How to Wear Saree in 9 Different Ways | Saree Draping

Trying to pick up the right saree to wear at different parties or wedding occasions, isn’t much sorted for women, they never find it easier to pick the right saree to drape for occasions like weddings, parties, or casually, etc.

Draping a saree for many women in India is well known but the different appealing styles to drape a simple saree bringing a fascinating look is something all women will find interesting.

9 Different Saree Draping Styles For Wedding / Party Look

There are numerous ways to drape up a saree in styles. And the concepts of a specific theme dressing, Saree draping can be very fun. Moreover, watch the saree draping video in a new style.

The basic draping up of a saree is also very easy, below is a detailed explanation of basic style saree draping before we start different unique styles of occasion-based draping a saree.

The basic requirements to drape a saree:

  • Saree: A long 6yard drape one-piece fabric to wrap around the body. If you need sarees then visit G3fashion saree collection where you find 1000+ unique designs.
  • Blouse: The essential need for saree, top wear which is almost like a crop top but in well-fitting. Need Readymade blouse then check our Readymade blouse Collection.
  • Petticoat: Worn as bottom wear in a long inner skirt serving to carry the drape firmly. You can also Buy a petticoat by purchasing any saree.
how to drape a saree
Saree draping styles

Tips to remember before draping Saree.

  • Always wear your petticoat firmly at the waist, so that the saree is tucked in properly without falling off.
  • Always put on Heals, or any footwear you desire to wear along with the saree before you start draping up, as this brings the perfect length draped around the body.
  • Use safety pins or clips to pin up pleats and sections where the drape is required to be fixed.
Shop Sarees via video shopping
Shop Sarees via video shopping

Basic Saree Drape steps

Saree draping steps
Saree draping steps
  1. Take the saree end from the top edge, tuck it in the petticoat starting from the right side of your waist across your left waist.
  2. From the left hand bring the drape around your waist from the back to the center front tucking it in.
  3. Now you will need to make 6-8 of 5-6 inches pleats of the remaining drape at the center and tuck it in the petticoat, facing pleats to the left.
  4. Bring the open drape across your back to your front from the right side, without tucking it. You can pin up the pleats at the center for it to be in the center position and tuck the drape edge till your left side waist.
  5. Now hold up the width (pallu) section and make pleats incomplete width in 5-6 inches, making sure the border falls on the first pleat to drape it on the shoulder.
  6. Hold the pleats vertical and bring the drape fall from beneath the right armhole, pulling it up towards and across your left shoulder.
  7. Place the pleats properly on your left shoulder by keeping at least a meter length fall from the shoulder point, and pin it in place to fix it.

You are ready to flaunt around in the saree attire looking gorgeous. Moving on to saree drapes for special occasions, which all use the beginning steps of the basic drape.

Latest Saree Draping Styles

Here you will see different types of saree draping styles explained step by step to give a clear understanding on the draping system and how it is different from another style. Also, you can see the type of occasions one can wear this type of saree draping.

1. Indo-Western Style Saree Draping

There are so many new kinds of saree draping, which adds the Indo-western version look from Dhoti saree draping to indo-western saree draping and maybe a new look with a saree like how to wrap a saree dress.

How to wear saree like an indo-western outfit
Saree Draping in Indo western Style

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Using these drapes for the occasion of weddings and related ceremonies based on weddings.

Different traditions and cultures in India have different ways of draping saree in their particular style and methods as well such as traditional wedding sarees. Here are some most used drape styles with their method.

2- Bengali Style Saree Drape

Bengali sari drape is well famous for their royal religious look, depicting the royal ethnic look of their Bengali culture.

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Sarees in the white and red border are the origin of the culture of Bengali puja rituals. Heavy sarees with silk woven motifs and border look are highlighted by this drape.

There are no lower drape pleats in this saree.

how to drape bengali style saree
Bengali Saree draping

 

Steps for Bengali Saree Drape

  1. The basic step of draping the saree is to wrap it around the waist, tuck it in the petticoat.
  2. Then take hold of the open edge, tuck it in the waist, and tilt it to bring the pleat to the right waist and tuck it.
  3. Repeat the phase of tilting it again, bringing it across the left waist from the front. And then tuck at the waist again tilt and bring back to the right side waist from the front and tuck.
  4. Now pick up the width section and make pleats of the whole width. Here the border comes on the front and the first pleat. Pin it in position from falling off.
  5. Holding pleats vertical and throw the pleated drape on your left shoulder to back in all possible lengths.
  6. Now hold the first pleat edge, spreading it across your back to the right side. Bringing the edge in front under your right armhole to the top of your right shoulder. A tassel or hanging is attached to the corner and left in position.

3 – Gujarati Style Saree Draping

In Gujarat at most wedding events, women dress up in the traditional look and wearing their origin draping style of saree.

Also known as the Siddha palla saree drape as the saree pallu comes in the front to highlight the look by extending it covering the whole front bodice.

For more Gujarati saree draping check this Gujarati saree draping style post.

Gujarati saree Draping
Gujarati Saree Draping

Steps to wear saree in Gujarati Style

  1. Go with the basic steps of draping till the pleats and tucked into the center petticoat facing left.
  2. Then take the width section of the end drape and make pleats. Gathering them firmly with the top border as the first pleat.
  3. Hold the pleats vertically and bring them around your back waist from the left to the top right back shoulder.
  4. Putting the pleats from the right shoulder back to fall front in a way where the pleats open to the left-hand side.
  5. Tuck the pleats at the shoulder point with a pin to fix it. Pick up the first border edge and pull it across your left side under the left armhole and tuck it.

4- Maharashtrian Style Saree Draping

Maharashtra is known for its cultural activities and saree draping methods at festivals and the fishermen dressing for women in the past was a saree in 9 yards drape, which was draped in a particular style for women to be more actively comfortable for their activities.

Today the Marathi saree draping style is not used much but still at wedding events and cultural dressing needs to be styled up in this saree drape. Follow the method to drape a saree in this form.

how to drape marathi style saree
Maharashtrian Saree draping

 

Maharashtrian Saree draping steps

  1. The first step of basic draping a saree till the section of the lower drape pleats.
  2. Tuck the pleats in the waist keeping them a bit towards the left hand from the center and facing the left-hand side.
  3. Then pick up the open edge of the sari and make pallu pleats of the whole width in 5-6inches.
  4. Throw the pleated drape from turning in from the left-back to the right bringing in front, under the right armhole to the left front shoulder.
  5. Then take the lower drape center mid pleat of the lower edge. Pushing it through between the two legs and pulling it up from the back mid, in a neat form.
  6. Keeping the border edge in front view, tuck it in the waist center back of the petticoat. It develops more free movement, a dhoti look.

5- Saree Drape for a party

Have a party wear saree for a wedding party or for a birthday occasion or maybe a get-together and festive party that requires a traditional look being innovative and sensational, with a simple and light comfortable look, well here we guide you to some few on-trend party drapes.

Take up a new look at the parties in a hot entry draped up in a simple yet pretty drape.

Deepika Padukone Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani style saree drape

Being inspired by the on-trend fashion appearance by Deepika Padukone in Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani with a blue saree, which brought lots of attention to the stylist who draped the saree looking sensual and simply yet innovatively.

The saree wear by Deepika Padukone had the curves out at the hip by the top border and a narrow drape at the front bodice. Let’s get the look by following our steps to drape up easily into this saree.

how to wear deepika style saree
Deepika Padukone style saree
  1. Taking the basic steps of draping the saree from 1 to the step you put up the pleats of the lower drape and tuck them in, still carries.
  2. Next, you need to hold the edge of the saree which comes exactly after the tucked-in pleats, and twist the top border edge inwards facing down so the border can fall on a lower length.
  3. Hold the width portion of the saree and just unevenly gather it and tacking it across your back bring it from your right underarm to front and throw it back your left shoulder.
  4. The pull the portion you have turned down after the pleats, for it to hang till your hip level, pulling and stretching it evenly on your left hip carried on to the back and kept to folded till the right underarm passing drape.
  5. Arrange the pleats properly to fall on the shoulder which was already temporarily thrown behind. Adjust the borders on the front bodice to look like two parallel lines until meeting at the left shoulder point and pin it up to fix it in place.

Here’s a link which we found useful for this drape, and can view properly how to drape the Deepika style saree

6- Mumtaaz style saree drape

The Indian diva of the Indian film industry Mumtaaz, which played various roles in her movies and inspired the women to follow her fashion style, also had brought out the Mumtaaz saree draping style.

The look has a small or narrow visible border on the lower skirt drape, in layered up to form, two edges of a saree, and is draped without the basic pleats, a wraparound style.

how to wear Mumtaaz style saree
Mumtaaz style saree draping

Mumtaaz saree draping steps

  1. Complete the 1st and 2nd steps of the basic draping saree, till where tuck in the center of the petticoat before tacking pleats.
  2. Now take 2 pleats of 5-6 inches and tuck them in facing the left-hand side.
  3. Picking up the long edge of the saree from the center pleat wrap it around the left side. And take it back until brought forward at the right side waist.
  4. Tuck it 5-6 inches above the normal toe length of the saree. And same until brought on a wraparound in same till right side again
  5. Again tuck in above the level of another 5-6 inches and continue in the level and wrap around the waist of the right side.
  6. Now make pleats of the width section, in 5-6inch and then take it under the right armhole bring it across the front to the left shoulder, and throw it falling backward.
  7. Arrange the front bodice drape to become more narrow than the usual drape and pin in position at the shoulder.
mumtaz style saree draping infographic
Mumtaaz style saree draping infographic

7. Mermaid style saree draping

A mermaid drape style is a form of drape from the basic but gives a curvy effect on the hip section.

The saree uses a mixture of methods to style up the mermaid look. Having a close-fitting hip section to flared bottom hem section gives the mermaid style look.

This form is generally worn at parties or weddings to feel comfortable. As the pallu is not hanging around to carry it properly. Festival Border sarees are a perfect choice to make for this saree style.

mermaid style saree drape
Drape Mermaid style saree
  1. Take the first usual round but don’t go for pleats, instead tuck the edge till your left side waist.
  2. Now take the open edge and hold up the width section to form pallu pleats. Take the entire width from the top border as the first pleat.
  3. Then you bring the pleated drape across your left-hand side to your back right side. Throwing it from the right backside to the front right shoulder, and let it hang.
  4. The length of your pallu should be long enough above the toe level. Also, pin up the pleats at shoulder point like the Gujarati drape style.
  5. Now take the first pleat edge and spread it to your front bodice. Wrapping around till backside, again bringing it forward till the left side in full stretched fitted form.
  6. Then hold the corner and pin it up underneath the drape across, on the left side by the thigh.

Make use of this link, for a viewable form to drape up the mermaid style saree, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iICAHg671dI

This look is for outgoing and professional women. Women, who need to dress up in a sober and simple look with utmost comfort. This is the ultimate style which she can carry for suitable occasions.

Drapes require sarees with a decent design and suitable fabric. Fabrics such as cotton silk sarees, bhagalpuri silk sarees, cotton sarees, or simple georgette sarees in prints will do best.

8. Nivi style Saree draping (basic drape style)

This is the drape that was described in the top section showing the basic saree drape. This saree draping is a type for working women as it’s comfortable.

The nivi style or basic saree drape is widely used not only for work but also draped for parties and occasions in heavy sarees giving a sophisticated look.

nivi style or basic saree drape
Shilpa Shetty in Nivi style saree drape
  1. Carrying the pallu pleats in a good pile and pinned on the left shoulder and left hanging back.
  2. The front drape going across the shoulder can be adjusted in keeping pleats 5-6 inches. Or smaller pleats 3 inches in narrow look, or also 8-9 inches to cover the bodice comfortably.

9. Open Pallu style saree draping

The basic style of draping a saree is what we know, and keeping the pallu opened at the shoulder without pleats.

It is used in the workplace for a good presentable look in simplicity and comfort. The drape is also carried for occasions for its pretty presentable look.

Open pallu drape saree style
Drape Open Pallu style saree
  1. Carrying all the steps the same till the pallu pleats.
  2. Do not make pleats, and just wrap it up covering the front bodice. Also pinning the top edge at the left shoulder, to allow the other edge to just hang down.

There’s more to saree draping styles and this one is not a saree but a contemporary style outfit that I have added to this list for saree draping at parties and occasions.

New Indo-western saree style drapes have styles that look modern and give a fashionable look to the saree.

10. Pant style saree drape

This is one of the indowestern style saree draping and here are the steps to drape a pant-style saree more quickly and easily.

Steps for Pant Style Saree Draping

  • There’s no need to wear a petticoat for this particular style. Instead, you will need a pair of leggings in ankle length and a well-fitted blouse.
  • Take the saree pallu end and make pallu pleats, now pull this over your left shoulder.
  • Then take the other end and bring it from the right side to your left side waist and tuck in.
  • Now all the loose ends of the saree should be nicely pleated in and tucked in the center of your pants.
  • Then re-adjust the pallu pleats that your front bodice is covered up well and pin pleat at the shoulder.

That’s all you have your pant style saree done for the go at a party in fab looks, for more you can watch this tutorial to get an exact idea on how to drape a pant style saree. To view more party or Indo-western style saree draping, read the post Fancy saree Draping Styles – By Top Fashion Designers

These are some of the styles I think you will find easy to drape for your next occasions. So go ahead make use of this information and style up in the Indian National attire to stun the audience.

Saree-style drapes need different drapes, as per fabric and saree look. And plain saree, embroidered saree, brocade saree, cotton sarees, sheer fabrics all would require different drapes to look presentable.

Pant style saree draping
Pant style saree draping
  • The net sarees are versatile, if heavily embroidered then they can use the basic style drape or the open pallu, to bring out its beauty. A glittering or textured and complementing petticoat gives a double styling effect. Also, petticoats of sequins fabric, velvets, shifli nets, or woven brocades are highly in need.
  • Cotton silk sarees and blended cotton can look good in professional look drapes
  • The Mumtaz drape saree looks best in a sheer fabric, georgette, chiffon, or any other blend in sheer fabric and is lightweight. Almost in one border in contrast mode, to enhance the look.
  • The mermaid-style drape would require a saree with a heavy border in a broad look, to bring adornment to the drape when draping around.
  • Plain sarees in lightweight in a single border can also look gorgeous infancy drapes like Deepika style. Or the Nivi style to open pallu style which requires easy tilting and folding.
  • The Gujarati style drape saree normally in heavy pallu, mostly silk brocades or embellished heavily. Even the Bengali-style drape would require the same.

Try out the drapes and stay updated for our next blog. Also, the next blog will be on saree drapes in a more detailed version. And more variations on single-style drapes.

10 thoughts on “How to Wear Saree in 9 Different Ways | Saree Draping”

  1. I cannot make the pleats good, they are always hanging and uneven at the bottom. what am I doing wrong?

    • Hi, you can use your index finger and thumb to make the pleats correctly and in the same level so they don’t hang up and down. you need to make sure the pleats are stacked together properly and adjust evenly.

  2. Great post!
    Iam a newlywed from Indian man and have to learn how to wear saree fashionably.
    As a Korean, wearing saree chalenging me, but your post truly helpfull.
    Thanks

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