Don’t we all remember our grandmothers obsessing about matching the colour of their blouse piece with their saris? The said blouse piece has come a long way over the years.
Just that one meter of fabric can transform your sari into a style statement. It can lend you the intrigue that no other garment can give. People tend to remember a stunning blouse much more than any other outfit you choose to wear. You can pair different blouses with the same sari to achieve various looks. For work, wear a three quarter sleeved blouse with a closed neck. Blouses in cotton and linen keep you looking sharp and formal.
The same sari paired with a cap sleeved blouse in a shimmery fabric can be worn for a formal dinner. The in thing to do now is to work the sari with a variety of blouses.
Some of my favourite established designers for blouses are Sabyasachi and Manish Malhotra. Sabya's blouses are a must-own in your wardrobe. The best thing about him is that he uses different Indian textiles and hand embroidery to create the blouse that makes you feel like a princess. Sabya’s blouses are a sure fire hit when paired with Kacheevaram saris.
I’m partial to Manish Malhotra’s blouses too for the beautiful nets and chiffons he uses. His creations will usually have either a sheer back or sleeves leaving you with a feeling of whimsy.
Among the emerging designers, Pallavi Jaikishan, Swati Ubroi, Shyamal & Bhumika and Sashikant Naidu deserve mention.
Pallavi's blouses are heavily embroidered and come in vibrant colours. You can’t go wrong with her designs Swati Uberoi's blouses sport different cuts and the traditional gota work on silk. They are perfect for a mehendi ceremony. Shyamal & Bhumika are Ahmedabad based designers, who work with more classic colours like crimson and navy, giving the blouse the versatility to pair it with different saris.
Sashikant’s blouses are made from luxurious fabrics like khadi and silk. He is famous for his Kalamkari handworked and silk khadi pin tucked blouses in solid colourss. It was a revelation when Sashikant mentioned that his pin tucked blouses take up five meters of fabric to get the sort of finish that they have.
I have always liked to own blouses that I can wear with different saris as the occasion demands. A good start is to buy a basic black blouse and a gold one. Make sure they are not too heavily embellished so that you can repeat them without being noticed.
You can safely experiment with different cuts. Boat necks, elbow length sleeves, shirt blouses and collared necks are fashionable right now. Invest in a handful of blouses that fit you well and keep you looking trendy.
Shrivyshnavi Annush is a software engineer who pursues her passion for fashion and design. She has a curated fashion accessories portal, >www.pookaari.com
