Best Saree Draping Styles for Wedding Functions

Indian women and their sarees have an indefinable connection that could never be replaced by western gowns or floor length dresses. We all know that a saree is as old as our Puranas, and its the ability to compliment women’s curves is also a fact established from the time immemorial.

Though the styles of wearing a saree change every season, but its importance is always on the rocks when wedding season is on. This is because a saree compliments Indian women’s appearance the best.

Sarees have a timeless appeal. Usually, we like to drape a saree in one particular way on every day basis. But when it comes to wearing saree on weddings or special occasions, we all yearn to stand out. This is why the trick lies in the draping style. The art of draping a saree can be well mastered to oomph up your glam quotient for any wedding function.

Taking cues from our very own Bollywood celebrities, we have researched about the best in fashion draping styles for all sarees which are in vogue.Whether it’s Priyanka Chopra’s shiny desi girl saree or Katrina Kaif’s half draped red saree, celebrities have always kept saree in high spirits. So, taking forward our love for saree, we present you four interesting ways to drape the saree and carry it with style. The step by step instructions will help you learn the art of draping it perfectly so that the next time you go to any wedding function, you are the highlight of the evening. Here, take a look –

Swirl with a Lehenga style Saree 

A saree with a lehenga look is an in-thing this season. When many are switching from lehengas to saree a lehnga style is an appealing combination of the two. Saree draped in this style will impart grace and elegance to your attire.

Apart from the looks, the lehenga style drape of your saree, you are able to carry this 5 metre fabric with ease. Take a look at the steps:

• After wearing a petticoat, give one wrap to the saree around your waist, as you usually do.
• Next, take the pallu end and drape it in small pleats. Make sure the width of each pleat is 4-5 inches. Each pleat must rest on each other in a neat way.
• Take the remaining part of the saree and make pleats around the back side and tuck them on the lower back side.
• In the front side, you can tuck the pleated pallu with a safety pin around the navel region for adding that lehenga glamour to it. 

For the love of elongate mermaid avatar- Mermaid style saree

Mermaid style sarees have a basic difference in comparison to other saree draping styles. The mermaid style sarees are draped in a way that there are no pleats and the pallu rests on the right shoulder.

The way a mermaid style drape comes out in a saree is beautiful and the process of draping is simpler than it appears. Have a look at the steps to understand how:

• After wrapping the saree for the first wrap around the waist, tuck it over the navel. Remember that this saree style does not require pleats around waist.
• Taking the remaining material towards your left side, bring it to the front by twisting it through your back-side. The material should come on the right shoulder. Unlike the traditional drapes where the pallu lands on the left shoulder through the front, here the pallu lands over the right shoulder passing through the backside.
• Now, make the pallu pleats in such a way that they smoothly rest on the right shoulder. The pallu should be a few inches above the floor.
• Since the mermaid style does not need pleats in front, the pleats fabric should rest on your waist like a skirt.
• Now, take the lowest pleat in front to wrap it around your whole body. The drape should take a 360 degree wrap. It must land in such a way that it eventually rests on the right side waist. Tuck it tightly here.

Your pallu drape should resemble the picture.

Butterfly Pleats for your bordered saree

Butterfly style sarees look great on simple sarees with minimal work over them except an intricate medium width border. This style is an advanced version of traditional nivi style. In comparison to nivi, we pay more attention to the pallu’s details in Buttery pleats saree.

• After wrapping the saree around your waist, make 5-7 neatly arranged pleats and tuck them inside the petticoat.
• Then, wrap the pallu of the saree around the waist once in such a manner that it rests on your left shoulder after coming from the right hand.
• Using the pallu, make small pleats that are neatly placed over each other.
• You can show-off your blouse by neatly spreading the pallu over your chest.

And make sure your navel reveals through the saree.

An Indo-Western touch of Pant style saree

Looking at the top collections displayed in the recent LFW 2016, Pant style sarees were the most stunning things. And thus the trend of the season is set. Here is a step by step tutorial for achieving the same:

• Instead of wrapping the saree with a petticoat, you need to wear matching leggings under your saree.
• Begin with the pallu by making numerous slight pleats. Place the neat pleats over your left shoulder.
• Take the other half of the saree to tuck it on the right side of your waist. Like the traditional sarees, it must also create a vertical drape.
• Take the remaining part of the saree in the centre to create maximum pleats. Tuck the pleats over your waist through the leggings. You are ready with a Pant style/Dhoti style drape.

Add an oomph to your attire for an accentuated traditional look.

Image Credits:

• https://in.pinterest.com/pin/275282595946871553/
• https://strandofsilk.com/indian-fashion-blog/stylish-thoughts/unusual-saree-draping-styles
• http://g3fashion.com/blog/designers-fancy-saree-draping-styles/