Since hundreds of years ago, sarees have ruled the world of ethnic clothing. The art of draping a beautiful saree, however, is a form of art in and of itself. Although it may appear simple, there is a lot of creativity and finesse needed when it comes to draping it. The wearing of a saree is a long-standing tradition that has been passed down through the generations. It is worn in various ways across the various Indian states, each of which tells a story about the rich heritage from which it originated.
Therefore, if you’re nervous about how to drape a saree and are new to the concept, don’t be since we’ll break the procedure down into easy-to-follow steps.
Step 1: Hold the inside end of your sari with your left hand. Look up straight in the mirror while leaving the remainder of the saree on the floor.
Step 2: Starting from the belly button, tuck the end you are holding neatly into the underskirt while making sure the other end hits the floor.
Step 3: Continue tucking all the way around your waist until you get back to your belly button, where you started. Once more, make sure the length is equal and neither too high nor too low.
Step 4: Continue to build another loop by tucking in evenly as you gently travel in a circle, keeping in mind that the length must be uniform.
5. Right now Decide the length of the pallu by roughly putting the other end of the saree on your shoulder and adjusting its length while standing straight in front of the mirror once more. From shoulder to end, it ought to be at least 90 cm long.
Step 6: After you have draped two rounds of the saree around your waist, grab the middle portion that is still attached and begin pleating it. The most challenging step of making pleats is starting to alternately wrap them around your thumb and pinky finger.
Make around 4-5 of them, each about the size of your palm, and, to give a measurement, about 5 inches should be the appropriate size. The idea is that the longer pleats will accentuate and give you a full and gathered look while the shorter pleats will assist you achieve a comfortable drape. So be sure to experiment with these and make informed decisions.
Step 7: Once the pleats are finished, hold them together and adjust them so that the bottom border is flush with the ground. Turning left, tuck them into the skirt. At the belly button, it is recommended to tuck it slightly to the left and adjust them so that they stay straight.
Use a safety pin to fasten the pleats. Use a fancy saree pin if you plan to leave a thin, pleated pallu; if not, feel free to use a standard safety pin, which will hardly be noticeable underneath the pallu.
Step 8: Adjusting the pallu is the final and most fascinating step in the saree-draping procedure. Pallu typically hangs slantingly across your bust and midriff. It falls well over your shoulder and is left unattended behind. By moving your hand along the pallu’s length and pushing the pleats as you go, you can adjust it. Make sure it is hugging your curves properly, then secure it with a safety pin if necessary.
In India, the way sarees are draped differs greatly from place to region. As a result, experimenting with all of India’s available draping techniques is interesting. You will have more versatility with your appearance than ever before if you experiment with various saree draping styles. Any draping technique may be performed if you understand the basic saree draping process as described above because they all include tucking, pleating, and altering the pallu, just in various ways.
Hope it helps!