian Gandharan civilization which show a variety of different Sari draping styles.
It is commonly believed in India that today's petticoat or "Ghagra" and the blouse or "Choli" which are worn under the Sari are later additions which started with the coming of British in India. Increasing number of upper class women in the early 20th century did adopt items of European style clothing as the fitted blouse and slim petticoat. This was also adopted due to the fashion of transparent chiffon Saris during that particular period. Some of the wives of Indian Kings draped themselves in Saris that were made by Parisian designers.
The concept of beauty in ancient India was that of small waist and large bust and hips, as is evident in the sculptures of those times. And Sari seemed to be the perfect dress to flaunt those proportions as it exposes the waist of a woman and emphasizes the waist and bust with the pleated fabric. Sometimes women wore accessories like Girdle belt) with elaborate design around their waist to emphasize the hip area.
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