BRIDE PREPARATIONS 6) Indian Sari Sari, the traditional garment worn by Indian women, has been a preferred choice for the brides in India, since ages. In fact, initially, sari was the only option considered by Indian brides, in many of the regions in the country. Though the trend has changed with the passing time, many of the brides prefer to wear a sari on their wedding day, even today. The elegance and charm that a saree can bestow on a woman can hardly be provided by any other garment and this is one of the reasons why Indian brides still want to go for the attire. What is a Sari Sari can be described as a rectangular piece of cloth, having more length than the width. While the width of a sari remains almost the same, its length might range from four to nine meters. The sari is draped over the waist, on top of a petticoat, with one of its end draped over the shoulder. The outfit comprises of a choli (blouse) as well, which comes a few inches below the bust line and has short sleeves and a low neck as well as back. The midriff is bared to some an extent, since there is a gap between the choli and the petticoat. The Styles In terms of styles, we can categorize the wedding sari according to the regions where they are most popular - eastern India, western India, northern India and western India. In eastern India, the brides are usually found opting for one of these styles, in the saree, - Baluchari (Bengal), Kantha (Bengal), Ikat Silk & Cotton (Orissa), Pata Silk (Orissa), SambalpuriPata Silk (Orissa), Bomkai Silk (Orissa), MayurbhanjTussar Silk (Orissa), Sonepuri/Subarnapuri Silk (Orissa), Bapta & Khandua Silk and Berhampuri Silk (Orissa). Coming down to western India, Pathani (Maharashtra), Bandhani (Gujarat and Rajasthan), Kota Dori (Rajasthan) and Lugade (Maharashtra) are the styles that brides mostly go for. In the central India, Chanderi (Madhya Pradesh), Maheshwari (Madhya Pradesh) and Kosa silk (Chattisgarh) are the styles that are preferred by the brides. As for the south, including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka, Kanjivaram, Mysore Silk, Ilkalsaree and Valkalamsaree comprise of the most common bridal sari options. The Fabrics In India, one of the most preferred choices for a bridal sari will comprise of silk. In fact, traditionally also, people have opted for silk for the bridal wear. However, the trend is changing with time. Now-a-days, we find brides going for fabrics like crepe, disheen, georgette, new, tissue and shamoi-satin as well. Generally speaking, the choice of fabric depends upon the latest trend, the personal preference of the bride as well as the budget. However, one thing is for sure, the sari is adorned with heavy embroidery, stone work or other embellishments. The Colors Red sari has been traditional choice for bridal wear in India, since times immemorial. The color is considered to be very auspicious and is deemed to be associated specifically with marriage. However, these days, many brides have started opting for other colors in their sari as well, such as golden, pink, orange, maroon, onion-color, magenta, brown and even yellow. Even dual toned saris, as in red and yellow, green and brown, yellow and orange, pink and blue, have started wooing the brides of the present generation. Trends in Bridal SalwarKameez When it comes to an Indian bride, salwarkameez comprises of one of the options that one considers for the D-day attire. One of the traditional Indian dresses; it offers her the perfect combination of elegance and comfort. Though it is mainly the Punjabis who have been known to wear a salwar suit on the wedding, brides from other culture have also started adopting the dress. Bridal salwaarkameez is adorned with a lot of embellishments, like heavy embroidery (with silver or golden thread), stones, crystals and sequins, to make it look rich and luxurious. What Is SalwarKameez Salwar-kameez is one of the traditional dresses that are worn by the women in India, on a regular basis. The outfit comprises of a kameez (shirt), salwar (trousers) and dupatta/chunni (stole). The kameez can be described as a long shirt or tunic, which might have short, long or no sleeves. It comprises of chaak (side seams) below the waist- line and usually reaches the knees. The salwar can be taken to mean loose, pajama-like trousers, with an in-built string, at the waist level, for tying purposes. The dupatta/chunni is like a stole, which is either hung on the shoulder or slung across th neck. Kurta Styles There are a number of styles available in the salwarkameez, some of them pertaining to the shirt only, while the other concentrating mainly on the trousers. The popular kameez styles include the simple fitted style, Angrakha style, Anarkali style, A-line style and kurta-style. In the first style, the kameez is made as per the measurements of the body, making it as fit as possible, while allowing for ease of movement. The Angrakha-style has been copied from the musicians of the royal court. It has one side of the shirt overlapping the other, at the side. The Anarkali style of kameez is totally fitted to the body till the waist and from there on, it is cut in such a way that there is a lot of flare, almost like a skirt. It is somewhat similar to the dress worn by the Kathak dancers. The A-line kurta, as the very name suggests, takes the shape of an A. It is fitted at the top and widens up, as the length of the shirt increases. In the kurta-style kameez, the fitting is a bit loose and there is a collar as well. It is widely being worn by the women of the present generation. Salwar Styles In terms of salwar, the basic styles include churidaar, Patiala salwar, Pathanisalwar, straight trousers and bell bottoms. In the last two styles, the kameez is shortened in length a bit, going above the knees. Getting back to churidaar, it is a tightly-fit trouser, which has a buttoned cuff at the ankle and falls into folds at the end (looking like a set of bangles resting on the ankle). Then, you have the Patiala salwar, which has much more flare than the normal one. Patanisalwar, as the very name suggests, has been taken from the salwars worn by the Pathans (a caste in Muslims). It is baggy at the top, but tapers down as it reaches the ankles. Apart from this, the salwar can also be altered to take the form of straight trousers and bell bottoms. While churidaar, Patiala salwar and Pathanisalwar count amongst the traditional Indian clothing items, the style of straight trousers and bell bottoms is a result of the increasing influence of western cultures, on the country. The Fabrics Bridal salwarkameez makes use of rich fabrics, which help impart a royal look to the lovely lady. In this context, satin is one of the popular choices, because of the sheer variety in its colors and the luxurious sheen it has. Then, you have silk, tissue and crepe, all of them comprising of the popular choices for an Indian bride. These days, georgette, velvet and even disheen are also regarded as good options for bridal salwaarkameez. While choosing between them, keep comfort, budget and the weather in mind. The Colors While red is the traditional color chosen for the bridal salwarkameez, shades of golden, onion, orange, pink, yellow, green and brown are also a part of the hot trend. In addition, the designers are experimenting with two shades of the same color, or two contrasting colors, for the dress as well. Today, you can see a combination of colors like red and yellow, green and red, yellow and pink, blue and green, orange and yellow, for the salwar suit. The choice of color that you make, in the end, will totally depend upon your preference and the time of your wedding (whether day or night)
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 01:30:55 +0000
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