When draping a saree, it used to feel like waging a war - one hand cramped with the folded garment for pleats and the other struggling to plunge the pins in all the right places and angles....the result? - looked like an ironing board that has been kept upright.
It was with multiple trials, various fabrics and of course, the understanding of my body that finally helped me get to a drape with which I fell in love. Why did I struggle to get it right? - to find MY kind of drape? - well the answer is actually quite clear and anti-climactic:
1. I like challenges ;)
2. Seeing my mom drape it with ease and look elegant, be it for a day at home or a decked up function, brought in the idea to me that it is a versatile garment.
A saree folds with you, hugs you where you want it to. If you think about it, it' like a lover's embrace meant just for you.
A number of tutorials and videos these days highlight how a saree can be draped perfectly - but perfectly for whom? We are all different and unique (men or women, the garment does not discriminate). A few rule of thumb which I like to keep in mind and work personally for me:
1. Drape to be comfortable - so pull the fabric good and taut, where it feels good and taut.
3. Use pins - as many as you want! - yes, the magic number is 3, but if my draping style and process is unique then I damn well will use as many as I please :D
4. All fabrics are different - my draping style and process changes with the fabric I choose to adorn myself with.
5. Choose well stitched and designed blouse - it really can make or break your outfit. I design my own blouses and provide that input to my tailor. The world doesn't need to approve the cut, I do!
Incorporate these tips into your existing or developing style of draping. Be open to experimentation my dear ladies, and gentlemen, see how it works out for you!!
Featured illustrations: Handwoven linen saree "Blushes & Cream"