Saree expert Rakesh Joseph tells Meera Murugesan you can’t go wrong with an elegant, understated look for Deepavali
FOR Deepavali, the traditional saree is a must for women. But when it comes to choosing one, most women are overwhelmed by the many choices available.
So how does one make the right selection? Stylist and saree draping specialist Rakesh Joseph says one can never go wrong by revisiting tradition and paying homage to elegance.
Rakesh, who is constantly called upon to tie and style sarees for weddings, fashion shows and formal functions, has helped many women look flawless in the traditional garment.
He suggests women go back to their roots for inspiration and look for sarees that spell classic traditional elegance.
CULTURE RULES
The highly experienced Rakesh says over-embellished Bollywood-style sarees are not suitable for Deepavali, so women should look for pieces that capture tradition at its best.
“Deepavali is steeped in Indian culture, so it’s only right that sarees worn on that day reflect this rich and ancient heritage,” he says, stressing that the “less is more” concept is very much at play this Deepavali and women should keep this in mind when choosing a saree.
According to 2016 vashtu (Indian feng shui) predictions, blue and green are the auspicious colours for this year. While women can opt for a multitude of shades in these two colours, Rakesh says it’s best to choose a colour that shows one’s skin tone to the best effect.
GET IT RIGHT
Given our humid weather and the fact that many women will be visiting the temple in the morning and entertaining visitors in the later part of the morning, he advises against wearing heavy, cumbersome silks that leave one feeling hot and sticky as well as restrict movement.
He advises opting for sarees in lightweight fabrics such as kanchi cotton, which is cool to wear and won’t get crumpled.
Jute sarees are also a good option for those who want to stay cool but the material tend to be quite stiff so sarees must be properly tied so that the wearer won’t look frumpy.
If one insists on silk, Rakesh suggests light silks such as Kashmir silk sarees which are very soft, easy to tie and fall gracefully.
Those who prefer the traditional South Indian Kanchipuram silk saree can get lighter versions of this beloved classic which is woven by skilled craftsmen from Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, India.
Rakesh advises women to look for sarees with small borders because not every woman can carry off a wide border.
“The wider the border, the more likely you will look short and plump when a slim, elongated silhouette is what you should be aiming for. Stick to a saree with a 10cm border or maybe 12cm if you’re tall,” he says.
TRADITION RULES
This year, timeless motifs such as the temple motif, mango, lotus, peacock and elephant motifs are good choices.
Cheques and stripes, traditional patterns frequently used for sarees, can also be very flattering on many women.
As many women buy more than one saree for Deepavali, Rakesh suggests wearing a traditional saree for morning prayers at the temple and changing into a trendy chiffon saree for the evening to entertain guests.
THE BLOUSE
The “contrast trend”, where women wear a saree blouse that’s in complete contrast to the saree, is still popular but one should keep in mind that it’s not suitable for all sarees.
Rakesh says the trend works best for chiffon sarees.
“Chiffon sarees with very small beadwork will look good when paired with a contrast blouse. You can even pair such sarees with a blouse made of net fabric and three-quarter sleeves; the sleeves should be left sheer with no lining,” he says.
Saree blouses play a key role in ensuring that the saree looks flawless but it should never overpower the saree itself. Instead, Rakesh stresses, it should be a “seamless companion” that does not draw attention away from the beauty of the saree.
He laments the fact that some Indian women today tend to over-embellish their saree blouses with beads, tassels and crystals because the end result is usually cheap and tacky and far removed from tradition.
“Overly fanciful blouses take away the beauty of the saree,” he says.
All one needs is a well-cut blouse made by a skilled tailor and it should fit like a second skin, says Rakesh who recommends that women stitch a blouse with well-fitted three-quarter length sleeves which reach just below the elbow.
Such sleeves give a slimmer, more elegant silhouette than shorter sleeves. Rakesh also suggests a deep square neckline for the back of the blouse to make the wearer look even more slim and the neck, elongated.