Silk for Silk Sarees must have rich, vibrant and brilliant hues.Silk Sarees from Kancheepuram are the best in the world. Indian Silk Sarees are admired all over the world – for its pure variety of designs, weaving and superiority. This is principally due to the fact that India has the distinctive characteristic of producing diverse varieties of silk.
Silk is a protein fiber, formed by silkworms for spinning around its cocoon. This fiber (filament) is unwound to obtain the silk. The yarn is produced by twisting the fiber, which is then dyed, wrapped and lastly woven to make the fabric. There are four major varieties of silk produced by each distinct variety of silkworm feeding on a definite host plant. The varieties are Kancheepuram, Bandhni, Ikkat and Patola and Thanchoi.
Silk Sarees are an important part of the South Indian tradition. Now that the world has become a global village, Kanchipuram and other such South Indian Silks are available all around the world. However, the chief manufacture of these beautiful Sarees is still centred in Kanchipuram and other small towns in South India.
The origin of the Indian Silk Saree dates back to centuries ago, when these Sarees used to be woven in temples. The sarees, woven from unadulterated mulberry silk, are found in innumerable colours. These Sarees have borders and ‘pallu’ in contrast colour combinations with weighty gold weaving. Kanchipuram sarees conventionally had designs representing simple gold lines or gold dots. The designs in these south Indian Sarees were motivated by the designs in South Indian temples or natural elements like birds, leaves, etc. Some of the finest known patterns in Kanchipuram saree borders are ‘Rudraksham’ (representing Rudraksha beads), ‘Gopuram’ (representing temples), ‘Mayilkan’ (Peacock eye) and ‘Kuyilkan’ (Nightingale eye). Keeping in view the changing trends, south indian silk sarees have undergone a makeover. Now, even designer silk sarees are obtainable, with embroidery or crystal work done on the traditional silk. One of the newest trends in these sarees is using antique paintings and the images of gods and goddesses in the ‘pallu’.
In an authentic south Indian Silk Saree, the body of the saree and the ‘pallu’ are woven separately and then stitched jointly. The unique weaving technique of a Kanchipuram silk saree or any such South Indian sarees,is by using three single threads of silk yarn alongside a ‘zari’, that is silk threads dipped in liquid gold and silver. The mulberry silk comes from south India itself and the gold ‘zari’ comes from Surat.
The famous towns for the manufacture of such sarees like Kanchipuram are known as the “Silk City” because almost ¾ of its population is dependent upon the silk industry. Trained and expert weavers from neighboring towns like Salem, Arani, Coimbatore and Kumbakonam are also involved in the production of silk sarees.
Three weavers roughly take 7 to 10 days to weave one saree (46″ X 168″), making the manufacture of south Indian silk sarees quite expensive. However,we all know, that beauty always come with a good price tag.
South Indian Silk Sarees-Here Tradition Meets Beauty November 9, 2009
Wearing Indian Saree in Tamil Style November 3, 2009
A charming folktale explains…
The Saree, it is said, was born on the loom of a whimsical weaver. He dreamt of a Woman. The sparkle of her tears, the drape of her tumbling hair, the colors of her numerous moods, the smoothness of her touch. All these he wove together. He couldn’t discontinue. He wove for several yards. And when he was done, the story goes; he sat back and smiled and smiled and smiled.”
In India, the majority of women wear a saree. The saree is an extensive piece of cloth about a meter wide and 5 to 5 1/2 meters long. The saree is draped over a long skirt. A tight fitting blouse called a choli is worn on the upper part of the body. The saree draping style is aboriginal for different parts of the country. Wearing the Indian saree in Tamil style can be done in two ways:
Dravidian style: The classic Dravidian sari is the “veshti-mundanai”, which is draped in two parts: The veshti wraps the lower body, while the mundanai, or mundu, is an add-on to the veshti. The draping of the veshti is rather easy as it draped like a towel about the waist and is usually 4 yards in length. This is then folded in half along the length. The mundunai is typically one yard in width and two yards in length. Some of these sarees are markedly characterized by a pleated rosette also called pinkosu at the waist.
Madisaara Style: This saree draping style is common among the Brahmin ladies of Tamil Nadu and other parts of south India. This style of sari is worn on celebratory occasions or ceremonies and since the style of draping this sari is unlike the other styles; nine-yard sari is essential to wear this style. The Madisar sari is draped in the following way: The sari is precisely wrapped around the waist, with the one end of sari on the right side, while the rest of the saree on the left. A knot is tied at the left waist tightly. The remaining sari is gathered near the waist. Then a bit of the fabric is tidily slipped into the right side of the waist. The end of the sari is then pleated into folds and tucked into the waist. The rest of the fabric then folded into 4 to 5 fold, with every fold measuring roughly three fourth of the hand. The pleated sari is then brought at the backside with the folded saree between the legs. After carefully gathering the folds, it is trimly tucked at the back side of waist. The sari is then gathered to the right side in front and wrapped over the left shoulder. The end or pallu of the sari is then assembled around the waist and efficiently tucked into the left side of the waist.
Wearing the Indian saree in Tamil style gives atypical traditional look. A feminine prerogative is added to the woman’s beauty. With only tucks and folds, it is worn in such a manner that it sheaths the body almost entirely. The diffident Indian woman covered from head to toe, presents an image of humility.
Indian Saree Motifs and Designs October 31, 2009
Saree motifs and designs in India are crafted in bright and classy colours. These are designed according to the trends of different regions of India. The motifs and designs are available in georgette sarees, sequin sarees, casual sarees and several other sarees. Saree motifs and designs are famous in India as well as in the international market. These Indian designer saris are beautifully crafted from different fabrics in variable patterns and bright color combinations. Motifs objects like conch, elephant, horse, peacocks, parrots, fish, hunting scenes, scenes from the epics are elementary designs in today’s designer Indian saris.
Saree motifs and designs in Indian sarees provide the specific needs, tastes and a traditional looks to Indian women. Women residing in India or abroad prefer designer sarees rather than other dresses for wedding and different other functions and are considered more cultural women. Indian designer sarees are in high demand around the world due to its quality material and look that are time taking and are made with great efforts. You can get these designer saris in variable shades and in an eye-catching appeal. Sarees in their every form typifies the eternal beauty of the female form. The motifs in Indian sarees indeed play an important role as to a large extent the fame and elaboration of this magical cloth depends largely on these.
Saree motifs and designs are knitted on the whole fabric and in the border of the saree. These motifs and designs woven on the Indian sarees are generally symbols of birds, floral design, animals, ornamental designs and several other intricate figures and designs. Some of the saree motifs and designs in Indian designer sarees are hand woven which are knitted with heavy gold silk threads in a three-dimensional effect. You can find out saree motifs and designs with stones, beads, sequins, and silk threads embroidered in different patterns. These Indian designer sarees are made attractive with variable designs and motifs along with embroidered floral works. They have gorgeous blouse pieces and pallu with bandhini dyed leaf design work.
Lehngas and Ghagras October 28, 2009
There is not much difference in a Lehnga and a Ghagra. Lehngas cover the full length below the waist and touch the floors, but, comparatively Ghagras are slightly shorter. The lehngas come in two varieties – sharara and gharara. The sharara style is sleeker. It runs close to the body till the knees and then broadens in full flare at the falls and borders. It is like the ground-kissing gowns of the Western world. It renders a mermaid look. The gharara is split like a divided skirt. Both are worn with a kurti and a full odhni.
Complimenting the loose-fit ghagras and lehngas, the choli snugly fits the bust of the woman to define the curvaceous female form. The choli usually has heavy embroidery-work over thick fabric. Ghagra-choli, or lehnga- choli can also make a thin figure gain a few virtual inches or a plump figure look slimmer. A choli that has the same color as of the lehenga, made of the same fabric and with vertical stripes, de-emphasizes bulk. In addition to these, an exaggerated shoulder gives a taller appearance to a shorter woman. Flouncy ghagras should be avoided by those who are not so tall and shapely. Appliqué work suits a slimmer woman especially when poised with multiple patch work or horizontal stripes suit thins and narrow-shouldered women well.
Ghagra-cholis have come out of the label of wedding-wear and bridals and came out into competition with party attires. Woman still believe in a slight modification of traditional looks and churning out great fusions. Fusions have always struck a balance between tradition and western trends. Once this was understood, there was no looking back for lehngas and ghagras with sleek cholis. It came out afresh with a challenge to party wears like spaghettis or tank tops and gowns.
Silk and Cotton October 27, 2009
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 as 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.
New Arrivals – Bridal and Wedding Collection July 8, 2009
Are you worried about what to wear at your cousin’s wedding? Or do you want to shed your western clothes for the next wedding by trying something you want to try something truly traditional to give a sweet surprise to your family and relations?
Well, Well! Your search has finally come to an end. Now, Sareez.com presents a new range of designer wedding Lehenga-Cholis, Sarees. There is a wide variety from which you can make your pick. Fabrics available – Georgette, Net, Crepe, Jacquard, Viscose, Jamevar. Half-and-Half sarees also available.
Embroidery and embellishments – Butis, Beads, Stones, Sequins, Mirrors, Silk threadwork.
This sarees display lavishly embroidered aanchal and front skirting. The Lehengas come the traditional colors as well as slightly unconventional combinations. There are simple yet appealing sarees in white , beige, pink, salmon and turquoise shades, if you want light colors. If you love to wear dark shades then, you can opt for the combinations in red, maroon, brown, purple, green and teal. While some of the lehengas have segmented skirting the others have a flounce in the fall but the aanchal or pallu is heavily embroidered in consonance with the ornamented choli.
The fascinating net and georgette sarees look great. They not only feel comfortable in the summers. The viscose, jacquard and jamevar sarees and lehengas are heavy and they look good on slimmer women. The half-and-half sarees look enchanting as they have of net or georgette pallu and at the same time they give you the well-set snugness of thicker fabrics on the skirting.
The handwork and machine embroideries are also highly attractive giving you the flavors of conventional Indian artistry and the magic of thread-work.
Right choice of Fabrics and Blouse-styles June 29, 2009
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. When the weather is hot and humid, definitely cotton brings comfort.
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. Slim figures carry short sleeves and collared necklines well. A compatible blouse style defines of the bust and adds to her dignity.
So, it is always wise to look for the befitting fabrics and blouse styles for gracefulness and smartness.
Saree – Beautiful and Beautifying Down the Ages June 26, 2009
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 hand works. 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 en-wrapping. 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.
Handwork, Embroidery and Embellishment June 22, 2009
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 not 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.
Be Most Presentable – Be the Cynosure June 9, 2009
She was so timid, so shy, never knew what to do when she was a part of a social gathering. She remained in a corner unnoticed. Admirers were so many, but none for her. She pondered standing before the mirror. There was simplicity and grace in her, but nothing seemed to work out whenever she desired to look different from the crowd. Then … One day everyone witnessed a change in her. She stepped in, draped in a mind-boggling saree. She looked so different, so special, scintillating. She mesmerized and carried away so many gazers ” Far From The Madding Crowd”. Yes, she made it finally.
But how?
It was just the choice of a right kind of designer saree for herself.
It had proportional embellishments, rare handwork. It catered to all her apprehensions. We bring to you, the rare creations from the treasure-house of the designers. Be it trendy or traditional. It’s just about making the right pick and one can be the CYNOSURE everywhere. Presentation really counts. A well crafted apparel is no less than a tribute to the Indian Woman! We understand her, with all her emotions, mischief, unpredictabilities and versatilities!
We have preserved the heritage of true Indian tradition and fetched not simply garments, but DESIRES, SENSATIONS, PERFECTIONS and FINESSE. We have lingerie to embrace her in every mood and for any occasion. Satisfaction is not our only aim. We are here to give you the best designer apparels that you would treasure once they occupy your wardrobe. You would simply not wish to part with them because we believe that, garments become a prized possession. They can be a memorabilia, a nostalgia . They can take you back to your heartfelt special moments.
