Archive for October, 2009

Indian Saree Motifs and Designs


04storeroomSaree 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


lehenga choli, ghagra choli

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



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.

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