Everyone knows Indian clothes are expensive. Even the plain cotton ones. However, I’ve recently found some steal deals. Instead of keeping them a secret I’ll share. You can find cute tops like fancy kurtis between $10-$20 easily. If you’re paying any more than you’re over paying! Pair them with matching leggings for around $8 or $10 and you’ve got yourself an outfit. The leggings, available at most Indian stores, look like churidars and are very comfortable. A great choice over the traditional salwar kameez.

I believe I have both a love and hate relationship with lenghas. I love them because they are beautiful, elegant, and fancy. They are perfect for formal wear and especially weddings. Many brides wear them on their weddings. Lenghas are very graceful and feminine. Every woman should own at least one.

What’s there left to hate? Well, they’re not made to be very practical. They’re always fancy. You don’t see any lenghas for every day wear now do you? The prices are very high and you don’t get around to wearing one unless it’s either your wedding or a close family member’s. They almost always come in short sleeves. So what if you prefer long sleeves then tough luck for you. There are a few full-sleeved cholis out there but they’re hard to find. Lenghas are beautiful and elegant but not practical and affordable!

Popular colors for this Eid are green and red. I know what you’re thinking “Christmasy” but just think about it. These are important colors in Islam too, green especially and red goes well with it.

Try to incorporate one of these colors into your outfit this year or opt for a combination of both!

So glad to finally see an Indian cooking show on Food Network! Looking forward to watching Aarti Sequeira’s Aarti Party, that premieres this Sunday! After noticing that the Cooking Channel was one step ahead of Food Network with Anjum Anand’s Indian Food Made Easy, I more than ever wished for an Indian show on the Food Network itself. I guess my prayers are finally answered but not quite…why you ask? Well, as much as I am looking forward to checking out this show, I doubt that it will actually feature authentic “Indian” food. It will rather consist more of fusion/eclectic types of dishes. This will give viewers a wrong impression of what Indian food really is. Either way, check out the show this Sunday, August 22nd at Noon ET and let us know what you think!

To learn more about the show click here: http://www.arzoomag.com/food/aarti-party-premieres-soon/

When the current trend doesn’t sought you go for the classics. Net saris are really in right now but this latest bit of fashion isn’t for everyone. Not only do some people feel uncomfortable in them but it also doesn’t suit all types of women. So if net isn’t for you try silk or bandhani. Traditional saris come in very handy when you don’t have any current trends. Keep a few as essentials in your wardrobe for those times when you can’t go shopping. Silk saris are heirlooms that will never go away and they’re perfect for weddings. Bandhani saris are fun and great for parties.

Traditional pure silk saris, once very popular, have lost their popularity among the newer, younger generation who prefer either less heavy material or designer styles. However, the silk sari is an essential to every wardrobe. A pure silk sari will never go out of style. Every closet should have at least one silk sari. It adds the right touch to your collection. Any sari collection is incomplete without silk. I recently learned the importance of this type of sari. To be continued…

I remember, last year, when I was on the hunt for anarkalis I was constantly wondering how long they would be in style for. It’s always a great feeling when you buy a new outfit. It’s such a good feeling to buy something new. It’s so exciting matching and accessorizing with your new clothes. What’s even better is when you finally get to wear your new clothes to the next wedding or party. However, nothing is more discouraging than only wearing something once. Many people will wear something once and forget about it or throw it out but that’s like throwing money away. It’s especially sad when something is so costly. Trends come and go but sometimes we still like something but can’t wear it anymore because it’s no longer in style. It’s always a chore to keep up with changing times but it’s nice to have a good collection of the classics to hold onto forever.

Wedding season, of course, and it’s in full swing! With July, being the popular month to get married, about to begin so does everything that comes with it. Shopping, selecting outfits for each event, buying gifts, the stress, food, and attending all these weddings are some of the important tasks we become engrossed in during this time which make summer pass by in a glimpse! For some people the fun turns into a drag after a long wedding season but for others, like me, who can’t get enough wedding season just isn’t long enough!

Why does everything always come with a price on it? Whether you want quality, craftsmanship, genuineness, or even tradition; they all come with a price! The last topic on ghararas got me thinking…they’re so expensive no wonder no one wears them anymore! Sure, all Indian clothes are expensive…especially in the West, however, some are outrageously over priced! Ghararas are hard to find too. If ghararas only come in fancy wear then its obvious why their price tags are such but even everyday clothes are an added expense. Polyester is cheaper than cotton but who wants even a second of it in these hot summer months? Additionally, everyone claims that the salwar kameez or anarkali they are wearing is silk but chances are its probably not!

Most outfits are made with synthetic fabric and machine instead of hand embroidered and they are still so expensive that you don’t think of looking for the authentic fabrics. That’s one of the problems with readymade outfits. Saris, on the other hand, are great quality and craftsmanship for the price you pay. You can get an authentic pure silk sari and sure you’ll pay the price but at least it’s worth it. What’s better than getting your money’s worth. That’s always a better choice than paying an arm and a leg for cheap synthetics. Unfortunately, we don’t always have a choice.

When most people think of a gharara they associate it with a few other things: Muslim women, brides, formal wear, and most of all grace and elegance! During the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was worn as an everyday attire by upper class North Indian Muslim women. To learn more about the gharara click here: http://www.arzoomag.com/culture/the-gharara-truth/

Unfortunately, the gharara has long diminished as everyday wear. It has become reserved for only special occasions; mainly as bridal wear. Even then very few brides actually wear the gharara. Few people in general wear ghararas. They have diminished but not disappeared!

What do I love about the gharara? It’s actually quite a beautiful attire. A very elegant lengha type outfit split in two. It’s regal and charming. Royal and elegant. The gharara has its own beauty and grace unlike any other Indian outfit. It’s not possible to compare it with anything else since its lavishness can’t be compared with anything else! Just like the sari is unique and amazing, the gharara has its own qualities that make it stand out!

Rashi, Gopi’s cousin and sister-in-law, in the new Star Plus serial Saathiya was always seen wearing Western clothes and never knew how to wear a sari. Now that she’s married her western wear is far from appropriate! So she was bound to wear a sari but the question is how? Since she’s not traditional enough to pleat a sari the lengha sari came to her rescue! This sari combines both the grace of a traditional sari with the elegance of a lengha. Since they’ve become to popular, they are now easy to find as well as affordable. Here’s a sari very similar to one being worn by Rashi:

I placed an order for a NAVY BLUE Saree from UtsavSarees.com. They, first of all, took FOREVER to process my order. Then they sent me the WRONG item. Instead, of a Navy Blue Saree they sent me a BLACK one. DON’T BUY FROM THEM!! THEY ARE LIARS AND CHEATERS.

Luckily I used PayPal and was able to dispute the item and after much trouble FINALLY got my money back. Instead of admitting their mistake and refunding me Utsav was trying to CONVINCE me to keep the item!! I will NEVER buy from them again. If they had taken the item back right away and refunded me immediately I would continue to shop from them but after first hand experiencing how they treat their customers, they are not worth my money and I don’t recommend them to anyone!

Chamak Makeup is an awesome new makeup line by Sarah Ali. Sarah Ali is a certified trained Hollywood makeup artist with over 12 years of experience! Chamak Makeup is great for all skin types and especially caters well to South Asian skin tones. Finally, a makeup line with great shades and colors for South Asian women! Chamak Makeup was created to celebrate South Asian culture through makeup. Chamak, meaning sparkle, is a makeup line inspired by the rich colors of South Asia.

To learn more about Chamak Makeup or to place an order please visit: http://www.chamakmakeup.com

You can buy Chamak Makeup online or at the Transformation Studio http://www.thetransformationstudio.com/

Due to very POPULAR demand Arzoo Magazine has now OFFICIALLY launched the ARZOO STORE!!

If you see anything on our website that you like and would like to own a piece just email us at info@arzoomag.com

In addition we will be posting additional galleries of clothes such as saris, salwars, churidars, lenghas, and MORE! If you are interested in purchasing something that we add hurry and order soon because stock is limited and due to high demand runs out quickly!

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How many of you watch that new show on Zee TV called Yahaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli?

I’ve become a huge fan since the show started and I follow along closely.

As always, since Indian entertainment is famous for this, the clothes and jewelery are mesmerizing!

I’ve noticed that not only are the clothes beautiful but easy to find! I’ve been able to find very close matches for few of the saris! Now that is incredible!

The beautiful Swarna Bhawan is not only lavish and historical but a palace that can only be dreamed of by most people. For Abha, it is her home, for her father it is 100 years of memories and for all others it is a symbolic icon.

Getting back to the lavish saris…let me tell you which ones they are and where you can find them…possibly!

The first sari I noticed Lata Didi wearing was a blue multihued sari I knew I had seen before. I havent been able to find a picture of the actress wearing that particular sari but I do have a picture of the sari itself and where you can find it! This exact sari was worn in an episode and I’ve seen it being sold on CBazaar.com as well as UtsavSarees.com.

Here’s a pic of the actress wearing the second sari:

Here is a close up:

I found the above sari on the same websites as the other sari. If I find any more clothes worn on Indian television I’ll go ahead and share!

I absolutely HATE how people always seem to make a comment when I’m wearing a sari. As if it’s some kind of ball gown or something! The sari is everyday wear in India. It is not some sort of formal dress. Just as some women choose the salwar kameez as their every day dress; others choose the sari. It makes no difference and it is not some kind of a big deal. Why is this so hard to understand??

Here’s a unique and new color combination that’s hot this season. Green and white. I’ve seen it in a bridal lengha and it looks very contemporary and flattering.

These lengha saris are so unique! I’ve never seen anything like this before…

I love how one layer overlays the other. The top layer is shorter so to reveal the bottom layer and it consists of sheer fabric. Available in two popular shades.

The pleats are pre-made on the top layer.

This lengha and sari complement each other.

Which do you prefer…the lengha…or the sari? Personally, the lengha is too busy for me. The sari is a lot more elegant and graceful.

It is hard to keep up to date with all the new trends and styles in the great world of fashion. To make it easier this season, here are some highlights of new and current trends. First, is ruffles, which we’ve already discussed:

Another very popular trend that’s currently a huge hit among all ages and sizes is polka dots!

One more, last but not the least, trend is an alternate color pallu. In this the sari is two-colored. The pallu is a seperate but complementary color from the rest of the sari. It is a big favorite!

Ruffles are really in and we really love them! They give saris a very special and elegant touch.

Ruffles can be big, small, heavily embellished, or just simple.

A ruffled border on your sari is sure to make heads turn.

Even a simple sari becomes more stunning when ruffles are added.

I’ve never seen a blouse like this before:

What do you think of online shopping? I’ve been adopting this shopping method recently instead of the traditional shopping in stores. Especially, for Indian clothes. Sometimes it’s not possible to find what you’re looking for in your area. Therefore, many of us have to resort to online shopping whether by choice or not.

Online shopping definitely has its good and bad sides. There is a lot of variety online. Especially, for saris. Not so much for anarkalis. The bad side is that what you see is not what you always get. For example, I ordered a sari online recently which appeared to be a combination of light pink and purple. When I got it, in fact, this was not the case. The sari was pink but not purple. It was dark pink. It’s pretty but not what I imagined.

Another down side is fabric. You don’t always get the fabric you want. Same happened with me. As for the price, it really depends. Sometimes you can find a great price on the internet. Sometimes they are overpriced. It’s difficult to spend a huge amount online because you’re not sure what you’re getting yourself into.

The sizing isn’t always the best either. Ordering clothes online is always a risk but especially with Indian websites because they don’t always offer returns and exchanges. I’ve found some great stuff online though and would love to order again in the future.

Ramadan, Ramadhan, Ramzan, Ramazan…however you choose to spell it, is finally here! Almost a week into the month and we’ve already begun thinking about Eid. Before you know it, this holy month will be over soon.

On behalf of the Arzoo Mag team we would like to wish all our Muslim readers around the globe a happy and blessed Ramadan! Oh and look what I found!

I hate the stereotype of saris being sexy and revealing when that’s not true at all. I’ve always preferred the longer length, long-sleeved blouses. Yes traditionally cholis are short with short sleeves but there’s reasoning behind that. Since then styles have evolved so much that there really is something for everyone.

I found this extra long sari blouse that I really like so I wanted to share. It’s not only conservative but stylish as well. I’ve seen this same look achieved with a tank top but this is even better. I’m not so stunned by the collar but I think this look does carry a nice grace.

I had previously mentioned dupatta saris. So I thought I would share. This is Rani Mukherjee in the film Baabul. During her wedding she dons this incredible sari…

The sari and the hijab…two good things on their own but HIDEOUS when paired together. Yes, I said hideous. The sari is beautiful, graceful, traditional, and fashionable. The hijab is a part of religion and more than just a headscarf. It is also interpreted differently by various individuals. I’m not going to get into that though. Some people wear a hijab or headscarf with a sari. It’s very unfashionable, untraditional, and just plain ugly. I have nothing against hijab but it just doesn’t go with a sari! I mean, just look how stupid it looks:

For the more conservative woman who thinks a sari won’t cover her head, she’s wrong! In fact, our mothers and especially grandmothers were more conservative than us and they managed to cover their heads while wearing a sari. That’s exactly what the pallu is for! It’s purpose is not to be thrown over the soldier Bollywood style. The pallu was always meant to cover ones head when necessary or required and does a perfect job of doing so. There is no need for a seperate headpiece. Especially one that doesn’t belong. In fact, if you wanted to go a step further, you could even cover your face with you wanted. It’s all quite possible when you have six to nine yards of fabric…the possibilities are endless.

Now if you don’t like this look or you feel the pallu is not long enough, I suggest a Dupatta Sari. Many saris come with a matching dupatta. If draped appropriately they do a quite fine job of covering the head and looking elegant as well.

Many saris, not just bridal saris, come with matching dupattas. They are elegant and beautiful. If your sari doesn’t come with one you can always find a matching one. Don’t follow the model though. This may not be the look you’re trying to achieve. Saris usually come with long, free flowing, and large enough sized dupattas to cover your head and drape elegantly over your shoulders.

The dupatta goes with many sari drapes and does a great job of changing up and enhancing any look.

The dupatta sari is not just for brides. Try one today and see what you think.

I think that pink and its variations are the forgotten colors this season. What I haven’t seen much of is pink. Light pink is for the spring. Hot pink is for summer and magenta carries through summer and fall easily. In fact, it is fashionable at weddings all year long. Though I must say I did come across magenta at one point.

With summer ending soon try hot pink or magenta one of these days for a nice change from the other dull looks and if you haven’t yet definitely invest in orange!

It’s been one busy summer with all the weddings. Some so lavish and some not so great. Overall, orange has been very hot amongst the guests. Anarkalis retained their popularity. Saris flooded the room and lenghas shined in bright, hot colors. Ghararas have slowly been making a popular comeback as well. One thing is certain. There have been a lot of blue brides! No, they’re not blue themselves but there is definitely a blue trend. It has made me wonder if brides are wearing blue because they really do love it or just to be trend followers? The modern bride is a rebel. She does not follow traditions!

Red remains the bridal color and always will but does it retain its popularity? That depends. Many brides will wear red on their wedding day while making exceptions for other wedding rituals and events. Some will portray only glimpses of red. Many other colors are starting to take over and lead the way.

I’ll admit that red did get a bit boring. Especially brides who thought that if they wore red there was no need to make any effort. Especially, some of the plain, non-bridal lenghas that became the rage. Probably the worst part of the red rage is that even those brides who don’t traditionally wear red began to do so. Contrary to the popular belief, not all Indian brides wear red. Gujarati brides wear the red and white panetar. Which is loosing its place. Gujarati as well as many other brides are dressing less traditionally and wearing red or blue or gold. Instead of saris they are wearing lenghas. Though lenghas are regal saris are not any less elegant.

June and July were the busiest for weddings. However, summer has not yet ended and wedding seasons continues through Fall. I hope I don’t see anymore blue. In addition, those who wear black to weddings should be banned! Brides should learn to look like one and guests should take Fashion 101. Many traditions are slowly disappearing and will sadly become extinct as new ones take over.

The narrow pallu is nothing new. Though not often seen it has been around for a while. Think Shilpa Shetty. So why isn’t it exactly popular. Well, who has the perfect figure to pull it off! I found some saris with narrow, butterfly pallus in net fabric and in a lengha style pre-stiched style as well. Wow, that’s a lot!

The narrow pallu sari is for the daring young lady and not a choice for those who dress more conservatively. It’s quite revealing and appealing and very Bollywood.

This sari is similar to traditional Indonesian clothes.

Though definitely a sari, the drape and blouse style give it a different look. To achieve the look fold the pallu to make it narrow. A longer length, long-sleeve blouse completes the look. Check out the similarities:

A new trend in wedding history is the blue trend. It sure is awful. Since when did blue become a wedding color? Ok, so red and white are the obvious and gold we all know. There was a gold trend for a while, few years back. Green is the color of Marathi brides and some brides even wear the red and green combo. Some South Indian brides wear yellow saris and pink is understandable. But where in all this does blue come in? Blue is not a bridal color! It is not even considered an auspicious color in our culture. Vibrant orange, on the other hand, would fit in better. But blue…someone please explain!

I am a huge fan of new and interesting choli styles. The traditional ones tend to be my favorites but some of the newer trendier styles are quite lovely and fascinating as well. However, when I saw this I was quite stunned. It is hideous! I don’t know who would wear this but it sure is UGLY! I mean what is it supposed to be anyway? Is she wearing her clothes backwards? Whatever it is, it’s in no way appealing.

I found this sari and the blouse style is quite interesting. Puffy long sleeves accentuate this subtle green sari. Notice how only one sleeve is puffy while the other doesn’t exist. This is necessary if the sari will be draped in this manner. Want both sleeves this way? Then be sure to pull up the pallu in a drape that shows both sleeves.

You’ve seen the jacket sari, now check out the sari jacket. Sari jackets come in varying lengths from long to short. This has been seen a lot lately on the runway. Once considered tacky, pairing a jacket with a sari has now become a fashionable trend. Be sure to match your jacket with your sari though!

No, I’m not referring to getting married! In fact, I’m talking about tying the knot on the choli or sari blouse. The most popular blouse style right now is with the dori, or string. These tye-back blouses are attractive and beautiful. How low you choose to keep your back neckline is really up to you but be sure to have your tailor add one of these little strings for you. It’s a special touch that will really complete any look!

Perhaps a little taken aback by the new orange rage? Maybe you wear never even daring enough to wear red, forget orange! If you just cant get yourself to wear orange then don’t. Perhaps you think it’s ugly or it may not even suit our skin tone. Orange is not for everyone. So mellow it out with peach. Now when I say peach I don’t mean beige or champagne. I mean peach. The lighter version of orange. Oh, and here’s a tip, if it doesn’t look good on you, then please don’t wear it!

Red, commonly worn by brides and considered auspicious in our culture, may have been replaced. Orange is definitely the new red this summer! Normally, at a wedding you may or may not see the bride wearing red. However, at least a dozen guests appear in their finest red saris. I can relate because this happened at my own wedding. However, this was a few years ago. This summer, every wedding I’ve attended has been bombarded by orange. Even I was wearing orange. Orange is really hot this year. Bright orange will get you through the summer and burnt orange is perfect for the fall months. Want to look the best at the next big wedding or event? Then get yourself an orange sari or lengha and make a statement!

This question I struggle to answer constantly. I love anarkalis. They’re nothing new of course. An ancient invention that has suddenly hit the runways with great splendor. However, they’re so overpriced! For $200 you get a quite simple anarkali. The anarkali carries with it elegance and grace but what you get for such a huge price tag doesn’t come close enough to the type of lavish outfit you need for a wedding. On the other hand, if you were to buy a sari with the same amount of money you could easily get a very fancy sari quite appropriate to wear to a wedding! A wedding appropriate anarkali would run you atleast $400! Perhaps they are overpriced because they are so popular and they know that we will buy them anyway. Or maybe, because of the amount of fabric used? No, I thought that was it but it isn’t. The sari contains a lot more fabric! However, the anarkali actually has to be sewn together whereas the sari requires very minimal sewing…except maybe the blouse. It upsets me that they are so expensive but then again I still buy them.

Although the long winter months have finally come to an end I’m still reminded of that horrid cold and attending weddings and parties in sheer saris. My friends and I would promenade to these events in our lovely saris sadly freezing. None of us dare wear a jacket on top! That would just look hideous. Not anymore. Satya Paul’s jacket sari takes it to the next level! Makes you wanna rethink…do it, if you dare!

I do love to go shopping but only for Indian clothes. The Western counterparts are rather dull and boring. It’s all about labels, whereas in sari land it doesn’t matter as long as it looks great…for the most part at least. Something I just realized, though there are endless styles and colors it really all comes down to the basics. This never happened before but today I somehow didn’t know what I wanted or what to get. There’s just not enough colors to choose from! All other shades are variations of the major colors. What do you do when you run out of blue, green, orange, yellow, red, white, black, pink, purple, and their similar counterparts?

Another sad part of the shopping experience was that there was so much black! Black anarkalis were pouring off the racks and various lengths and shapes. All this made my day one of the major shopping spree a bit depressing. I hope what the weekend ahead brings is much more colorful and exciting!

I went shopping today. It’s been a while. It was my usual search for anarkalis and saris. Saris I find quite easily because I know where to look and frankly because they are a one-size-fit-all. Anarkalis, on the other hand, are quite the opposite. First you have to find your size. Then it may or may not fit! If you’re short, you’re very less likely to find an anarkali because they are way too long for you. I encounter the same problem. To make it all worse I saw some of the most hideous and ugliest anarkalis on the planet! They were anarkali kurtas, which are supposed to come with churidars, but instead came with pants! Are you kidding me?? Since when did pants come back. They are long gone and I hope they never return. When they were popular I once attended a wedding where the bride wore pants! That was just depressing. Anarkalis are being reinvented. You still see some of the traditional styles but more of the uglier, newer ones. So not trendy!

There are some questions that always puzzle and intrigue me. The answers, when I learn them, will fascinate me even more. I am very interested in knowing more about the Indian garment. I wonder if in Bollywood films, do they really pleat the actresses’ saris or do they merely just don an automatic “sari.” I know that in Devdas, the famous blue sari worn by Aishwarya Rai, took several hours to drape. I truly admire the beauty and grace of the nine yard Bengali beauty. The Bengali sari is so elegant and unique. It was upsetting that she didn’t wear that sari for very long in the movie. So much trouble for just a few seconds. What a waste.

Another question that puzzles me on a daily basis is that how, in the movies and on Indian television, do they make their pallu or dupatta firmly adhere to their head?? I know brides do it all the time. However, bobby pins are used many times. I’ve even heard of the use of safety pins…Ouch!! Another technique is to sew little hooks into the dupatta and then slide bobby pins through them, securing them through the head. Sure this is a great idea but I don’t have the time to do this to all my clothes! I wonder if they really do this on Indian television?? Any answers to my puzzling questions will be appreciated.

Going back to Bengali saris I just want to say that it saddens me to see them dissappearing. Everyone is draping the sari in the usual modern manner. Not that I have anything against that and it is perfectly fine but many drapes and styles are very sadly becoming obsolete…which I will discuss more upon later.

…that depends how you define a sari. A sari, as most of us know, is pleated with a pallu usually thrown over on of the shoulders. Now with the lengha sari and two-piece sari it makes one wonder what a sari really is. After much thought and consideration I’ve come to my own conclusion of what makes up a sari. Six to nine yards of free flowing fabric. Pleats. An attached pallu. This means that the “two-piece” sari is out of the question. I’m not sure I have yet understood its concept anyway. You mind as well say chaniya choli, lengha, ghagra choli. However, the lengha sari is a different story. It does have an attached pallu, several yards of free flowing fabric, yet no pleats. So I supposed it’s a halfway cross between a lengha and sari, hence the name. A real sari consists of pleats. So now comes a question, to be answered another day, how do we define the automatic sari?

Look what I just found. A two-piece sari. My first thought was if the pallu, as is in this case, is “detached” or seperate then wouldn’t that make it a dupatta and wouldn’t the outfit then be just a ghagra choli? Is it really a “sari”? Whatever it is or whatever you want to call it, it’s worth giving a try for only $69!

It’s definitely a style statement. Nothing “new” though. Just a new name with a contemporary twist perhaps.

…my desi girl, my desi girl. Dostana sure was a stupid movie. Who would have thought a culture once so conservative and full of traditional values would even bring up such a topic, let alone consider it acceptable. The more liberal we become…it means we are losing all our traditional values. In the desi girl song Priyanka wears a halter style choli with a back knot. The following sari was inspired by the one she wore in the movie and can be found in the RAIR Spring/Summer 2009 collection…

This Bollywood style sari can be found at HomeIndia.com for $272. The original sari itself sells for around $365 at Dmi-India.com

Just a couple of years ago butterfly pallus were all the rage right after they were introduced a few years back. Trends come and go and the butterfly sari was replaced by the lengha sari not too long ago. Now, personally, I think it would be nice to combine the two. Although a completely new creation, it’s very trendy and flattering. Not long after we said goodbye to butterfly pallu saris, it seems they’ve come back. Though some styles I’ve seen being called butterfly are really just saris with “shorter” pallus, meaning they’re not so wide. Let’s determine if the “original” butterfly pallu has returned or not.

The new butterfly pallu is a slight variation from its previous counterpart.

Is it worth giving the butterfly sari another try? All these lovely saris featured are from RAIR.

I really think the lengha-sari has come to the rescue for all of you out there who still tend to think that saris are impractical or difficult. Personally, I strongly believe that the beauty of a sari is in its pleats. The perfect pleats lend to a perfect sari. I know there are many people out there who act like they “pleat” their saris themselves but in fact, they wear pre-pleated “automatic saris.” If there is one thing every single Indian woman SHOULD know how to do is wear a sari. Now by that I don’t mean put on an automatic or lengha sari! I mean pleat it. It’s really not that hard. Takes just a few minutes. Nonetheless, the lengha sari is a perfect alternative. It will be gone out of style in a few years. Enjoy it while you can. It’s really come to the rescue for those who can’t seem to get on a real sari and it’s a much better alternative to an automatic sari! At least you’re not fooling anyone. With the automatic sari…you’re really just fooling yourself. Doesn’t mean I discourage it. People have their reasons but if there’s nothing wrong with you then why wouldn’t you want to learn an art that has been around for ages. If non-Indians can do it, surely Indians can!