Being the best dressed is one thing that every woman desires. If you’re in India or planning to attend an Indian function, then a saree is definitely a smart wardrobe option. These days, as sarees have been catching up as a trending garment for not just weddings, but also for casual outings and even office wear even in urban India, the market is flooded with increasing number of saree options. But hey, didn’t you just think of being the best dressed? So that calls for choosing a smart designer saree by either walking into a number of boutiques or by browsing online. Again, there are plenty of designers for every price segment and just too much of surplus around! Stay at ease, in this post we shall guide you for choosing the right designer saree for your uniquely stylish wardrobe.
Types of designer sarees
Before you start looking out for the best designer sari, you need to first understand what kind of drapes fall under this category. Primarily, a designer saree is a unique creation of a designer. For example, Manish Malhotra keeps coming up with contemporary designer saris that have statement appliques, fringe and ruffle details and sheers which form some of the ingredients of his unique signature style. Designer sarees by Anita Dongre usually revolve around softer colour palettes while the veteran couturier Neeta Lulla has immense focus on heritage weaves and woven details. While these celebrity designers cater to the luxury segment, there is mid-range as well as local designers offering designer sarees at comparatively lower prices. Such sarees are woven, printed or embroidered specifically for that particular designer only and are available in small numbers.
These days, you will see almost every store and website using the term ‘designer sari’ for the drapes that they stock. These sarees may not be made for a specific designer or store label but have some off-beat details which makes them look different from regular sarees. As per the pervasiveness of this term, saris which have fancy details like a catchy print, a cutwork pallu or similar creative stuff can also be called a designer saree, even if it is manufacture in bulk. Usually these designer sarees are reasonably priced and make smart purchase options for the ones who prefer to have something different without spending a packet.
Now that you have a better idea about which types of drapes can be called a designer saree, let’s see how to get the best out of this category:
If you’re buying the garment online, then it is easier to access its exclusivity. You can conduct a Google image search and check if the saree is available at other websites. If a lot of results turn up with the same product, then there are higher chances of your running into someone carrying the same sari! If exclusivity a top priority, it is best to look for high end couture brands or get your saree customized from a local designer.
Get complete information about the fabric, weave and work on the saree. A designer saree may look good but may lack durability due to poor quality of material. Other than that, the embroidery details are extremely important. What may look like a hand embroidered motif may in fact be a machine-made patch sewn onto the drape. Neither of these is bad, but it is best to know exactly what you’re buying, since a considerable amount of funds will be involved.
The very essence of a good designer sari is that it reflects the latest trends in ethnic fashion. Before you finalize your purchase, you should have good knowledge of trending colours, fabrics and decorative details. For example, these days, sarees with frilly edges are quite in trend. A good designer saree should give you an up-to-date look.
This point partly contrasts the previous point on choosing what’s trending. Putting these two things together, you must ideally pick something which is quite in trend but at the same time reflects your personality well. Buying something which does not match with your own taste will conveniently find its way to the back of your closet, because after possessing that unique thing you wouldn’t prefer wearing something that does not appeal to your personality, thus making those invested bucks go down the drain.
This is significant if you want to buy designer sarees online. Usually most of the websites have a return policy of 2-7 days. Also check if the refunds come in the form of money credited to your account or as customer wallet points. In case of the latter, you can use the amount only for purchasing products from that particular website. A good return policy works as an insurance against the drawbacks of internet shopping.
Above all, buy something that makes you happy, for we tend to look better in outfits that make us feel comfortable and delightful. Go ahead and stock your special ethnic wardrobe with some amazing designer sarees and keep looking gorgeous as ever!
Ritu Batra is a creative and marketing communications specialist, a devout reader and a passionate writer, who successfully manages an operations role with the popular ecommerce business Saree.com. Ritu is a trained textiles and weaves’ connoisseur and an expert Designer Sarees. Currently, Ritu is closely observing and studying the Indian ethnic wear fashion and design segment, as she goes about creating stimulating written and graphic content.