Ever since the famous sari scene in James Bond’s Octopussy, where Maud Adams casually unrolls her sari while falling out of a second-story window, has the sari been known the world over. Long the standard for any festive occasion in India, especially Indian weddings, it has lost ground in recent years to the popular lehenga-choli combination. Both garments are extremely graceful and fit many occasions, but come with their own distinct advantages.
What is a Sari?
A sari (or saree) is a usually five-and-a-half meters long, unstitched fabric that can be draped in many different ways, which is why it is often called the world’s most versatile garment. The sari fits almost any occasion from formal to casual, with draping styles ranging from traditional to revealing. Some draping styles (see below) require a longer piece of cloth, which is why saris can be up to eight meters long.
Saris are worn with a completely covered, matching but plain petticoat. Because the sari cloth is not stitched anywhere, the sari wearer requires a set of sturdy safety pins to attach the sari to the petticoat in the waist and the pallu (the loose end) to the blouse at one shoulder. One can use more pins but tiny holes might remain in certain materials or the cloth may even tear if pulled hard by accident.
Saree Pros at a Glance:
- timeless
- classic
- versatile
- various materials available
- dignified yet sexy
What is a Lehenga?
A lehenga (or lehnga) is a three-piece combination of blouse (choli), ankle-long skirt and long scarf (dupatta). It is also called ghagra choli or lehnga choli. Like the saree blouse, the choli also comes in many cuts, colors and styles. But because the choli is more exposed than the saree blouse, it needs to match the lehenga and is therefore usually as richly embroidered.
Women wear lehengas at parties and festive occasions, not in the office or at a formal event; those would call for a sari or a festive salwar kameez. Lehengas are ideal if greater movement or the security of a prestitched garment is desired – at a dance party, for example – though many an Indian bride has proven how gracefully one can dance in a sari.
Lehenga pros at a glance:
- sensual
- practical because prestitched
- silhouette enhancing
- various styles available
Lehenga Variations
Like the sari, the lehenga offers women many options as far as material, color combinations, embroidery and choli and dupatta styles are concerned.
- Fabric: cotton, georgette, silk, silk georgette, silk jersey, tulle and many others.
- Colors: all colors of the rainbow with smart skirt-blouse-scarf color combinations.
- Embroidery: crystal, sequin, gota, jewel encrusted, with border or without.
- Choli: sleeveless, with spaghetti straps, with sleeves, backless and with various neck solutions.
- Dupatta: broad, narrow, shawl-like, matching with the lehenga skirt or in a contrasting color.
Wearing a Sari - the Different Sari Wrapping Styles
The following three sari draping styles are popular in various regions of India but of course, there are many more.
- Gujarati sari wrapping style: The sari pleats open to the right and the pallu (or palloo) is brought in front from the back (called a seedha pallu), spread across the chest and the left edge tucked into the petticoat in the back.
- Tamil sari draping style: Here, an eight-meter-long sari is used and first wrapped around the waist. Then, the pleats are positioned along the left leg. The rest of the sari is brought over the left shoulder, wrapped around the waist again and tucked in on the left side.
- Bengali sari wrapping style: This version is slimming and does not require making sari pleats. The sari is wrapped around the waist, ending on the right. The pallu is taken over the right shoulder, under the left arm and over the right shoulder again, from where the loose end is tucked in.
The final decision for or against lehenga or sari is, of course, an individual one. It will depend on the preference of the wearer and which piece of clothing she is more comfortable with in a certain social situation. In either case, it will be a good choice as both garments are classy parts of the Indian wardrobe.
Find out more about Indian weddings, Mehndi and Henna art and what men and women wear at weddings in India.
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