Karwa Chauth 2022: Here’s your key to donning a saree with style and comfort this festive season

This year's festive season is a big deal for Mumbaikars given the fact that the festivals are being celebrated sans pandemic restrictions after two long years. It is only predictable that the city residents would go all out in preparing for the much-awaited celebrations in a completely traditional manner. This also means it is time for many to indulge in some fashion experiments and turn up in their best festive outfits; naturally one can never miss out on sarees when it comes to ethnic wear.

While traditional Indian sarees like Paithani, Banarasi and Kanjivaram among others remain festive classics, people's tastes have evolved and incorporating Indo-western elements in their outfits is a trend, which is here to stay. From pairing sarees with belts, sneakers, crop tops and jackets to experimenting with prints, colours, materials and styles, there has been a massive change in the ways people can experience six-yards of grace and elegance.

While innovating with traditional clothes is not everybody's area of interest, one can surely get their basics right when it comes to deciding to wear a saree and carry it impeccably.

Find your style

Picking the right saree is the key to achieving the desired look. According to Saurabh Shah, founder of Zari Banaras, this festive season young women have been specifically looking out for organza and georgette sarees, which are also social media favourites as many digital content creators can be seen donning these in the most creative ways on Instagram posts.

Not all can flawlessly drape a saree and carry it effortlessly in one or two tries. If you do not want to give up on comfort and style both, then wrap-around sarees are something you must consider. Sarees are timeless and can offer a complete traditional as well as a modern look. Wrap-around sarees save you the time and effort of wearing a traditional one, while giving an effortless festive look. Digital content creator Anjali Arora suggests, "The best way to style them is to know your colour and not go overboard with it. Experimenting with blouses can also be a great add-on."

Ruffle sarees are definitely the talk of the town these days and it does have takers for Ganesh Chaturthi fashion too this year. Characterised by ruffled or trimmed borders, they come in different materials and are known for their casual and modern look. Not very festive looking, but, according to designer Gautam Gupta, one can go about picking a floral or Mughal era print ruffle sarees for the festivities.

According to designer Riddhi Mehra, every saree lover must own blouses in three colours - black, silver and gold. If you are a first-time saree wearer, you can stick to classic necklines like V or round with elbow length sleeves, which can be your safest bet.

Keep it light yet bold

While heavy embroidered sarees add to the traditional vibe in the room, plain sarees in bold colours and the right amount of jewellery provide a much relaxed, cheerful and fresh aura too. Since Ganesh Chaturthi as a festival involves a lot of work, it is important to drape the saree in a manner that does not rob you of your comfort and charm, which is why; it is advisable to go for light weight sarees with a simple yet beautifully braided bun in the standard Maharashtrian style to enhance the look.

Not to forget the city's humid weather, it is unpleasant to carry a six-yard outfit with jewellery coupled with sweat. Shah suggests going for cotton or organza sarees and the Indian fashion market is replete with these due to their heavy demand. In addition to being easy to drape, these fabrics are airy, light, stylish, and trendy and offer a rejuvenating look. Additionally, one can also pick linen or net sarees to beat the heat.

When it comes to blouses, one can always go for sleeveless blouses to keep it light. "If one does not find comfort in sleeveless blouses, then sleeves till the elbow are the right choice, as they give a fine tune to your arms. To add more elements to the look, go in for blouse colours which are in contrast with the saree colour," adds Shah.

Gupta recommends going for plain sarees and styling them with jewellery print blouses and appropriate accessories will also offer the much-needed elegance. Additionally, one can always balance the tone and mood of the outfit with colours too. According to Mehra, one must avoid whites and pastels as they do not reflect the cheer and colour of the festive environment. "This holiday symbolises new beginnings, it's a loud and happy festival, so naturally your outfits should be bright too! Here's a hint: A crowd favourite combination for Ganesh Chaturthi is red and purple," she adds.

Accessorise to accentuate the look

Minimal fashion calls for just the right number of perfectly picked accessories to accentuate the outfit and also to provide a healthy contrast between the clothes and other elements. Shah and Mehra provide some tips:

1. To achieve a simple yet elegant look, earrings/studs, a cute neckpiece and classy watch will be the perfect pick.

2. Adding a beautiful flower to your hair shall also compliment the attire. For buns, one can always go for embellished bun-holders, scrunchies or even clips.

3. Delicate jewellery like chain bracelets, minimal drop-earrings and necklaces are a great place to start.

4. Instead of wearing all kinds of jewellery like earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets pick just two.

5. You can add flowers to your hair or even a delicate headband, and finish with an embroidered potli bag or purse.

6. For plain cotton or linen sarees, try using silver oxidised jewellery including chokers, single kadhas and anklets.

Also read: Feet style tips! Enhance your outfit with a right pair of footwear this festive season