From: fenny@vicuna.ocunix.on.ca (Fenny Frampton)
Newsgroups: alt.fashion
Subject: Directions on wearing an Indian Saree.
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 92 18:04:57 EDT
Reply-To: fenny@vicuna.ocunix.on.ca
Followup-To: alt.fashion
Distribution: world
Organization: Vicuna Systems, Kingston, ON (613) 547-5066
Content-Type: text

Hi everyone:

A short time ago I posted an article asking for directions on wearing
an East-Indian Saree.

One person responded, and with his permission, I have included the
instructions below.  Thanks for the information, Atin.

Atin Malaviya <am@inmet.camb.inmet.com> writes:

> It is a little hard to describe in words and if I don't do a good
> enough job, write back and I'll ask my fiancee to give it a try
> since she is the one who actually wears the thing (and I love it :-) ).
>
> There are really 3 pieces of clothing that actually comprise the
> wearing of a saree: the blouse, the petticoat and the actual saree.
> The blouse and petticoat are the easy part :-) (you just try to match
> the colors with the saree because they show).  The saree on the
> other hand: 
>
> 1.  take the top edge of the end of the saree that has the "fall" at
> the bottom -- the fall being the piece of cloth that is sewn at the
> bottom edge of the saree that would touch the floor . . . -- and tuck
> it into the petticoat at the waist directly in line with your navel
> (women wear the petticoat at differing heights, the younger ones
> prefering to wear it lower to showoff their waists :-) ) -- you tuck
> just enough of the saree into the petticoat so that the saree barely
> touches the floor -- put your footwear on before you start wearing
> the saree.  
>
> 2. Go around your body with the saree (anti-clockwise I think, just
> look to see where the fall is, it should be on the inside), tucking
> the top edge into the petticoat as you go (I think you go around
> twice) stopping in line with your navel.
>
> 3. Now comes the interesting part.  You start to gather the saree into
> pleats, about as long as your hand . . . the way I have seen it done
> is this:  Put your thumb where the saree is tucked into the petticoat
> and open your hand so that it is perpendicular to the plane of your
> body, your little finger being farthest away from your body.  Make one
> pleat by making the saree go around your little finger and back to the
> thumb,  hold both edges and repeat approximately 7-8 times.  Tuck into
> the petticoat.  This is the hardest part that seems to take forever
> 'cause you have to get the pleats nice and clean . . .
>
> 4.  Now take the rest of the saree around your body once again, and
> then let the end cross over the front of your body and over your
> shoulder.  The part the hangs over your shoulder is called the
> "palloo".  My fiancee likes to pleat the saree on her shoulder too
> (very slightly, so that it doesn't just bunch) and then pins the
> palloo to her blouse at the shoulder so that it doesn't fall off (she
> hides the pin under rather than have it show).
>
> 5. Check the saree every 5 minutes, especially the pleats at the
> front/bottom, and the way the palloo is going around you (this is a 
> requirement it seems :-) ) so as not to "show" too much (or too little
> :-) ). 

That's it.  Hope this proves useful to people.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Fenny Frampton (fenny@vicuna.ocunix.on.ca), Kingston, ON, CANADA
"Fashion violators will be prosecuted."
Newsgroups: alt.fashion