Handloom silk saris on display 20th century, Honolulu Museum of Art.
Asari (sometimes alsosaree[1] orsadi)[note 1] is adrape (cloth)[2] and a women'sgarment in theIndian subcontinent.[3] It consists of an un-stitched stretch ofwoven fabric arranged over the body as adress, with one end attached to the waist, while the other end rests over one shoulder as astole,[4][5] sometimes baring a part of themidriff.[6][7][8] It may vary from 4.1 to 8.2 metres (4.5 to 9 yards) in length,[9] and 60 to 120 centimetres (24 to 47 inches) in breadth,[10] and is a form ofethnic wear inBangladesh,India,Sri Lanka,Nepal, andPakistan. There are various names and styles of sari manufacture and draping, the most common being theNivi style.[11][12] The sari is worn with a fittedbodice also called acholi (ravike orkuppasa in southern India, andcholo in Nepal) and apetticoat calledghagra,parkar, orul-pavadai.[13] It remains fashionable in the Indian subcontinent today.[14]
TheHindi wordsāṛī (साड़ी),[15] described inSanskritśāṭī[16] which means 'strip of cloth'[17] andशाडीśāḍī orसाडीsāḍī inPali, ಸೀರೆ orsīre inKannada and which evolved tosāṛī in modern Indian languages.[18] The wordśāṭika is mentioned as describing women'sdharmic attire inSanskrit literature and Buddhist literature calledJatakas.[19] This could be equivalent to the modern day sari.[19] The term for femalebodice, thecholi evolved from ancientstanapaṭṭa.[20][21]Rajatarangini, a tenth-century literary work byKalhana, states that the choli from the Deccan was introduced under the royal order in Kashmir.[13]
The petticoat is calledsāyā (साया) inHindi,[15]parkar (परकर) inMarathi,ulpavadai (உள்பாவாடை) inTamil (pavada in other parts of South India:Malayalam:പാവാട,romanized: pāvāḍa,Telugu:పావడ,romanized: pāvaḍa,Kannada:ಪಾವುಡೆ,romanized: pāvuḍe),sāẏā (সায়া) inBengali and eastern India, andsāya (සාය) inSinhalese. Apart from the standard "petticoat", it may also be called "inner skirt"[22] or an inskirt.
The history of sari-like drapery can be traced back to theIndus Valley Civilisation, which flourished during 2800–1800 BCE around the northwestern part of theIndian subcontinent.[7][8]Cotton was first cultivated and woven on the Indian subcontinent around the 5th millennium BCE.[23] Dyes used during this period are still in use, particularlyindigo,lac,red madder andturmeric.[24]Silk was woven around 2450 BCE and 2000 BCE.[25][26]
The wordsari evolved fromśāṭikā (Sanskrit:शाटिका) is mentioned in early Hindu literature as women's attire.[27][19] The sari orśāṭikā evolved from a three-piece ensemble comprising theantarīya, the lower garment; theuttarīya; a veil worn over the shoulder or the head; and thestanapatta, a chestband. This ensemble is mentioned inSanskrit literature and BuddhistPali literature during the 6th century BCE.[28]
Ancientantariya closely resembled thedhoti wrap in the "fishtail" version which was passed through the legs, covered the legs loosely and then flowed into long, decorative pleats at front of the legs.[6][29][30] It further evolved intoBhairnivasani skirt, today known asghagri andlehenga.[31]Uttariya was a shawl-like veil worn over the shoulder or head. It evolved into what is known today known asdupatta andghoonghat.[32] Likewise, thestanapaṭṭa evolved into thecholi by the 1st century CE.[20][21][33][34]
The 7th centurySanskrit workKadambari byBanabhatta and ancientTamil poetry, such as theSilappadhikaram, describes women in exquisitedrapery or sari.[13][35][36][37] In ancient India, although women wore saris that bared the navel, theDharmasastra writers stated that women should be dressed such that the navel would never become visible, which may have led to a taboo on exposure of the midriff at some times and places.[38][39][7][40]
It is generally accepted that wrapped sari-like garments for lower body and sometimes shawls or scarf like garment called 'uttariya' for upper body, have been worn by Indian women for a long time, and that they have been worn in their current form for hundreds of years. In ancient couture the lower garment was called 'nivi' or 'nivi bandha', while the upper body was mostly left bare.[19] The works ofKalidasa mention thekūrpāsaka, a form of tight fitting breast band that simply covered the breasts.[19] It was also sometimes referred to as anuttarāsaṅga orstanapaṭṭa.[19]
Poetic references from works likeSilappadikaram indicate that during theSangam period in ancient Tamil Nadu in southern India, a single piece of clothing served as both lower garment and head covering, leaving the midriff completely uncovered.[35] Similar styles of the sari are recorded paintings byRaja Ravi Varma in Kerala.[41] Numerous sources say that everyday costume in ancient India until recent times inKerala consisted of a pleated dhoti or (sarong) wrap, combined with a breast band calledkūrpāsaka orstanapaṭṭa and occasionally a wrap calleduttarīya that could at times be used to cover the upper body or head.[19] The two-piece Kerala mundum neryathum (mundu, a dhoti or sarong, neryath, a shawl, inMalayalam) is a survival of ancient clothing styles. The one-piece sari in Kerala is derived from neighbouring Tamil Nadu or Deccan during medieval period based on its appearance on various temple murals in medieval Kerala.[42][7][8][43]
EarlySanskrit literature has a wide vocabulary of terms for theveiling used by women, such asAvagunthana (oguntheti/oguṇthikā), meaning cloak-veil,Uttariya meaning shoulder-veil,Mukha-pata meaning face-veil andSirovas-tra meaning head-veil.[44]
In thePratimānātaka, a play by Bhāsa describes in context ofAvagunthana veil that "ladies may be seen without any blame (for the parties concerned) in a religious session, in marriage festivities, during a calamity and in a forest".[44] The same sentiment is more generically expressed in laterSanskrit literature.[45]Śūdraka, the author ofMṛcchakatika set in fifth century BCE says that theAvagaunthaha was not used by women everyday and at every time. He says that a married lady was expected to put on a veil while moving in the public.[45] This may indicate that it was not necessary for unmarried females to put on a veil.[45] This form of veiling by married women is still prevalent in Hindi-speaking areas, and is known asghoonghat where the loose end of a sari is pulled over the head to act as a facial veil.[46]
Based on sculptures and paintings, tight bodices orcholis are believed to have evolved between the 2nd century BCE to 6th century CE in various regional styles.[47] Earlycholis were front covering tied at the back; this style was more common in parts of ancient northern India. This ancient form of bodice or choli is still common in the state ofRajasthan today.[48] Various styles of decorative traditional embroidery like gota patti, mochi, pakko, kharak, suf, kathi, phulkari and gamthi are done oncholis.[49] In Southern parts of India, choli is known asravikie which is tied at the front instead of back, kasuti is traditional form of embroidery used for cholis in this region.[50] In Nepal, choli is known ascholo orchaubandi cholo and is traditionally tied at the front.[51]
Red is the most favoured colour forwedding saris, which are the traditional garment choice for brides inHindu wedding.[52] Women traditionally wore various types of regionalhandloom saris made of silk, cotton, ikkat, block-print, embroidery and tie-dye textiles. Most sought afterbrocade silk saris are Banasari, Kanchipuram (Sometimes also Kanchipuram orKanjivaram), Gadwal, Paithani, Mysore, Uppada, Bagalpuri, Balchuri, Maheshwari, Chanderi, Mekhela, Ghicha, Narayan pet and Eri etc. are traditionally worn for festive and formal occasions.
[53] SilkIkat and cotton saris known as Patola, Pochampally, Bomkai, Khandua, Sambalpuri, Gadwal, Berhampuri, Bargarh, Jamdani, Tant, Mangalagiri, Guntur, Narayan pet, Chanderi, Maheshwari, Nuapatn, Tussar, Ilkal, Kotpad and Manipuri were worn for both festive and everyday attire.[54]Tie-dyed andblock-print saris known as Bandhani, Leheria/Leheriya, Bagru, Ajrakh, Sungudi, Kota Dabu/Dabu print, Bagh and Kalamkari were traditionally worn during monsoon season.[55]
Gota Patti is popular form of traditionalembroidery used on saris for formal occasions, various other types of traditional folk embroidery such mochi, pakko, kharak, suf, kathi, phulkari and gamthi are also commonly used for both informal and formal occasion.[56][57] Today, modern fabrics like polyester,georgette and charmeuse are also commonly used.[58][59][60]
There are more than 80 recorded ways to wear a sari.[61] The most common style is for the sari to be wrapped around the waist, with the loose end of the drape to be worn over the shoulder, baring the navel.[62] However, the sari can be draped in several different styles, though some styles do require a sari of a particular length or form.Ṛta Kapur Chishti, a sarihistorian and recognisedtextile scholar, has documented 108 ways of wearing a sari in her book, 'Saris: Tradition and Beyond'. The book documents the sari drapes across fourteen states ofGujarat,Maharashtra,Goa,Karnataka,Kerala,Tamil Nadu,Andhra Pradesh,Odisha,West Bengal,Jharkhand,Bihar,Chhattisgarh,Madhya Pradesh,Telangana andUttar Pradesh.[63] The Sari Series,[64] a non-profit project created in 2017 is a digital anthology[65] documenting India's regional sari drapes providing over 80 short films on how-to-drape the various styles.
Nivi sari – style originally worn in Deccan region; besides the modern nivi, there is also theNauvari,kaccha orkasta nivi, where the pleats are passed through the legs and tucked into at the back. This allows free movement while covering the legs.
Bihar,Uttar Pradesh,Gujarati,Rajasthani – It is worn similar to nivi style but with loose end of sariaanchal orpallu placed in the front, therefore this style is known assidha anchal orsidha pallu or sojha paala. After tucking in the pleats similar to the nivi style, the loose end is taken from the back, draped across the right shoulder, and pulled across to be secured in the back. This style is also worn byPunjabi Hindus andSindhi Hindus.
Bengali andOdia style is worn with single box-pleat.[66] Traditionally the Bengali style is worn with single box pleat where the sari is wrapped around in an anti-clockwise direction around the waist and then a second time from the other direction. The loose end is a lot longer and that goes around the body over the left shoulder. There is enough cloth left to cover the head as well. TheBrahmika sari was introduced to Bengal byJnanadanandini Devi after her tour in Bombay in 1870. Jnanadanandini improvised upon the sari style worn by Parsi and Gujarati women, which came to be known as Brahmika style.[67]
Himalayan – Kulluvi Pattu is traditional form of woolen sari worn in Himachal Pradesh, similar variation is also worn inUttarakhand.
Nepali: Nepal has many different varieties of draping sari, today the most common is the Nivi drape. The traditional Newari sari drape is, folding the sari till it is below knee length and then wearing it like a nivi sari but the pallu is not worn across the chest and instead is tied around the waist and leaving it so it drops from waist to the knee, instead the pallu or a shawl is tied across the chest, by wrapping it from the right hip and back and is thrown over the shoulders. Saris are worn with blouse that are thicker and are tied several times across the front. The Bhojpuri, Maithil and Awadhi speaking community wears the sari sojha palla like the Gujarati drape. The women of the Rajbanshi communities traditionally wear their sari with no choli and tied below the neck like a towel but today only old women wear it in that style and the nivi and the Bengali drapes are more popular today. The Nivi drape was popularized in Nepal by theShah royals and theRanas.
Nauvari andKasta: this drape is worn similar to ancient form of navi sari worn in"Kacche" style where pleats in the front are tucked in the back, though there are many regional and societal variations. The style worn byBrahmin women differs from that of theMarathas. The style also differs from community to community. This style is popular inMaharashtra andGoa.
Madisar – this drape is typical of Iyengar/Iyer Brahmin ladies from Tamil Nadu. Traditional Madisar is worn using 9 yards sari.[68]
TheParsi 'gara' is worn by Zoroastrian women in Gujarat in India and Sindh in Pakistan, it is worn similar tosidha pallu, it unique compared to traditional sari due to its Chinese style embroidery.
Pin Kosuvam – this is the traditional Tamil Nadu style
Kodagu style – this drape is confined to ladies hailing from theKodagu district ofKarnataka. In this style, the pleats are created in the rear, instead of the front. The loose end of the sari is draped back-to-front over the right shoulder, and is pinned to the rest of the sari.
Gobbe Seere – This style is worn by women in theMalnad or Sahyadri and central region of Karnataka. It is worn with 18 molas sari with three-four rounds at the waist and a knot after crisscrossing over shoulders.
Karnataka – In Karnataka, apart from traditional Nivi sari, sari is also worn in"Karnataka Kacche" drape, kacche drape which shows nivi drape in front and kacche in back, there are Four kacche styles known in Karnataka – "Hora kacche", "Melgacche" ,"Vala kacche" or "Olagacche" and " Hale Kacche".
Kerala sari style – the two-piece sari, orMundum Neryathum, worn inKerala. Usually made of unbleached cotton and decorated with gold or coloured stripes and/or borders. Also theKerala sari, a sort of mundum neryathum.
Kunbi style ordenthli: Goan Kunbis and Gauda, and those of them who have migrated to other states use this way of draping sari orkappad, this form of draping is created by tying a knot in the fabric below the shoulder and a strip of cloth which crossed the left shoulder was fasten on the back.[69]
Riha-Mekhela, Kokalmora, Chador/Murot Mora Gamusa – This style worn inAssam is a wrap around style cloth similar to other Southeast Asian garments. it is originally a four-set of separate garments knownRiha-Mekhela,Kokalmora,Chador orMurot Mora Gamusa. The bottom portion, draped from the waist downwards is calledMekhela. TheRiha orMethoni is wrapped and often secured by tying them firmly across the chest, covering the breasts originally but now it is sometimes replaced by blouse from mainland India. TheKokalmora was used originally to tie theMekhela around the waist and keep it firm.
Innaphi andPhanek – This style of clothing worn inManipur is also worn with three-set garment known asInnaphi Viel,Phanek lower wrap and long sleevedcholi. It is somewhat similar to the style of clothing worn in Assam.
Jainsem – It is a Khasi style of clothing worn inKhasi which is made up of several pieces of cloth, giving the body a cylindrical shape.
Women dressed in nivi sari entertaining couple, Deccan, 1591 CEMaharani Ourmilla Devi of Jubbal in modern style of Nivi sari, 1935.
The Nivi is the most common style of sari worn today. It originated in the Deccan region.[11][12] In the Deccan region, the Nivi existed in two styles, a style similar to modern Nivi and the second style worn with front pleats of Nivi tucked in the back.[19]
The increased interactions during colonial era saw most women from royal families come out ofpurdah in the 1900s. This necessitated a change of dress. MaharaniIndira Devi of Cooch Behar popularised thechiffon sari. She was widowed early in life and followed the convention of abandoning her richly woven Baroda shalus in favour of the unadornedmourning white as per tradition. Characteristically, she transformed her "mourning" clothes into high fashion. She had saris woven in France to her personal specifications, in white chiffon, and introduced the silk chiffon sari to the royal fashion repertoire.[70]
Under colonial rule, thepetticoat was adopted, along with Victorian styles of puffed-sleeved blouses, which was commonly seen among the elites inBombay presidency andBengal presidency.[71][72] Nivi drape starts with one end of the sari tucked into thewaistband of thepetticoat, usually a plainskirt. The cloth is wrapped around the lower body once, then hand-gathered into even pleats below the navel. The pleats are tucked into the waistband of the petticoat.[73] They create a graceful, decorative effect which poets have likened to the petals of a flower.[73] After one more turn around the waist, the loose end is draped over the shoulder.[73] The loose end is called theaanchal,pallu,pallav,seragu, orpaita depending on the language. It is draped diagonally in front of the torso. It is worn across the right hip to over the left shoulder, partly baring the midriff.[73] The navel can be revealed or concealed by the wearer by adjusting thepallu, depending on the social setting. The long end of thepallu hanging from the back of the shoulder is often intricately decorated. Thepallu may be hanging freely, tucked in at the waist, used to cover the head, or used to cover the neck, by draping it across the right shoulder as well. Some Nivi styles are worn with thepallu draped from the back towards the front, coming from the back over the right shoulder with one corner tucked by the left hip, covering the torso/waist. The Nivi sari was popularised through the paintings ofRaja Ravi Varma.[41] In one of his paintings, the Indian subcontinent was shown as a mother wearing a flowing Nivi sari.[41] The ornaments sometimes worn in the midriff region on top of a sari arewaist chains. They are sometimes worn as a part of bridal jewellery.[74][75]
A femalehotel staff member wearing a sari as a uniform
Because of the harsh extremes in temperature on the Indian subcontinent, the sari fills a practical role as well as a decorative one. It is not only warming in winter and cooling in summer, but its loose-fitting tailoring is preferred by women who must be free to move as their duties require. For this reason,[citation needed] it is the uniform ofBiman Bangladesh Airlines andAir India uniform forair hostesses.[76][77] An air hostess-style sari is draped in similar manner to a traditional sari, but most of the pleats are pinned to keep them in place.[78]Bangladeshi female newsreaders and anchors also drape their sari in this particular style.
Similarly, the female politicians of all three countries wear the sari in a professional manner.Bangladeshi politicians usually wear saris with long sleeve blouse while covering their midriff. Some politicians pair up saris withhijabs orshawls for more coverage.
The women of theNehru–Gandhi family likeIndira Gandhi andSonia Gandhi have worn a special blouse for the campaign trail which is longer than usual and is tucked in to prevent any midriff showing while waving to the crowds. StylistPrasad Bidapa has to say, "I think Sonia Gandhi is the country's most stylish politician. But that's because she's inherited the best collection of saris from her mother-in-law. I'm also happy that she supports the Indian handloom industry with her selection."[80]
Sari is the national attire forwomen in Bangladesh, AlthoughDhakai Jamdani (hand made sari) is worldwide known and most famous to all women who wear sari but there are also many variety of saris in Bangladesh. There are many regional variations of them in both silk and cotton.
KandyanSinhalese lady wearing a traditional Kandyan sari (osaria)
Sri Lankan women wear saris in many styles. Two ways of draping the sari are popular and tend to dominate: the Indian style (classic nivi drape) and the Kandyan style (orOsariya in Sinhala). The Kandyan style is generally more popular in the hill country region of Kandy from which the style gets its name. Though local preferences play a role, most women decide on style depending on personal preference or what is perceived to be most flattering for their figure.
The traditional Kandyan (Osariya) style consists of a full blouse which covers the midriff completely and is partially tucked in at the front. However, the modern intermingling of styles has led to most wearers baring the navel. The final tail of the sari is neatly pleated rather than free-flowing. This is rather similar to the pleated rosette used in thePin Kosuvam style noted earlier in the article.
The Kandyan style is considered the national dress of Sinhalese women. It is the uniform of the air hostesses ofSriLankan Airlines.
During the 1960s, the mini sari known as 'hipster' sari created a wrinkle in Sri Lankan fashion, since it was worn below the navel and barely above the line of prosecution for indecent exposure. The conservative people described the 'hipster' as "an absolute travesty of a beautiful costume almost a desecration" and "a hideous and purposeless garment".[82][83]
The sari is the most commonly worn women's clothing inNepal where a special style of sari draping is calledhaku patasihh. The sari is draped around the waist and a shawl is worn covering the upper half of the sari, which is used in place of apallu.
In Pakistan, the saris are still popular and worn on special occasions. TheShalwar kameez, however, is worn throughout the country on a daily basis. The sari nevertheless remains a popular garment among the middle and upper class for many formal functions. Saris can be seen worn commonly in metropolitan cities such as Karachi and Islamabad and are worn regularly for weddings and other business types of functions. Saris are also worn by manyMuslim women in Sindh to show their status or to enhance their beauty.Phulkari,Kota doria,banarasi,Ajrak are the most worn.[84] The sari is worn as daily wear byPakistani Hindus, by elderly Muslim women who were used to wearing it inpre-partition India[85] and by some of the new generation who have reintroduced the interest in saris.
Black Sari Day, is a celebration ofIqbal Bano a woman who fought in a Black sari in Lahore against Zia. She sangHum Dekhenge. Although this event is to bring family closer and to enjoy the day of Iqbal Bano.
While the sari is typical traditional wear for women in the Indian subcontinent, clothing worn by women inSoutheast Asian countries likeMyanmar,Malaysia,Indonesia, thePhilippines,Cambodia,Thailand andLaos resemble it, where a long rectangular piece of cloth is draped around the body. These are different from the sari as they are wrapped around the lower-half of body as a skirt, worn with a shirt/blouse and resemble asarong, as seen in the Burmeselongyi (Burmese:လုံချည်;MLCTS:lum hkyany;IPA:[lòʊɰ̃dʑì]), Filipinomalong andtapis, Laotianxout lao (Lao:ຊຸດລາວ;IPA:[sut.láːw]), Laotian and Thaisuea pat (Lao:ເສື້ອປັດ;pronounced[sɯ̏a.pát]) andsinh (Lao:ສິ້ນ,IPA:[sȉn];Thai:ซิ่น,RTGS: sin,IPA:[sîn]), Cambodiansbai (Khmer:ស្បៃ) andsampot (Khmer:សំពត់,saṃbát,IPA:[sɑmpʊət]) and Timoresetais. Saris, worn predominantly in the Indian subcontinent are usually draped with one end of the cloth fastened around the waist, and the other end placed over the shoulder exposing the midriff.[6][7][8]
Display of traditional saris withgota patti embroidery for festive occasions at clothing store.
Saris are woven with one plain end (the end that is concealed inside the wrap), two long decorative borders running the length of the sari, and a one to three-foot section at the other end which continues and elaborates the length-wise decoration. This end is called thepallu; it is the part thrown over the shoulder in the nivi style of draping.
In past times, saris were woven ofsilk or cotton. The rich could afford finely woven,diaphanous silk saris that, according tofolklore, could be passed through afinger ring. The poor wore coarsely woven cotton saris. All saris werehandwoven and represented a considerable investment of time or money.
Simple hand-woven villagers' saris are often decorated with checks or stripes woven into the cloth. Inexpensive saris were also decorated withblock printing using carved wooden blocks and vegetable dyes, ortie-dyeing, known in India asbhandani work.
More expensive saris had elaborate geometric, floral, or figurative ornaments or brocades created on theloom, as part of the fabric. Sometimes warp and weft threads were tie-dyed and then woven, creatingikat patterns. Sometimes threads of different colours were woven into the base fabric in patterns; an ornamented border, an elaboratepallu, and often, small repeated accents in the cloth itself. These accents are calledbutti orbhutti (spellings vary). For fancy saris, these patterns could be woven withgold or silver thread, which is calledzari work.
Vaddanam orKamarband is type of sari belt used to keep complex drapes in place.
Sometimes the saris were further decorated, after weaving, with various sorts of embroidery.Resham work is embroidery done with coloured silk thread.Zardozi embroidery uses gold and silver thread, and sometimes pearls andprecious stones. Cheap modern versions ofzardozi use synthetic metallic thread and imitation stones, such as fake pearls andSwarovski crystals.
In modern times, saris are increasingly woven on mechanical looms and made of artificial fibres, such aspolyester, nylon, orrayon, which do not require starching orironing. They are printed by machine, or woven in simple patterns made withfloats across the back of the sari. This can create an elaborate appearance on the front, while looking ugly on the back. Thepunchra work is imitated with inexpensive machine-made tassel trim. Fashion designerShaina NC declared, "I can drape a sari in 54 different styles".[86]
Hand-woven, hand-decorated saris are naturally much more expensive than the machine imitations. While the overall market for handweaving has plummeted (leading to much distress among Indian handweavers),hand-woven saris are still popular for weddings and other grand social occasions.
The traditional sari made an impact in the United States during the 1970s. Eugene Novack who ran the New York store, Royal Sari House commented that he had initially been selling mainly to Indian women in the New York area. However, many American business women and housewives soon became his customers, favouring styles resembling western attire such as gowns. He also said that men appeared intrigued by the fragility and the femininity it confers on the wearer.[87] Newcomers to the sari report that it is comfortable to wear, requiring no girdles or stockings and that the flowing garb feels so feminine with unusual grace.[88][89]
The sari has gained its popularity internationally because of the growth of Indian fashion trends globally. ManyBollywood celebrities, likeAishwarya Rai,[90][91] have worn it at international events representingIndia's cultural heritage. In 2010, Bollywood actressDeepika Padukone wanted to represent her country at an international event, wearing the national costume. On her first red carpet appearance at theCannes International Film Festival, she stepped out on the red carpet in aRohit Bal sari.[92][93]
Many foreign celebrities have worn traditional sari attire designed by Indianfashion designers.[94] American actressPamela Anderson made a surprise guest appearance onBigg Boss, the Indian version ofBig Brother, dressed in a sari that was specially designed for her by Mumbai-based fashion designer Ashley Rebello.[95]Ashley Judd donned a purple sari at theYouthAIDS Benefit Gala in November 2007 at the Ritz Carlton in Mclean, Virginia.[96][97][98] There was an Indian flavour to the red carpet at the annual Fashion Rocks concert in New York, with designer Rocky S walking the ramp along with Jessica, Ashley, Nicole, Kimberly and Melody – thePussycat Dolls – dressed in saris.[99] in 2014, American singerSelena Gomez was seen in a sari for aUNICEF charity event at Nepal.[100]
While an international image of the modern style sari may have been popularised by airlineflight attendants, each region in theIndian subcontinent has developed, over the centuries, its own unique sari style. Following are other well-known varieties, distinct on the basis of fabric, weaving style, or motif, in the Indian subcontinent.
Handloom sari weaving is one of India'scottage industries.[105] The handloom weaving process requires several stages in order to produce the final product. Traditionally the processes ofdyeing (during the yarn, fabric, or garment stage),warping, sizing, attaching the warp, weft winding andweaving were done by weavers and local specialists around weaving towns and villages.
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^abcSulochana Ayyar (1987) "Costumes and Ornaments as Depicted in the Sculptures of Gwalior Museum.", p.152
^Kusumanjali Prakashan, 1993 "The Natyasastra tradition and ancient Indian society", p.63
^Katiyar, Vijay Singh. (2009).Indian Saris – Traditions – Perspective – Design. New Delhi, Ahmedabad – India: Wisdom Tree in association with National Institute of Design. p. 24.ISBN978-81-8328-122-5.
^History of Kasuti is mentioned byGovind D. Belgaumkar and Anil Kumar Sastry (27 October 2006)."Unique symbols of Karnataka".The Hindu. Chennai, India. Archived fromthe original on 10 February 2007. Retrieved22 April 2007.
^Indra Majupuria (2007) "Nepalese Women: A Vivid Account of the Status and Role of Nepalese Women in the Total Spectrum of Life, Religious, Social, Economic, Political, and Legal.", p.291
^Ava Laboy Capo (2013) "Wedding Traditions from Around the World.", p.18
^Jay Narayan Vyas, Textile Review, 2007 "Indian Textiles 2015: Comprehensive Forecast on Indian Textiles Industry in 2015 with an Exhaustive Buyer's Guide for Textile Machinery", p.126
^Sarah Murray (15 March 2005). "How haute couture went on to even greater heights".Financial Times. p. 4.The nationality of the airline company is often also reflected in the designs of the cabin crew uniforms, such as ... the saris of Air India.
Ambrose, Kay (1950)Classical Dances and Costumes of India. London: A. & C. Black.
Craddock, Norma (1994)Anthills, Split Mothers, and Sacrifice: Conceptions of Female Power in the Mariyamman Tradition. Dissertation, University of California, Berkeley.
Lynton, Linda (1995).The Sari: Styles, Patterns, History, Technique. New York: Thames & Hudson.
Banerjee, Mukulika & Miller, Daniel (2003).The Sari: Styles, Patterns, History. Oxford: Berg Publishers.
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