Saree Secrets for easy wearing !

Generally, Indian people are delighted to see foreign women wearing a sari. They are appreciative even of salwar kameez, but know very well that much more effort needs to be put in just, as Big Texan puts it, not looking like "they had been rolled up in rumpled bed sheets".

Do your recent posts not look like this?



There have been some system problems, recently, we hear (in the forum help forum).

Nope. Just 3 buttons, Quote, Quote+ and Reply. I found a post in FAQ that said admin can turn them off.

Hey, well look at that! The edit button just showed up. I don't know the time zone of the time stamp, but if it is my time, it's been 28 hours since I first posted this.

The edit button is available only on the more recent posts where more posts by others have not got added. Don't know how many posts or how long before the edit button disappears.

Not sure about the number of posts but i think the button disappears after 24 hours of posting.

This does sound like the best idea for a newbie. But absolutely it does just depend on personal taste

In the women's-clothing-related threads on IndiaMike, I see many people saying that it takes practice to walk and move gracefully in a sari, and that people who do not spend the time to practice may look silly to Indians if they try to wear one.

What seems to be missing from all these posts is any detail as to how exactly you need to change the way you move. I know this type of thing is hard to describe, but if anyone would be willing to make an attempt, I'd really appreciate it! (Does anyone know of any useful videos or tutorials on how to walk/move correctly?) I've been trying to practice wearing saris and I don't know if I'm getting any better at it or not.

How do veteran sari-wearers usually walk? Small, quick steps? Regular-size steps, but trying to move smoothly, stay on the same level, and avoid bouncing or jerking? Keep the upper legs close together and delegate most of the movement to the knees and ankles? Just walk normally, but slower than usual? Keep the knees slightly bent? Go up on the balls of your feet with every step? Something else entirely? I've been experimenting, but I can't find a magic bullet for this. I know that if I keep practicing long enough, I'll probably find something that works, but if anyone has any hints, it would save me a lot of trial and error!

veteran sari wearers walk as if they are used to what they are wearing and don't give it a second thought.

Over and above that, there are various levels of grace and posture. I wonder if the ladies here would agree that a good start for a non-Indian woman who wants to get that "look" would be to learn to walk with a book balanced on your head. Then two books. Building site labourers routinely carry a load of nine bricks on their heads. You should see their posture

Would books do for bricks?! How many? Paperbacks? Perhaps one needs to build it up gradually, --- starting with ebooks.

e-books is the only kind I can manage at all! Then they can only fall out of my head, rather than off it.

I remember an Indian colleague at work, back in London. Talking about such things, she said, "You westerners have no idea about posture," casually picked up a pile of books off her desk and walked around the room with them on her head.

They teach this sort of thing ("deportment") at really posh, expensive "finishing schools" for girls in Europe --- which is partly why I pick the poor building-site labourers for my example.

First thing, leave off the trainers/sneakers/hiking boots/
Tevas/Birkenstocks and wear light-weight sandals.

It is impossible to explain, but smaller steps, and a level "glide" motion, are a good start. You'll soon learn what you have to do to keep the pleats tucked in.

Watch the ladies around you. Ask them for help!

I sometimes wear a sari in the UK (I have been doing a research project which involves going to functions/ceremonies with UK-based Tamils, and was kindly gifted two saris by Tamil friends to wear for the occassions). I got my sari blouses stiched by a tailor in Sparkbrook, Birmingham, and at the same time she attached a thin fabric belt to the saris with ready sewn pleats and a hook and eye fastening. All I have to do is fix this around my waist (it's completely hidden once it's on), then drape the rest of the fabric round and over my shoulder, with usually just one pin at the shoulder.

I realise this wouldn't be for everyone as it limits the ways you can wear the sari, but it's worked a treat for me, and gets rid of the dreaded feeling that it's going to fall off any minute often experienced by the novice sari-wearer!