How to Wear an Indian Sari

While in India, I (Marsha) plan to dress respectively and conservatively. One way to do this is to dress as the locals to (when in Rome). So I have researched the best way to dress in a Sari, one of the more common outfits for the women of India. It looks simple but can be complicated if one doesn't know anything about them. H

ere are the steps to 

wearing a Sari. 

Step 1: First, there are 2 components to the Indian Sari which and these must be chosen carefully to compliment the look (prior to wearing 

the sari). 

1) Petticoat - a waist to floor garment, tie this ti

ghtly at the waist with the loose string. Try choosing a colour that will match the sari colour. 

2) Blouse - this is also tight fitting and should also be a similar colour to the sari (matching accordingly). This can be short sleeved or sleeveless, and this blouse will end just below the bust.

Step 2:

 

So you can start by tucking the sari (plain/upper end) into the petticoat. Try to position it so its slightly right to your bellybutton. Make sure that the lower end of t

he sari should be touchi

ng the floor, and that the whole length of the sari comes on the left-hand side. Now wrap the sari around yourself once, with the sari now coming back in the front, on your right side.

Step 3

Make about 5 to 7 pleats of equal width of 5 inches, starting at the tucked-in end. Gather the pleat

s together, neatly, ensuring that the lower edge of the pleats are even and just off the ground and that the pleats fall straight and evenly. A safety pin may be used to stop the pleats

 from scattering.

Step 4

Neatly tuck the pleats into the petticoat, at the waist, slightly to the left of your belly button

, so they are open to your left. 

Step 5

Drape the remaining fabric around yourself once more left to right, and bring it round your hips to the front, holding the top edge of the sari.

Step 6

Slightly raise the remaining portion of the Sari on your back, bringing it up under the right arm and over the left shoulder so that the end of the Sari falls to about the level of your knees.

The end portion is then draped from the left shoulder and around. This is called the Pallav or the Pallu. To prevent it slipping off your shoulder, fasten the Pallu at the shoulder to the blouse with a small safety pin.

Now all I have to do is remember this... I will be sure to upload pictures of my first attempts at this. ENJOY :)