Silks and Sarees

Namaste!

She’s Shopping India:
In this colorful country nothing catches the eye more than the colorful, flowing, feminine sarees worn by Indian women. Though a relatively new fashion, sarees were adopted by women across this vast country, and are still the typical everyday uniform of woman of all ages, social classes, and incomes.

Wafting in the breeze on the back of a motorcycle, slipping the sash over their face to protect them from prying eyes, a dozen hanging over a tree branch drying in the afternoon sun, gracefully lifted to climb the steep temple stairs: you simply can’t help but notice a saree.

Pink and gold paisley, red heavily embroidered with flashing mirrors, yellow and blue with sequins, green sofly woven with coral and white flowers: Moi had to have one, or two.

Off to one of the many fabric shops to select a saree. I don’t plan to ever wear a saree. The 6 yard saree material includes a coordinating section of fabric, enough to make a matching fitted t-shirt that is worn under the saree. Or the same saree can be made into a set of panjabi, a matching shirt and pants outfit that is also frequently worn as it is easier to wear, and considered more modern.

Ranging from a silk acrylic blend to printed cottons to hand embroidered silk crepe to jewel-encrusted hand-woven silks, a saree can cost less than $20 to thousands of dollars. And one of the many tailor shops can customize your saree into a custom fit shirt or pants, or whatever else you might choose.

In Moi suitcase are two sarees for gifts, one saree I will use as a curtain in SoFlo, and 4 shirts and one panjabi bottom custom made from sarees I selected. Sewing them up is very inexpensive, typically around 150 rupees ($3) and can be completed in a few hours or overnight and delivered to your hotel.

Moi tip: different regions of India specialize in different styles of sarees. If you love a soft pastel paisley pattern surrounding you in Varanassi, don’t assume it is available in Jaipur where the local custom might dictate bold colors and patterns.