Saree

Every time we see an Indian woman wearing aThere are other ways or styles to drape a saree and
brightly-colored saree, we can't help but be amazed byone of this is the kaccha nivi style. An Indian woman
how graceful and womanly they look. We marvel atwho uses this style will have to pleat the saree cloth
how the cloth's colors and the way the saree drapesand pass it through her legs before tucking it into her
and falls in folds about an Indian woman's body, seemback at the waist. This type of draping is used by an
to embody her femininity. We gape and can't help butIndian woman, who would like to have her legs
be awed at how even the slightest movements ofcovered while she moves around freely. This style is
their bodies seem to speak volumes as they movemore of the traditional way of draping a saree
about almost sensuously despite the voluminous qualityalthough there is now a modern nivi style that is used
of the saree's cloth wrapped around the waist. Then,by most Indian women.
we wonder, what is exactly the mystery behind theThe modern nivi style is done by an Indian woman
saree?tucking one end of her saree into her petticoat's
A saree or sari, as it is commonly known, is a piece ofwaistband. She wraps the fabric of the saree from
clothing traditionally worn by Indian women that is asher hips down just once and gathers it into pleats
long as nine yards in length. Aside from the clothbelow her navel. She also tucks these pleats into her
though, an Indian woman wears an upper garment thatpetticoat's waistband. This type of pleat is called as
is made of the exact same cloth or has the samekick pleat in the West and makes movements
design or depicts one of the colors of the saree. Thisespecially walking, easier. The Indian woman then
upper garment could either be cropped short baringdrapes the saree's loose end over her shoulder, from
some skin from the midriff down to the navel or longer,her right hip over to the left shoulder. When wearing a
that which it could be tucked in to the saree's waist.cropped blouse, the Indian women show a peek of her
From the waist down of the saree, an Indian womanmidriff through this draping style. Sometimes, this type
wears a petticoat, to lessen the sheerness of theof saree draping calls for an Indian woman to just
saree's fabric, which is mostly woven cloth or silk.adjust the loose end to either show or hide her navel
The allure of the saree comes not only from the wayfor a more sultry look.
it hints at a body's curves but also in the way it isThere are still other types of saree draping that an
draped on an Indian woman's body. This draping couldIndian woman uses. These styles differ though are
actually be done in several ways. The most commonbased on what part of India she is from and on what
way is when an Indian woman winds or wraps thetraditional style of draping she is following. An Indian
saree around her waist and then drapes the extrawoman sometimes wears a saree not only as a piece
cloth over her shoulder and lets it fall down over herof clothing but also to show where she comes from.
right breast.