Can you wear Saree without Blouse?

The stitched blouse that accompanies a saree today is a relatively recent addition to Indian clothing. Early textual, sculptural, and travellers’ accounts indicate that for much of the subcontinent’s history, women wore unstitched garments without a tailored upper covering. Examining the social and material conditions that shaped this practice reveals how colonial and regional shifts transformed the saree into its modern form.

Textual Evidence

References to upper garments appear sporadically in early Sanskrit literature. The Rigveda (c.1500–1200 BCE) uses terms such as nivī (lower garment) and uttarīya (a loose upper drape), but these describe lengths of cloth, not stitched blouses. The Mahabharata and Ramayana mention similar drapes. Historian Roshen Alkazi, in Ancient Indian Costume (1983), notes that women in Vedic society typically wore a single length of fabric around the waist, occasionally adding a shoulder cloth for modesty or warmth.

Visual and Archaeological Clues

Sculptures from sites such as Sanchi (2nd–1st century BCE) and Mathura (1st–2nd century CE) depict women in ornate lower drapes, heavy jewellery, and bare torsos. The Ajanta cave paintings (5th century CE) show both courtly and common women with a variety of upper coverings—sometimes a translucent shawl, often none. Art historian Vidya Dehejia argues that these images reflect a climate where the human form was not sexualised in the modern sense, making stitched blouses unnecessary.

Regional Variations

Clothing practices varied by ecology and economy. In the humid coastal regions of Kerala and Bengal, minimal layering was practical. In contrast, cooler Himalayan zones encouraged the use of shawls or long-sleeved jackets. Yet even in northern courts, tailored bodices (called choli or kanchuka) appear consistently only after the Gupta period (4th–6th century CE), as recorded by textile scholar Lotika Varadarajan.

Colonial Influence

The widespread adoption of the blouse coincided with 19th-century colonial reforms. Victorian morality and emerging urban elites encouraged stitched upper garments as a marker of respectability. Bengal’s “blouse movement” of the 1870s, documented by historian Rochona Majumdar, illustrates how British social norms reshaped women’s dress codes. Mission schools and government offices often required a blouse for entry.

Contemporary Relevance

Understanding the saree’s pre-colonial history challenges assumptions about modesty and tradition. Modern designers who revisit blouse-less drapes—seen in regional styles like the Nivi of Andhra or the Kappad of Kerala—are not creating a radical departure but echoing centuries-old practice. The conversation also complicates present-day debates on cultural authenticity.

Key References

• Roshen Alkazi, Ancient Indian Costume (1983)

• Vidya Dehejia, Indian Art (1997)

• Lotika Varadarajan, essays in Textile Traditions of India (1990)

• Rochona Majumdar, Marriage and Modernity (2009)

• Archaeological Survey of India reports on Sanchi and Ajanta caves

Conclusion

The blouse, now seen as integral to the saree, is a modern invention shaped by climate, trade, and colonial regulation. Ancient Indian women draped fabric in multiple ways, balancing comfort and aesthetics without stitched tailoring. Recognising this history underscores the saree’s adaptability and questions the idea of a single “traditional” dress code.