For the Diwali Saree Draping party held on November 3, 2018, my girlfriends and I put together a 2-hour workshop which included two makeup demonstrations and two saree draping demonstrations, following which, our enthusiastic dozen participants were more than excited to take on the task of draping sarees on themselves. None of them had ever worn a saree before in their entire lives. At the end of the hour into the workshop, they were confidently handling various kinds of sarees, from kanjivaram silks to crepes to soft silks with so much ease that I was pleasantly surprised! Take a look at the video below to catch a glimpse of the participants as they express themselves in a saree for the first time ever.

Now that you’ve see the happy faces of the ladies in sarees, consider that this is perhaps the beginning of many of our workshops.

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Now, to share some intricate details and all the fun we had during the event! In no specific order you’ll get to see the various topics we spoke about in the workshop, just to give you a bit of a preview! I also make a note to self (NTS) for things I can work to improve.

Disclaimer:It was not about the perfect drape or a bridal look. I’m here to demystify it for you.  This workshop was to demystify the saree and get to understand the garment, gain confidence to pick one up and drape it and welcome it into our lives.

I spoke about how some sarees are easy to hang and some are easy to store folded. I share my love for Mysore silks and give a bit of history about it all. I also share a bit of personal history about the specific type of sarees in our household. Not many people know or appreciate the real deal of a Mysore silk. From the drape perspective, the Mysore silk is a soft breeze. light, bold, stunning and classic. When paired with a style, we take on a classic drape of luxury. Why does the Mysore silk cost $500 to $750 (Rs. 25k to Rs. 75k,) you may wonder. Well, the zari is pure and is made of a bit of gold. My saree had a subtle zari all over and it was part of my wedding saree collection. I took about 2 years to find the right blouse for the Mysore silk! I know a fellow Instagrammer who has taken videos from inside the very store in Jayanagar 4th block. link to her work is here. 

NTS: check timing! As I am working quickly (for having to get the better of time) to show an improvisation of what one can do to play with the tail end of the saree. I also showed how it can be used to cover you head, wrap around shoulder (not in this video) and use it to create moments of expression just as a tail facilitates in an animal.

NTS: Check with audience if I have answered their question! I had to answer the question ‘What is the purpose of the inner skirt?’ The purpose of the inner skirt is to give form and set up first layer of the saree. It need not be a skirt, it could be a drawstring, a pant or jeans. Sari Series documented this same drape without an inner skirt. One can see that the inner skirt is only a representation of the modern version of the saree.

I talk about the inner skirt for a six yard saree as we are privy to its becoming this particular form in the modern times. Our participants were requested to come in any drawstring pants or skirt which could hold up a saree. We wear a six yard saree nowadays and have popularized it because it is convenient, hassle-free for restroom breaks and accommodates standard intimates underneath it all. I wore a drawstring pant underneath my saree for the party. It felt warmer and kept the curved profile of my hips intact for the crepe to hug it. I love what Tiabhuva has done with the underskirt. She creates a silhouette with the skirt and it is perfect for curvy women. So I’m beginning to realize that the underskirt, pant and these various versions of first layer is perhaps a modern version of an evolved nine yard saree. This is my speculation, I talk about it in the video below.

We had two makeup demonstrations by my friend Mystique. With steady hands, Gita took the stage and enjoyed the make-up while answering and encouraging participants to spend something less than ten minutes each morning to enhance their feature and present a version of themselves that took the simplest efforts and produced radiant results! Some videos of that demonstration below.

You’ll have previewed snippets of this Diwali party if you are reading this.

Come say hi to us for the next one! Watch my Instagram feed for more details. Write to me here for inquiries for workshops, or just to catch up over chai.

Have a wonderful Diwali folks! Lots of love, warmth and happiness!