Monday, December 21, 2009

Trendy Fashionable Indian Designer Sarees

Many women celebrities are seen on the television wearing elongated piece of cloth that features various types of elaborate designs. They wrap it around the body and a portion of it left on the shoulder which hangs down towards the feet. However, there are of course many more styles of draping sarees besides this. This attire worn by majority of women all across the nation can be seen in parties, grand occasions and also as regular wear for offices and meetings. This strip of cloth is called Indian Sarees. The ethnic Indian trendy outfit symbolizes the essence of purity and represents the rich traditions of India.

The Indian sarees are lengthy cloths that usually have no stitches and are available with or without designs. The heavy designed traditional sarees are often used by sophisticated Indian women for special occasions; they display the style explicitly with a unique touch in every production. Centuries before also the Indian Sarees were worn by the women as a part of the their traditions, the Indian traditional sarees are considered as an ideal outfit for any type of occasions like marriage party, official party or any type of festivals.

Recently, many designers have experimented of Indian sarees and have come up with more than hundreds of styles with this one single attire. The sarees can be seen in a gorgeous pattern in parties, while the very same saree can be draped in the most gentle and sober manner by a home maker. Besides, Indian women, there are many foreign women who also prefer flaunting this Indian attire during the special moments. Indian silk sarees are actually famous overseas. The Muslims women ornament these silk sarees with zari and with other stones which they put over their head instead of the shoulder; this is significant as a tradition of keeping a “ghumta” or keeping the head covered of the women.

In the earlier times the sarees were alike the ordinary ones and in plain cloth –hardly with any designs. The base fabric used to make these sarees was either cotton or silk. Now the Indian sarees have been customized into a cloth with delicate designs and embroidery. Women’s also want to give a generous look to their silk saree, you may find many silk sarees adorned with some precious stones and embroidered with expensive threads of rich hues. The sarees are also sometimes ornamented with some expensive beads and with simple embroidery work; of course you may have to pay a fortune for these unique sarees. Once you buy these sarees; you also get a blouse piece along with it of similar design and fabric. These blouse pieces are usually ornamented with simple beads work at the sleeves portion and on the back.

Just a saree and a blouse certainly don’t make this decent attire; you have more to add to it. For a complete look to the sari, you need to wear a petticoat under the saree that brings about a decent and fluffy look to the attire below your waist. The petticoat helps to keep the saree fixed firmly along the waist which does not create any problem on the lower abdomen. The next vital part of a saree is selection of the perfect blouse that teams well with your saree. These blouses can be sleeveless or with a sleeve. Often you get blouse pieces along with, but for plain cotton sarees you need to buy a matching blouse of the respective shade. The fabric of the blouse is usually same as the fabric of the saree. The saree keeps you covered through the body and the pallu portion is again draped over the shoulder which hangs towards the feet. Again to be mentioned here, there are many style of keeping this pallu. Gujarati and Bihari women usually keep this pallu in between the thighs, but the south Indian women tuck them at the waist.

Indian sarees have become a very important part of Indian dressing. Be it the ramp show of the regular household chores, you can see the sarees have occupied the inevitable position in majority women’s lives. They are available in as many possible designs and colours, thus giving you a complete freedom of going into most unusual choices. There are many Indian designers who have taken up Indian sarees as their prime theme of research and have come up with innumerable patterns to this one Indian attire. Starting from the most traditional times, till date, Indian sarees have been an emblem of aristocracy, decency, style, grace, and variety, thus giving an elegant touch to the woman who is wearing.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

The Charm of Traditional Indian Salwar Kameez

salwar kameezSalwar Kameez, a personification of north Indian ethnicity, has contemporarily become one of the most preferred attire all over the nation .Although, Salwar Kameez had actually originated in North India, presently it is accepted in all other states; may be in different forms and style. A North Indian person of India normally wears Salwar Kameez. It is a long –established dress for the Punjabi ladies of North Indian. Indian attire is a representation of self-respect and simplicity and it is very comfortable, yet allowing ultimate comfort to the person who is wearing.

Salwar Kameez is made up of three significant parts that unifies together to give a lovely Indian attire. The dress is a combination of three parts. The upper part of the dress is known as Kameez which is a long piece of cloth up to the knee; well tailored according to the body shape of the wearer. The lower part of the dress is known as Salwar and Chunni or Dupatta is a part another of Salwar Kameez, which is veiling cloth of the entire dress.

This Indian Salwar Kameez has different fittings, various neck styles, sleeves length, underneath circumstances and different types of cuts. The Kameez portion is almost covered from neck to the knee. The back neck line depth is like 2-3 inches and in front neck line the depth is 6-7 inches. It is kept wide or broad at the neck like 6-7 inches to put the head into. Nowadays various neck styles are available in the market like round neck which seems like semi circle in the front and a round shape at the back of the Kameez depending upon the design given. The U-neck shape looks like the alphabet ‘U’ from the front and the back design as per the design given by the customer. The V-neck resembles the alphabetic ‘V’ front and the back design is given by the persons. The pointed U-neck is pointed with a very small v at the front of ‘u’ neck. The spilt round neck is round with a front opening of 2 inches. The boat neck designs look like a boat with a low from front and the back neck is around 4-5 inches with wide broad shoulders like 9-10 inches. The square neck is like mathematical square in the front and the back depends as per the design given. The Mandarian collar is front open along with a high collars.

The Salwar is the lower portion of the dress which is normally wide from the top. The Salwar portion has 4-5 inches belt to the rest part of the Salwar which is then pleated. The upper of the Salwar has a channel to draw a string through it to keep the Salwar knotted above the belly. For extra comfort there is a large span of cloth in the thigh area. There is a double bottom size, as the circumference of the ankle to make the feet to put inside for wearing.

To promote various designs in the traditional Shalwar Kameez, Churidar Salwar or Churidar Kameez and Patiala Salwar has also become very popular.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Indian Bridal Lehenga Choli – The Colour Red

Indian bridal dresses are looked upon as the most alluring and most colorful in the entire world. On the wedding day, the Indian bride wants to look her finest when all eyes are set on her. The bridal dress is bought with a lot of concern. For a bride, her bridal dress is her highest priority. As before sari was the solitary dress worn by brides, today another option has come up in the form of bridal lehenga cholis. Bridal Lehngas are a great bang nowadays and are being widely liked everywhere. They are very catchy and make the bride look stunningly beautiful on the wedding day.

Lehenga choli consists of three fundamental parts. The tightly fit blouse is called a choli, and the bottom is called ghagra or lehenga and the long cloth draped around the head and body is called as a dupatta. For different ceremonies special lehngas are made to impart the distinct look to the wearer.

Fitting to wear, undemanding to manage even if it is very heavy, the vivid colours, expert craftsmanship and custom made for the bride are some of the plus points that go in favor of this gorgeous and beautiful attire-it is a must in a bride's wardrobe. Infact, more than just a gorgeous outfit, the lehenga choli as a bridal wear, holds a lot of prominence in the Indian tradition, as there is no greater occasion in an Indian family than a wedding.

Bridal lehenga choli comes in an assortment of colors. They come in red, maroon, pink, purple, orange, purple, yellow, gold, silver etc in all colors. The Bride can choose any color for the wedding, nevertheless red is mostly the colour of their choice. Bridal red Lehngas, in fabrics like silk, satin, crepe, georgette, brocade and decked with gorgeous embellishments like beads, stones, patch works, tikkies, gotta, rhine stones, embroideries look beautiful.

The Indian bridal lehengais mostly in colour red. Red signifies happiness, which comes into the bride’s life after marriage. Red is their conventional color and is traditional. The red colour, according to ancient Indian folklore, is symbolic of festivity/fertility. During the actual wedding ritual, conducted around the fire, the motifs and the bright red colour of the ensemble literally glow.

However, with altering times many things have changed. Today Indian brides wear many other colors on their weddings, for instance, pink, orange, maroon etc. However, in the Indian subcontinent, bright colours are still the highlights of bridal wear.

The bridal lehenga-cholis in red with their sparkling mirror-work look very striking. The blouses have detailed mirror-work and patch-work on them and are very colorful. Sequins work and handwork is very much in claim along with beadwork.

So much consideration is given to the bridal dress because the bride is the cynosure of the wedding and her dress is the focal eye-catching part that brings attention. Therefore, she cannot afford to go wrong with her dress. Bridal lehnga choli in the colour red completes her look and sets her apart from the crowd.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Viscose Lehnga Choli - Dazzling Ethnic Wear

lehenga choliLehnga Choli has traditionally traveled a long way from the early Mughal royal courts period to the Wedding Pandals today. It has obtained the grade of festivity wardrobe not only in India but also has casted its magic worldwide. An elegant and graceful attire-Lehnga Choli comprises of a beautiful pleated skirt called Lehnga, a blouse that is tight fitted to give that perfect hot look and a gorgeous odhni or Dupatta. In fact, this women ethnic wear is so trendy today that it has almost even replaced our traditional Saris in mandaps or Wedding Pandals. Wearing lehenga choli instead of Saris for any auspicious occasion has become the choice of today.

In most occasions and especially at the time of wedding ceremonies, Lehnga Choli in bright colors and fabrics is virtually the key choice. Available in variety of designs, cuts and fabrics, this garment has been through massive transformations in terms of style. Ranging from Traditional Lehnga to Garara, Sharara and Lancha, the fashion of lehnga choli tradition will never fade.

Lehnga Choli is available in different fabrics but the most popular is the Viscose Lehnga Choli. Viscose is a type of rayon that can give a look and feel to the fabric like silk, cotton, linen or wool and has the capacity to breathe in a way alike cotton weaves. But the most significant property of viscose rayon that makes it popular is its ability to drape splendidly which makes it a perfect fabric to line formal draperies especially like a lehnga choli. Therefore, viscose lehnga choli is the right option to get that right look for your special occasion.

Vibrant tint combined with striking embellishments is what makes a Viscose lehnga choli look amazing. They are available in various designs, cuts and colors and so you can choose according to your needs of the occasion. Designs on a viscose lehnga choli vary from simple looking to heavy designs as per the occasion demands. Embroideries further add to the glamour of the lehnga choli. Those exclusive motif works of resham, sequins, beads and booti all over the lehnga choli makes the dress look gorgeous. Generally the lehnga has the heaviest work on it while the blouse or the choli and dupatta has comparatively lighter work on them. The short blouse also called choli is normally tight fitted and can have various cuts too. You can also drape the dupatta in a way that it gives you the look of wearing Saris. The most well-accepted viscose lehnga choli comes in an attractive and charming fish tail cut with rich designer work all over it. Available mostly in colors like maroon, magenta, off-white, peach, mustard and others, the viscose lehnga choli gives you the best fit and look and is also very easy to carry.

There are traditional viscose lehnga choli as well as party wears too. You can choose the cut, designs and works on the viscose lehnga choli depending on what occasion you would want to wear it. However, whatever may be the occasion, since viscose fabric allows draping very well; therefore all kinds will fit well and look stunning and enhance the lady’s personality.

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Craze for Fancy Salwar Kameez - Globalization of This Indian Attire

The craze for fashion Shalwar Kameez is increasing day by day. Even people out side India adore dressing in a designer salwar kameez. Indian patterns and designs attract and allure everybody towards our custom and traditions. Embroidered fashion salwar kameez presents the Indian ingenuity and attracts people with their work and designs. Many types of needlework are their in trend since a long time and people love to dress in diverse and eminent Indian embroidery designs.

The gorgeous fancy shalwar kameez is designed with ethnicity. Kameez detailed with complementary thread and sequins work embroidery all over the front panel look beautiful. Contrasting embellished patchwork on sleeves and daman also looks amazing. Neck designs of salwar kameez and central panal of the kameez with appealing laces adds superfluous poise to this beautiful outfit. Churidar salwars and kurtas are relatively simple. Dupatta with pretty laces on ends adds the extra beauty to this conventionally designed fashion shalwar kameez.

The latest designs of salwar kameez make the outfit alluring and stylish to go according to fashion and custom. Beautiful designer salwar kurtas in striking prints detailed with contrasting patchwork and mirror work on the neck look wonderful. Complementary net laces embellishing neck design, sleeves and daman is a true beauty to the salwar kameez design.

Indian shalwar kameez is the amalgamation of tradition and ethnicity. Intricate designs and pattern makes it just the right style for any Indian occasion. Beautiful fancy kameez in strip prints detailed with thread work embroidery all over the front panal looks amazing. Contrasting yoke and sleeves adds additional grace to this beautiful outfit.

Well-designed and traditional anarkali style salwar kameez is the style of today. Skillfully designed, the kameez in anarkali style kaliyan pattern is detailed with attractive sequins chip embroidery on the neckline. Printed patchworks on sleeves and daman looks marvelous. Gota patti on the complete ghera imparts extra grace to this gorgeous outfit. Churidar salwars are generally plain or may be printed or embroidered.

Cotton salwar kameez is the best outfit for the Indian summers. Intricate designs and pulsating colors make it chic and ethnic attire. Indian fashion shalwar kameez that easily catches ones eye with its most up-to-date styling is what makes this simple style so popular among females. The pure cotton designer Indian salwar kameez can be made more appealing with detailed dense mirror work embroidery all over the front panel. Cotton salwars may have sequins spread all over. Harmonizing dupattas with churidar salwar kameez comes with tassels on pallu.

Embroidery salwar kameez is one of the Indian dresses which look beautiful even when worn in any kind of occasion. These gaceful salwar kameezs available everywhere is designed with thread work embroidery and distinct patchwork on daman and sleeves. Laces on daman and sleeves looks even more amazing. Churidar salwars can be retained plain. Matching dupatta with contrasting patchwork on edges gives more beauty to the designer cotton silk salwar suit. You can try out these ethnic salwar kameez for any occasion, the gorgeous look and the charisma of a salwar suit can indeed steal every body’s eye at a glance.

Fancy salwar kurtas in cotton, crepe or georgettes detailed with self thread and sequins work embroidey spread all over the front panel are all the rage nowadays. Salwar kameez neck designs, sleeves and damans with beautiful threads and sequins work of diverse shade looks spectacular. Cotton salwars designed in striking prints and contrasting shades compliments the kurtas even better. Chiffon dupattas with beautiful prints and pretty laces on edges looks awesome with the fancy shalwar kurtas. The fancy salwar kameez is really liked as the easy to handle yet trendy summer fashion of today.

International and Hollywood celebrities like Jeniffer Lopez, Late Princess Diana, Goldie Hawn, Hillary Clinton, Chelsey Clinton, Elizabeth Hurley, Anna Kournikova, Madonna, Sharon Stone, Jemina Khan have adorned this graceful Indian Dress at high profile societal, music, Hollywood and fashion events increasing its craze even more. This 'fusion wear' piece of clothing is clearly the flavor of choice in the West and also the designer preference for the World's Hottest Fashion Designers making its craze truly global.

In India, the craze for fancy shalwar kameez is huge and increasing by the day. Designs in cotton fabrics are favored most, as cotton is considered a natural fiber and looks attractive on any style and pattern. The conventional salwar suits and kurtas now being detailed with thread work embroidery on sleeves and necks is making it go international as well. Try out this simple cotton salwar suits this summer as a casual wear and let yousrself flow with the increasing craze of the fancy salwar kameez today.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Sarees, saga of motifs and patterns

The nine-yard cloth, Indian Saree with the promise of grace, beauty, femininity and dream has perhaps gestated from the loom of the fanciful weaver who so very eloquently dreamt of the soft touch of a woman, the hues of her varied moods, the luster of her tears, the coil and drape of her tresses and wove together. Perhaps he couldn’t stop and wove for nine yards giving birth to a dream, magic, a thrill, and a charismatic fashion to the whole of the world, Indian sarees.

Sarees in their every form typifies the eternal beauty of the female form; in its every drape, in its each motif and amidst its every design sari whispers the tale of femininity, the saga of love, tears, grace and happiness. The motifs in Indian sarees indeed plays an important role as to a large extent the fame and elaboration of this magical cloth depends largely on these.

Designer Indian sarees pattern include a wide array of variety ranging from interlocking diamond shaped motifs to checks, basket weave, chevrons and also the serrated patterns. Symbol of rich cultural heritage of India, the motifs shapes in Indian sarees thus stand as the logo of Indian artistry. Whether the small geometric shapes, the stripes, checks, squares, dashes, or frills, the motifs and patterns echoes the very beat of Indian culture while reflecting the dexterity of the Indian artisans. Mostly the patterns of Indian sarees are woven in adjunct-warp or weft threads to create the bands in the patterning of the borders of the sari.

The Indian artisans create varied patterns and motifs, which are unique in their form. While square motifs are common in the ethnic and tribal sarees, the motifs like creeping vines and floral pattern still murmurs the sighs of the Mughal history. Although the Islamic portrayal seems to be purely decorative there are a number of Hindu representations also which stands typically as the saree motifs indicating good luck, health and prosperity and are typically worn in the occasional ceremonies. .

One of the most multifaceted symbols in the pattern of sarees has been the lotus and the spiritual aspect of this motif is far more emphasized on traditional sarees, particularly in Indian wedding sarees. Buta and Butis are also considered to be quite fetch able floral motifs to illustrate the womanhood. Indian wedding sarees are a lifetime collection for India women. Kalga has also become an important pattern in a wide range of Indian textile. Motifs objects like conch, elephant, horse, peacocks, parrots, fish, hunting scenes, scenes from the epics are elementary designs in today’s designer Indian sarees, used by the artisans to illustrate the intricacies of the design of the Indian saree.

Laced with the motifs and patterns, Indian sarees have journeyed a long and amidst its feminine appeal flatters a woman while making her feel fragile, graceful and o yes feminine! Kissed with its intricate designs, wrapped with the varied motifs and patterns Indian sari is indeed an instant fashion.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Cotton Zari Saris of Andhra Pradesh

The feminine elegance of every Indian lady can be best visualized when she is wearing a saree. Each and every girl born in magnificent and colorful country like India, wants to see herself in clad in saree. When she is at a younger age she goes more for the designer sarees. And also she would like to have blouse that is most uniquely designed. Normally, the girls try to get the sarees that give beautiful fall look when draped. But ones they get into wearing the various sarees with different fabrics they get to understand how comfortable the cotton sarees are. The only thing that they need is to wear a cotton saree is that they must know how to drape it perfectly as the fabric is a bit stiff for the beginners.

One of the sarees that has been able to drag the attention of the ladies is the cotton zari sarees of Andhra Pradesh. They are loaded with elegance and richness in terms of texture of the fabric, and this is the reasons they are worn at all places and also are part of the designer sarees world wide. The sarees have a good length and also the fabric for the blouse is attached with the sarees itself. There are some designer sarees in these fabrics, which provide designed blouse with them.

The cotton zari sarees of Andhra Pradesh, can be widely seen on the ladies at the festive times. One of the popular sarees, the Dharmavaram sarees are used as bridal wear. It is known world wide for the gorgeous look it gives. The borders of these sarees are brocaded with gold threads. And the blouse consists of the motifs that there in the body of the saree.

Another version of cotton zari sarees of Andhra Pradesh is the one woven at the Nalgonda district. Now it is woven at any other districts and is called the ikkat. It is woven in pattern where the yarns are dyed in geometrical or zig zag pattern. This saree too covers a considerate part of designer sarees.

The next on the list of cotton zari sarees of Andhra Pradesh are the Mangalgir sarees. They are the one that are too common all over the place in entire India. The variations in these sarees are many and have a bit less space in the designer sarees wardrobe. But the fabric of these sarees is comfortable to wear for very long durations, so they are also used as office wear by many ladies.
The cotton zari sarees of Andhra Pradesh have become popular all over the world, and some credit goes to the designer sarees in this section too. In many countries the blouse made of these fabrics are parts of the ladies wardrobe, without consideration whether they know how to drape the saree or not.

In total, the cotton zari sarees of Andhra Pradesh are liked by people world wide because they give the feel of relaxation and comfort. They are worn by school teachers, doctors, housewives, professionals of any category and at all places, as no other outfit can give a graceful look that lady gets in a saree.

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Party Wear Lehenga Choli

When we talk about parties, there are birthday parties, marriage anniversaries, kitty parties, official parties, family get together and so on. Wearing of custom Lehengas at any occasions is the latest fashion. There are different dresses for different occasions. The Lehanga Choli is most popular Indian dress. An original creation of Rajasthan, designer Indian Lehenga Choli became the center of attraction of all parties. It consists of a long skirt called Lehenga and a small blouse called Choli.

Every one wants to look their best in every occasion. There is materialization of variety of dresses both Indian and western for the party wear. Indian ladies prefer to wear sari, salwar suit or other formal western outfits in the parties. Some ladies prefer to wear Lehenga Cholis in parties like sangeet ceremony before a wedding or a theme party where traditional outfit are used. For party wear heavily embroidered Lehenga Cholis with sequins or stones are not always required. Nowadays young girls prefer a fashionable look. They don’t mind being more loud or going for the ‘mix and match look’

Party wears Lehenga Cholis are not the regular umbrella cut rather the Lahenga are of mermaid shape or A cut or fish cut or straight cut Lehangas to give a sleek look. These party wear Ghagra Choli are designer ones. The design of the Choli has undergone a sea change like sleeveless blouses, spaghetti straps, and bell sleeves to give a different traditional outfit look.

Indian ethnic garments have special significance in accordance with color, fabric and festival. Most elegant and comfortable Party Wear Lehenga Choli is presented in different color combination. The collection is offered according to the customized solution as per the client design specification. The collection has evolved up with gota, kundan and patch work. Tempting embroidery and designs are also integrated in the garment.

There is huge collection of Lehenga Choli in different size, style fabric and design. There is also a huge collection of Lehenga Choli for party wear. Crepe Lehanga is the most sensuous of all Indian Lehanga. It is gracefully light and figure hugging and it makes the look fascinating. Georgette Lehanga is a traditional wear with class .It is exclusively a party wear and is a gorgeous outfit for the girls.Net Lehanga is an open fabrics Lehenga which is created by connecting the intersection in a woven, knitted to form a mesh like appearance which won’t untangle. Satin Lehanga is the most preferred dress during Navratri.and party time. Due to its lustier it glitters as the light falls on it and no mirror work is required on this outfit. Silk Lehanga takes a special place in modern days. Silk is a protein fiber and usually burns readily not with a steady flame which smells like a burning hair. This is a very special dress for a party. Silk Lehanga is an outfit that never goes out of fashion.

Lehengas are one of the most precious outfits in a women’s wardrobe. Purchasing a Ghagra Choli is a big deal, maintaining a Lehanga is something delicate. A good shampoo works well on Silk Lehanga; it removes oil and revitalizes Silk Lehangas.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Cotton Sarees- Discover A New You With This Comfort Clothing

When it comes to the fashion taste and dressing styles of Indian women, most of them like to wear a Saree as it is a representation of an enriched Indian culture. Indian Sarees are illustrious among women across the world. The main forte of wearing a Saree is that it accentuates the beauty of a woman. Generally, the length of Saree is between 5 to 5 and half meters. According to their ethnicity and customs, Indian women wear the Saree in different styles.

The saree has its birth in both South and North India. The word 'sari' was taken from the Prakrit word 'sattika' as written in the most primitive Jain and Buddhist texts. The first known portrayal of the saree in Indian is the figurine of an Indus valley priest wearing a drape. In early Indian tradition and the Natya Shastra (an ancient Indian treatise describing ancient dance and costumes), the navel of the Supreme Being is considered to be the starting place of existence and creativity; hence the midriff is to be left uncovered by the saree.

The Cotton printed sarees gives a pure comforting ease. Cotton Sarees are the most preferred sarees for Indian Women. You can exploit cotton sarees in your every day wear especially during the summer months. Cotton sarees are worn in holi, diwali, dussehra, lohri, baisakhi and all the other festivals of our country. Indian Cotton sarees can also be worn to the workplace, worn by teachers while going to schools/colleges, lady doctors and housewives in their daily wear.

The Indian subcontinent is the abode for the Cotton produce. The skill of weaving and dyeing of cotton was recognized in India some 5000 years ago. Every state has its own time-honored cotton weaving practice. Every state of India has its own aboriginal area of expertise in cotton fabric, each different in weaves, textures, motifs, printing techniques and colours.

The famed cotton sarees area wise are as follows:

The jamdani cotton sarees from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh are well-liked and they follow the customary patterns. Then there are the Sambalpuri, Bomkai and Vichitrapuri cotton saris of Orissa. These sarees come in a multiplicity of colours and traditional motifs enthused by nature. Chanderi Sarees in Madhya Pradesh are excellent cotton sarees with a silk warp and cotton weft.

Maheshwari sarees of Madhya Pradesh are either unadulterated cottons or silk/cotton mix, with check patterns being the forte.Hyderabad is well-known for its antique cotton weaving practice. The Venkatgiri fine cotton saris are created here, which are idyllic for summers. These sarees are primarily in off-white colour and adorned with dull golden motifs. Nander in Andhra Pradesh is renowned for its fine eminence of cotton sari ornately worked in gold thread with silk border. Pochampalli sarees of Andhra Pradesh are woven with the ikat patterns, where the yarn is pre dyed based on pattern before weaving.

In Tamilnadu, the cotton sari patterns closely resemble the silk ones. The significant centers like Kanjeevaram, Salem, Pudukottai and Madurai. These centres in the South are well-known for cotton weaves with motifs & checks laid on the body. The border & pallav are worked with thread or zari weaves. Kerala has begun weaving cotton sarees lately. Its field is the Karalkudi sarees of unbleached cotton with rich broad gold borders and pallus. We also have the tie and dye cotton sarees from Rajasthan and Gujarat. Women folk meticulously craft these multihued saris, tying every lone thread by hand and then dying in vivacious and bright colors. There are also other cotton sarees like the Ikat sarees of Karnataka and the Narayanpet sarees of Andhra Pradesh etc.

We also have other varieties of cotton sarees like Handloom cotton saree, cotton printed sarees, cotton sarees with embroidery and Zari work. Apart from conventional and traditional collections of saris for middle and old-aged women, stylish sarees for the youth are available in the Indian Market. Handloom khadi sarees are also weaved in India. The customary Indian cotton weaving revolves around 'Khadi'. Khadi is a fabric woven manually using handspun yarn only. Handlooms that produce Khadi weave cotton in such a manner that the interweaving of threads provides utmost passageway of air to the body, thus creating a cooling outcome, making Khadi a perfect summer wear.

Earlier, sarees in India were woven by the weavers only by using cotton, because, then, people did not know any other raw material except cotton to weave Sarees with. Like every trade in India is progressing day-by-day, radical changes have occurred in the Saree industry too. Now, our designers are crafting the latest Sarees by using an assortment of raw materials and putting their labors to add more allure to the Indian Saree. However, the allure of our Indian cotton saree is timeless. The Cotton printed sarees indeed give a classy, feminine, refined and chic look to any lady.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Indian Pavada Or Half Sarees - The Fading Tradition Of The South

The half-saree of south India is very age-specific, unlike the saree or the salwar-kameez. It solely belongs to the young generation and no woman past her teens would generally wear it. The half-saree scripts a sartorial evolution from girlhood to womanhood. It combines the feistiness of a girl with the feminine elegance of a young woman. That is one cause possibly why south Indian filmmakers are rediscovering the half-saree, giving the piece of clothing a fresh lease of life.

Half Saree was very common among young girls of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Full skirt, short blouse and a davani (shawl) constitutes this dressing style. It is considered to be originated in Tamil Nadu, but is very commonly used in Kerala till about 30 years back. These days with all contemporary fashions, half saree has almost entirely disappeared among Kerala girls.

If the songs, `Pavada prayathil' and `Pavadai davaniyil', were to be written at present, the lyrics would not be the same anymore, for, the pavada is almost missing from the Malayali girl's wardrobe. In Kerala, only the `audacious’ wore the salwar kurta two decades ago. The foray of the electronic media and salwar kurtas found their way into the hearts of Malayali girls. If you want to see Malayali girls in pattu pavada-blouse sets in our day, then you have to be invited to a marriage ceremony. Or you should stopover a temple or wait for November 1 (Kerala Piravi Day).

Traditionalists, however, need not fret. A few still favor the Indian pavada. Young girls are still getting pavadas stitched. But it's impractical to think that pavada will be worn as it used to be 15 to 20 years ago. But things now have enhanced from the way it was five years ago, when the pavada or the half sari was barely seen. Wearing pavada and blouse in everyday life is very uncomfortable and tiresome. Getting on and off buses, in weighty pavadas, is very difficult. It is an ornamental outfit, and not a functional one. Hence, it is best to wear it on choice occasions. Most people buy it only once a year, during Onam, and that's the only time it is hugely worn.

Even mothers don't want to compel their daughters to wear the Indian pavada today. Of course, the pavada is very gorgeous and traditional and mothers, however, would love to see their daughters wear the pavada-blouse often. It gives a certain distinguished look to the teenager. Just as the sari has displaced the mundum neriaythum, salwar kurtas have replaced the pavada – blouse. Pavada often means the pattu pavada, stitched in shimmering Kancheevaram. For some people the pavada is made in no other material. The flamboyance is part of the fashion statement it makes. But Pavadas in printed georgette or other synthetic fabrics, which make good formal as well as casual wear, were admired even a decade ago.

Some girls dislike the pavada because it is "revealing". "With salwar kurta, are worn with dupattas. But what can be worn with a pavada-blouse set? Even a half sari can appear revealing if not worn properly. As far as dressing is concerned, Hindi films and TV channels are the bibles for youngsters. At some point, the pavada did become the apparel of the not-so-modern heroine, the village belle. But even in this case, it was a singular version of the pavada -- a cross between the north Indian ghagra/lehenga and our conventional pavada. Aishwarya Rai and Sreedevi were seen wearing it in `Kandukonden Kandukonden' and `Devaragam' respectively. And they indeed looked stunning.

Designers are sensible when they say that we cannot imagine the pavada to make a comeback. To the modern girl, it is indeed a formal dress. One aspect that works to the benefit of the Indian pavada is that it can be tailored and improvised to suit the wearer's taste. This encourages young women to check it out. The girls are keen on adding current elements to the conventional design. That is, they want the half sari to be embellished or the blouse to be embroidered. The designers acknowledge that the Indian pavada has become a costume, almost a `uniform' for precise occasions like south Indian weddings or festivals like onam. There's something traditional and beautiful about the dress. It seems to bear the spirit of the south Indian culture.

Boutiques come to the forefront for toddlers with cute readymade pavadais for younger children. These come in silk, raw silk and cotton fabric with embroidery and appliqué work. Fabrics for stitching the pavadais are also obtainable. For older girls designer boutiques are sanctuaries for pavadai dhavinis. Here one can pick and mix and match the fabrics for the skirt, blouse and dhavinis or dupattas. The colors and fabrics available in this boutique are abundant for the pavada dhavinis.

The kids today love pavadayum blousum, kuppi vala (glass bangles) and mulla poovu (jasmine). So, take heart, traditionalists…all is not lost.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Saree – Beautiful and Beautifying Down the Ages

sarees

Turning the pages of history, one would find that saree has always made its presence felt. In every civilization, age or generation, woman of the eastern world have always revealed her true grace in a saree. A saree has always veiled her shyness, and expressed her dignity.

A sari is probably the most lengthy of the garments. The fact that it is unstitched, allows the artisan to use the entire dimension. The base tells a story and the borders draw the conclusions! The blouse adds to the final finish.

It is a panoramic. It can carry prints, machine embroideries and handworks. It can be worn in various ways to display the most prominently ornamented portions of the length. There is the simple style where the ‘aanchal’ or ‘pallu’ is pleated and tucked onto the left shoulder. This is mostly for young or modern women. The older generation might take the ‘aanchal’ up from behind, allow it to come in front over the right shoulder and fix the loose end on the left waist. There is yet another style preferred by the women of Bengal and Orissa in India and also Bangladesh.

In this the skirt is left non-pleated. There is a simple enwrapping. The ‘aanchal’ is left hanging over the left shoulder, at times a bunch of keys knotted on the end.

Again, in parties or weddings, the aanchal is left non-pleated to display work, if it is a saree with heavy embroideries and embellishments.

Choice of Fabrics

Various fabrics are available for weaving of sarees, depending upon the seasons and occasions. The stature and built of the person who would wear the saree also matters. Fabrics that are lustrous like tussar silk, brocade silk, jamevar silk are for heavy work sarees for very special occasions. Cottons, chiffons and georgettes are for casual wear. If one is slightly bulky and broad-shouldered, then chiffons and georgettes are best suited for her. The slimmer bodies should be draped in cotton, khadi and silk.

Saree coupled with the right kind of blouse

A saree becomes yet more elegant when the blouse is designed to be compatible. True artistry lies in bringing about a harmony between the saree and the blouse. There are several cuts, neck and back designs, based on the occasion, the ornamental works on the blouse. The sleeves can be spaghetti very short, short, till the elbows and covering the elbow. The shoulder could be puffed, piped, frilled or laced. There is the open back style, where the blouse needs to be string tied. It could be buttoned on the front or on the back. Nowadays, the pull –on blouses, that are not hooked, buttoned or stringed, are also in vogue. They are stretchable. Traditional sarees are usually coupled with bordered, embroidered and stringed blouses. The party wears are usually bettered by spaghettis and shoulder-less ones.

So a saree can be stylized and fashioned in every way. It can be the best friend of woman who adheres to tradition as well as the woman who changes her preferences with the changing fashions, or one who is bold enough to make her own style statement – a trend-setter. It veils a shy woman and reveals the bold beauty. Saree is ever beautiful and beautifying. It is hand-in-hand with history and heritage yet can bring a fresh lease whenever woman desires a new look.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Salwar Kameez and the Comfort Factor

Once the right fabric prepares the base for the artisan, the real play begins with his handwork. By handwork, it is meant that it is not0 machine embroidered. The work is done with manual labor and patience. India has a great many number of embroidery styles having their roots in different provinces. The most common for salwars and kurtis, is the chikkankari of Lucknow, Rampur and Agra. Fine threads are used to embroider floral patterns usually cotton cloth. Hand-painting and Jamdani weave are the specialization of Faizabad.

Moving to the north of India, the embroidery most prominently practiced by the women of Punjab is the ‘phulkari’. ‘Phulkari’ means growing of flowers. It dates back to the vedic ages. There is the use of silk floss on simple Khadi cloth. Stitching done in different directions brings out the light-and-shadow effect. Some of the different styles of Phulkari are – chope, ghunghat bagh, suber, darshan-dwaar and chamba. In Bengal there is the famous Kantha Stitch that is mostly thought of in association with wedding sarees. The variations are – sujni kantha, archilata kantha, durjani kantha and rumal kantha. The run stitches are of various types. For example simple, mat style, maze style and tessellation style. Mirror-work over multi-colored thread embroidery is the contribution of the western India. It looks very colorful and befitting the gypsy culture where people enjoy wandering, singing and dancing in groups. There is the enigmatic jaali work of Jodhpur. Rajasthan has given to us the art of block printing and tie-and die (baandhni).Places in and around Indore and Bhopal are renowned for their Zari and leather appliqué works; Sikkim, for leather appliqué.

The Aari or Zardosi embroidery has been in India since the Mughal regime (15th century). ‘Aar’ means needle. The zardosi stitch requires a wooden frame in order to keep the cotton cloth fixed and fully stretched so that the designs on paper can be traced and thereafter the needle could be firmly pushed through the cloth. The concept is borrowed from the idea of a stretched cot or khatia. This enables the craftsman to use both hands with adroitness and speed. After this work, beads, sequins or fine wires of real gold and silver are used for ornamentation.

Indian embroidery and artistry has always been seducing people from different corners of the world with its colors, individualities and ability to leave the gazers awe-struck at the skill which has come down from one generation to the other without a loosening of the chords of tradition.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Silk and Cotton

Silk: Silks are the wonders from the bounties of nature. The home of a worm turned into fine resplendent fabrics with a natural sheen. Silk is measured in “mm”, pronounced as “mommy”. Raw silks are usually not as lustrous as the processed silks. It has the sericin removed, but looks luster-less and easily absorbs dirt and odors. This silk can be used if one prefers stiff fabrics for occasional wear. Jacquard silks are truly enigmatic with multi-threading so has to give off a light and shade.They are heavy because of the dense weave. There is the douppioni silk cannot resist stress and abrasions. They need dry-cleaning. With the first few washes the fabric sheds away the dyes. Quite unlike douppioni, the noil silk can bear abrasions due to casual wearing and travel. Though often mistaken to be cotton, it has a unique soft and wrinkle-free attribute. The tussah silk is the stubborn one of its breeds. It is difficult to dye tussah silk and therefore, it is usually available in its natural tan or dark wheat color. Charmeuse silk is befitting the common man’s idea of silk. It is apt for blouse, scarves and ladies lingerie. In India Mumbai, Surat, Benaras, Chanderi, Maheshwar, Mysore, Kanchipuram, Tanjore and Kumbakonam contribute to the silk weaving industry. Parts of Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram are also famous for silk.

Cotton: The word ‘cotton’ originates in Arabic. Cotton is the most comfortable and elegant fabric for daily wear. It needs to be tailored properly. It is especially preferable in hot and humid weather. But, it is equally advisable for winters too. It has an ability to retain body temperature. In rainy seasons it takes time to dry up, as the fibers retain water/moisture for a long time. Handloom cotton looks most graceful. Formal or casual Salwar Suits or casual Kurtis are mostly in cotton.

India has a wide variety of cotton. Most wonderfully, in spite of all its diversities, India has always dressed up unanimously in a variety of cotton. It saw the birth of Khadi. In every state, there is the use of cotton for garments.

Cotton can be beautifully printed and embroidered. It remains well-set and is quite manageable. Slimmer bodies look good in cotton apparels. Cotton sarees are also appealing to the Indian women. If worn tidily, a simple cotton printed saree and salwar kameez can really be fascinating and they enhance your dignity.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Mother's Day Special @ Sareez.com

Mother is the most importanr person in one’s life. Their love , their persona their affection become an inseparable part of our life.

She is special to all of us !!!!

This mother’s day lets make her feel more special by gifting her a beautiful saree….

we at sareez.com are launcing a collection of beautiful printed sarees to make your selection work easier. Click here and select casual printed sarees from a wide range.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Styles of Embroidery

1. Applique Sarees : In this type of saree a pattern of one material, laid on another which forms the ground. The edges of the cut-out design are either sewed over, ornamented with fancy cord, braid, gold thread, or any other appropriate material.

2. Cut-Work Sarees : Small shapes are cut out of the ground material, the cut edges are embroidered, and the vacant space is often filled in with decorative stitches. this type of sarees are perfect for a wedding party.

3. Try different styles of embroidery Sarees, Salwar kameez, Lehengas at www.sareez.com.

Saree Wearing Made Easy

Few Tips on Wearing a Saree

1. Slim women should wear embroidery saree with sequins work,kathdana work sequins work. the shimmer of the embellishment makes you the center of attraction.

2. Healthy women should wear Georgette Sari , Chiffon Sari so that they look beautiful, attractive and slim.

3. Shorter women should wear the Saree with small borders or no borders as having heavy embroidery on the saree hides your presence. Try saree with light embroidery.

4. Longer women should wear the Sari with big borders, try something with heavy resham embroidery as is spreads your beauty.

5. Fair complexion women should wear dark color Sari so that color is reflected on your body. try colors like red,dark green etc.

6. Dark complexion women should wear light color Sari and with light embroidery work so that color makes you look awesome.