She is getting younger, bolder and drop-dead gorgeous! Guess who is BACK!

The very word ‘saree’ is often synonymous with either moms or festive occasions. However, a project called #100sareepact might soon change that. The project started off on March1 this year as a pact between two friends, Ally Mathan and Anju Maudgal, who each committed to wearing a hundred sarees a year.

They say, “We want to show our sarees some love. For too long we had relegated the saree to the back of our closets, only to be worn on special occasions.” They will also share memories associated with each saree. From being just an ethnic outfit, the saree has thus been transformed into a medium for exchanging meaningful stories.

#100sareepact is slowly growing to be a movement, with new takers every day. The project is beginning to break myths about the saree and earning the graceful and time-honoured garment more and more popularity.

From parties to college and shopping to work, women – including many youngsters – are now sporting the saree. The saree enables women to sport looks that range from traditional to chic, and people are rediscovering its beauty and sensuousness.

 A little trivia about the saree

• There are more than 80 recorded ways to wear a sari. (Perhaps you just knew two or three – the Gujju style, the Bengali style and the regular way!)
• Each state and often each region within a state has a distinctive style of handloom saree. To name a few: Tant, Sambalpuri, Kosa, Ilkali, Dhakai, Paithani, Pochampally, Chanderi, Bomkai, Kota, Kotki… the list goes on. And, Kancheevaram or Banarasi were the only ones you knew?

• Traditional woven sarees sport motifs that tell a story of their own. These unique motifs lend a certain identity to each saree. While intricate floral and foliate motifs are a characteristic of Banarasi sarees, motifs drawn on Kalamkari sarees range from flowers, peacocks and paisleys to characters from the Hindu epics, while geometric patterns define Kota and Pochampally sarees.

•  Weaving techniques and materials vary quite a bit depending on the region and the kind of saree. From the fine premium silk used in Kancheevarams to the raw silk in Tussars, to the varieties of cotton used in Kotas or Ilkals, the variety is mind-boggling.

A little science behind the saree:

So it’s time to liberate the saree from the closet. Go out and buy a traditional saree from a handicraft store near you. Handloom items  might be more expensive than machine woven piece, but there’s a distinctive charm to them.

Your purchase will also help a small weaver somewhere, who continues to weave and keep the saree alive even in this era of globalisation.

Btw, if you look towards Bollywood for fashion advice, it’s evident those ladies love the saree too!

Stand back, jeans and dresses!

The saree is making a comeback. She’s getting younger, bolder and totally, drop dead gorgeous.

Let’s show the world, some pallu power!