Saree Secrets for easy wearing !

When I was first in India, I stuck to wearing Salwar Kameez - but did, however, buy one beautiful saree. On my second visit I bought two more and got an Ayah to help me get into it. I took a large safety pin and pinned it into the pleats and also pinned from where the "tail" of the saree drapes over one's left shoulder and is normally secured there by an ornamental pin. Took off the saree, threaded a needle and strong cotton and sewed securely where I'd pinned in both places. This I did with all the other sarees also - just by laying out the first one and judging where the pleats etc..would come!

Consequently, now I can wear my sarees every day and not have to humbly beg for a friend to come in again to "dress me"! It works a treat and it's nice to be able to put the saree on SO quickly.....it's done in seconds! I also wash my sarees with the sewing in place,( I do get weird looks however from passing Indian people sometimes ) you don't have to undo the stitching each time you wash your sarees at all - perhaps once every 3 months or so, replace the stitching - some of mine still have the original stitching in from 4 years back!

Have fun!

In Delhi, I occasionally used a dhobi who would iron in the pleats for me, then all I had to do was wrap the saree around me! That was really great, and I did eventually learn how to do it as the Indian women do!

can anyone give instructions on how to put on a sari? i have a gorgeous hot pink and gold one just sitting in my wardrobe begging to be taken for an outing.

Shanti, that's a really good idea ---and I knew an Indian girl in London who used to pin and then iron the pleats in place.

Only thing is it puts a limit on your skill-acquiring. As you are planning to be in India long-term, and perhaps wearing a sari will be, for you, more than a special-occasion affair, isn't it worth learning how to do?

I'm lucky enough to have a sari-wearing partner. At first I watched spell-bound as she tied her sari (OK, OK, no comments about the untying ). It takes her only one or two minutes. After maybe a month, you could be as quick!

Hey Nick H ......Sure I know how to put on a saree correctly, but I'm talking about saving time . Because of the way this is done - no one would ever know - only you, yourself. I work with handicapped and street children and have to be up with the lark at around 4.30.am each day - and I'd rather have one of my read-to-wear sarees ready for me at that hour of the day than fiddle around taking perhaps fifteen minutes with it !! I guess I'm always on the look out for ways to do things more quickly, yet still retain the authenticity, and also if cutting corners means getting more done in a days time, then I'm all for it!! I don't, however, do anything shoddily - it always has to be done well, or not at all! I've made altogether about thirty sarees like this for my Ladies that work with me,who have been handicapped and unable to dress themselves in a saree - it's great for them as they don't have to wait for someone else to do it for them and they love it too!

........I'll tell you what - with the success I've had locally with these ready to wear sarees, I ought to start up a workshop and produce them!!! I just know that tourists would go crazy for them - know something....ya got me thinking now...........hmmmmmmm

Hey, Iwanttogoback, If you type "wearing a saree" into any search engine, it'll come up with instructions (drawn) of how-to, ok! Have fun!!

nick's ready-to-wear saris

Not on yer nelly! Why not Shanthistreetkids ready to wear saree's !!lol

just having a gentle dig at nick-h and his penchant for wandering into conversations about women's clothing...

Hmmmm, he Nick H, whadya say about that then!!??

Some dress shops already sell something that looks like a sari, but is actually a skirt, including pleats and a drape!

Yes, seen them in Bangalore and Chennai - but sure, nothing'll beat my patented ready-ta-wear's will it!! HaHaHA!! you just might be talking to the next rupee billionaire here NickH........

Go for it!

There are online instructions on how to wear a sari here, here, and here.

If you have never worn a sari before, or didn't grow up wearing them and haven't worn one in a while, please please PLEASE have an Indian woman show you how. If you don't have an Indian friend, find someone in an Indian foods market or shop to help you.

Wearing a sari isn't merely a matter of learning how to fold and drape it properly. A huge part of wearing a sari is comportment, carriage, and movement. While it's learnable, it takes a little getting used to. That is much more fabric than Western women are used to having on. Some guidance and a bit of practice in someone's home will go a long way towards helping you achieve that air and beautiful grace associated with saris.

my friend and I will be travelling India in March. We have decided to wear saree's only on our trip, to get the real feel. Which would be the most comfortable saree's to walk around in all day (fabric?) and where shall we go buy them in Delhi?