There are few important things you need to keep in mind here. For instance, there are many types of sari available in the market. So select one keeping in mind the occasion you require it for. For formal purposes, always pinup the saree as it is more manageable this way and also looks smart. This is the style in which all Indian airhostesses drape their sari. For parties and casual occasions, just pin the tip of the sari to the blouse and hold the rest of it in the crook of the arm.
Also ensure that you have a matching blouse and petticoat to wear with the sari you have selected. The blouse should be well stitched and of a close fit, whereas the petticoat should not be very flared. The best feature of a saree is that if draped properly, it will look good on women of all height, shape and size. All over India, you will find women wearing the sari in different styles. Read the tips below to learn how to drape / tie a sari nicely.
Step One -
The length of the petticoat to be worn underneath the sari should be from the waist down to your ankle. It should have a drawstring so that it can be fastened around the waist. The blouse that you will wear with the saree should be close-fitted and its length should end just below the bust. It can be with or without sleeves. There are various types of blouse necklines you can choose from prior getting it stitched.
Step Two-
After wearing the petticoat and blouse, take one end of the sari and neatly tuck into the petticoat around the waist from right to left. Make sure that the lower end of the saree is touching the floor slightly. Resume from the place where the sari tucking has just ended and now start making pleats in the sari from there. About five to six pleats in the sari, each of them with a width of five inches should be enough.
Step Three -
Make sure that the pleats you have made is neat and of equal length. Hold them all together so that they fall straight and even. Then tuck the pleats into the petticoat slightly left to the navel. Also make sure that the pleats are turned in the left direction. Pleating the sari is the most difficult aspect for those learning how to drape the sari. But once you master the method of sari wearing, you will hardly require more than few minutes to make pleats.
Step Four -
The portion of the sari left after the pleating is called the Pallav. Now gather the pallav and place it over the left shoulder. The upper border of the sari should slant across the bust from under the right arm to over the left shoulder. The pallav should be about 90 cms in length and should touch your finger-tips as it falls evenly behind you. You can prevent it from slipping off by fixing it at the shoulder to the blouse with a small safety pin.
