6 Simple ways to get dressed in a sari in 10-minutes or less

Hello sari-loving ladies! I’ve been away for a while – school holidays, social commitments, stints of sole parenting (part-n-parcel of fauji life) and figuring out ways to be my own support system (bye-bye maid & hello hands). All of these left me very little time to write, let alone fire up my laptop to sneak in a blog post or two.

With time at a premium, I fine-tuned my ‘Quick Sari Look’, and here I am sharing 6 simple ways to create a sari look in 10-minutes or less.

So onto the sari look. Often, the general notion about sari-dressing is that one must bring all of these aspects in when you’re wearing a sari – exotic jewellery pieces, the most stylish footwear and the best of make-up. We won’t leave any stone unturned when we drape a sari. And that’s a huge part of the fun and the pull of wearing a sari.

However, if you’re wearing saris regularly, to the office or at home, for lunch at a restaurant and a jaunt in the mall, or even to the movies or for some chai and gupshup at a friend’s place, you may not want to go the whole nine yards with your make-up kit and jewellery box. As alluring as all of it is, this can also be the very reason to swap the sari for salwar-kameez or a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Or at least, it is for me. It’s not every day that I can spend 30 minutes on creating a look. So, here’s my go to for any sari occasion or ‘non-occasion’:

1. Kajal or kohl: If there’s one thing that I cannot do without, it’s some soot black kajal. I just keep one or two kohl pencils and use these daily. I find that it’s one of the best ways to highlight one’s eyes and it adds so much to the sari look.

2. Big, round bindi: My little kit of make-up stuff just has to have a strip or two of big, round bindis. I love bright red, but since I can’t often get them where I live, I stick on maroon, black or even multi-colored round bindis.

3. Lip gloss or an earthy lip color: I’ve recently swapped all my chemical-laden lip colors for a few earthy shades of lipstick made with clarified butter and beeswax. With their dual purpose of moisturizing and adding color, these lipsticks complete and complement my make-up needs.

Photo credit: Byloom

4. 1 piece of statement piece or 2 simple pieces of jewellery: For daily sari wear, I prefer reaching out for chunky jhumkas or a pretty pair of dangling earrings. Alternatively, if I give earrings a miss, I’d wear a necklace that I really like. Sometimes, I could also wear two simple pieces of jewellery – earrings + necklace or bangles + earrings. The idea is to cut the fuss, keep accessories to a minimum and choose just one or two pieces that will add chutzpah to my sari outfit and yet keep the entire ensemble practical and work-worthy.

5. Bag or jhola: Even though I have an interesting collection of jholas, courtesy my friends who know my affinity for all things handmade, I choose one bag every month as my go-to jhola. I keep my essentials tucked into it and can sling it on every time I’m scrambling out of the door. My requirements for such a bag is that it shouldn’t be too large and bulky, yet should have space to hold my wallet, keys, Kindle and maybe, a tiny water bottle.

6. Comfortable footwear: Right before I’m rushing out, I’d want to slip into a pair of shoes/slip-ons that are comfortable enough for the whole day. Since I’m not a stilettos kinda girl, I prefer flats or an inch of block heels so my feet won’t be achy when I’m back. I mean, sari-wearing cannot be much fun if I have to nurse achy feet after my day in a gorgeous sari, right?

With these super six, I’m ready to rock the day.

What’s your sari go-to for daily sari wear? I'd love to hear how you create your sari style in a few short minutes, here in the comments section or on my Facebook Page!

#100sareepact #saristyle #simplesari