STEP 1 | ||||
Hold the inner end of the sari in your left hand. The lower end of the sari usually has a long strip of cloth stitched through the about three-fourths of the length of the sari, so as to protect it from getting torn accidentally by getting under the footwear worn. This long strip of cloth is called the "Fall". The correct orientation of the sari in this step is identified by ensuring that the "Fall" faces inside and is at the bottom rather than the top.
Also note that you should preferably be wearing your planned footwear before starting to wear the sari. |
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STEP 2 | ||||
After ensuring that the bottom end of the sari is at the floor level, tuck a portion of the top inner border in your left hand, into your petticoat, in the middle. | ||||
STEP 3 | ||||
Pass the sari around your back to the front end, at your right side, maintaining the height of the sari as in the previous step. | ||||
STEP 4 | ||||
Keeping the top edge level, tuck a bit of the top border into your petticoat, at your right side, to keep the position of the sari intact. Also, tuck the top border of the portion of the sari at your back into the petticoat. | ||||
STEP 5 | ||||
Start folding pleats, starting at a distance away from the last tucked position, with each pleat about five inches in width. Make about five to six pleats with taller and heavier women going for five pleats and the medium-height or shorter and leaner women going for six pleats. The starting distance of the pleats from the last tucked position should be such that the right end of the pleat-set should align with the middle of your body. | ||||
STEP 6 | ||||
Hold the pleats together and adjust the height so that the bottom edge of the pleats is at the floor level. | ||||
STEP 7 | ||||
Tuck in the pleats into the petticoat, again ensuring that the right side of the pleats-set aligns with the middle of your body and that the pleats fall straight. At this point, if you so wish, you might want to secure the pleats to your petticoat by using a safety pin from inside. This will ensure that the position of the pleats remains intact even when you are forced to move around a lot. |
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STEP 8 | ||||
Bring the end of the sari from around your back, through the left side side, coming back from the right side. | ||||
STEP 9 | ||||
Hold the sari in your right hand and pass it on to your left side, arranging the top border evenly. |
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STEP 10 | ||||
Drape the free end on your left shoulder, allowing the end piece to fall casually over your back.
If you wish, you can secure the position of the drape on your shoulder by securing the right edge of the portion of the drape over your left shoulder to your blouse, by using a safety pin from inside the blouse. |
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FINALLY | ||||
The drape can, if you wish, extend from the top of your shoulder to your arm, which needs to be usually kept bent at the elbow. The left edge of the drape rests on the left edge of the blouse on your left shoulder while the right edge extends to upto your left wrist.
Alternatively, the entire width of the drape can be arranged neatly over your shoulder. |