Seven things to remember when buying a saree

Introduction

Choosing a saree is an amazing experience.With usually the whole family involved, pitching in their opinions, on which of the lovely tapestries to select, one is but spoilt for choice. Unlike other garments, which are predominantly chosen based on the current trends, Sarees are evergreen and chosen based on multiple other factors.Here are seven things to remember that will help you to choose the right saree during your next purchase.

Fabric: Being a draped garment, Saree is 90% the fabric and 10% the embellishments. Different fabrics make you appear different. For Instance, cotton sarees are known for their easy to manage nature while georgette makes you look slimmer. Even within cotton, higher counts of gsm stand stiff while the lower counts make for a soft and flowy look. So fabric should be your first consideration while picking a saree. It creates the look.

Color: Like with any garment, you would know what color looks good on you and what makes you duller. But the beauty of saree is that even the wrong color with the right fabric will enhance your look and give you a beautiful touch. In case, you want to experiment with mixed colors, sarees are in fact better than any apparel type.

Place of origin: Everytime you see a saree, check out its place of origin. This will impact both the price and the authenticity of the product. For instance, if it is called chikankari and the place of origin is Surat, It is very likely that you are buying a replica and not the original handmade version from Lucknow. Cheaper doesn’t mean you are getting a deal, it may mean you are getting duped !not getting the authentic experience of a time tested creation.

Timelessness vs trend: This is a double edged sword. Sarees are typically heritage pieces and regarded as timeless. For instance, your mom, grand mom and even great grand mom would have admired and loved your recent mysore silk saree. However, recently there are trendier versions of say adding ruffles/ making a dhoti semi stitched style or mixing yarns which you may be tempted to pick. The only word of caution is that they may be fads and you can end up creating fast fashion or the fashion of discarding fast by picking some of these up. 

Your personal style: Of all of the above, this is the most important point to consider when picking a saree. A saree is your personal expression above all. It is your statement and the one you make which tells the world who you are. If you are environmentally conscious, pick natural fibers like silk , cotton , linen etc. If you are regionally inclined, every region has so many unique varieties on offer. Luckily for us today, every regional masterpiece is accessible for  our experience. When you hold a saree or consider buying one, it must be an extension of you! You do you girl!

Occasion: Picking the right saree for the right occasion matters. Tussar silks make for great office wear giving you the touch of elegance and pride while Benarasis are the right option for weddings and festivals. Cottons are super form fitters and can be the right fit on many occasions, especially during summer. Make a statement with ajrakh or hand block printed with jaipur or show your softer side in parties with soft mul mul cotton from Bengal.

Price: Yes, the final say is always with the price. Buying silks and cotton is often compared to buying petrol ( yes !!) The base price is readily available on the internet and that this is usually not a discounted category like other garments. It makes it easier to judge if you are being conned but it also helps you contribute towards our nation, culture and heritage by purchasing an authentic product. If you are getting a silk saree, anywhere lesser than INR 7000, most likely you aren’t buying silk but a polyester version of the same. But If you are getting a silk at INR 30,000 it is usually good to look for the silk mark, the authenticity and do a quick check of where the product is sourced from.