T he concept of #100sareepact is very interesting. I am a very sari person and I wear more than 100 saris in 365 days,” said Swastika Mukherjee. And that’s precisely why she was our chosen sari lady for the #100sareepact feature. 
But a super short crop with a Dhakai Jamdani? Trust Swastika to do it different.

“I wore a sari even when I had the pixie cut. The only thing one should keep in mind while wearing a sari with this hairstyle is to never go loud with the make-up. Keeping it light is the mantra,” Swastika advised, while picking out saris from her wardrobe for the t2 photo shoot.

A traditional off-white, purple and gold Dhakai Jamdani teamed with a sleeveless raw silk blouse and a statement neckpiece, and Swastika is set for summer. “You can never go wrong with a Dhakai, whether it’s afternoon or evening. Just be careful with the colour.”  

If the Dhakai is for the day, a gorgeous Kanchipuram draped Bengali style is for the evening. A big red bindi, jhumkas and a chunky ring complete her look. 

The twist in the silk sari tale? The corset. “I love mixing and matching. There are so many experiments that one can do with a sari. Drape them over T-shirts, or kurtis…. I love the Bengali style of wearing the sari without the pleats. This particular Kanchipuram, which I had picked up two years back, is beautiful because so many colours are blending into one another. I had thought of wearing it at my wedding and preserved it. But anything for t2!” she laughed. 

The result of the t2 photo shoot? The seductive Anguri Devi from Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! has launched her own sari pact!

Swastika’s do and don’t 

1. It’s very important to choose a sari according to your body type. I have seen shorter women opting for a broad-bordered sari. It’s a no-no. Women who are on the heavier side should never wear heavy Kanjeevarams or half-and-half saris; you look shorter and terrible. 

2. Also choose the material according to your body type. If you don’t have a shapely tummy, do not go for crepes and chiffons because it accentuates your belly. You actually wear these materials to show off your shapely body, so if you don’t want to flaunt your figure then wear cotton, Tangail, Dhakai and silks. 

3. Spend at least five-10 minutes on doing up the pleats. Because that is what gives your body the shape.

4.  Aanchol is the most important part of the sari. Be careful because your shoulder may look clumsy. Decide whether you want to pin up or leave it open. 

5. Pairing the perfect blouse with the sari is most important. An ill-fitted blouse can ruin the most beautiful and expensive sari. You can buy a Rs 600 sari and team with a proper blouse and look like a million bucks, but you wear a designer sari and mess up the blouse, you are finished!

6.  If the sari is gorgeous, you should keep the blouse muted and wear jewellery in matte finish. Learn the key to balance. 

7. Golden shimmer brocade blouses should hibernate for a year. 

Tips for wearing a sari to work

• Wear printed crepes and handlooms. Also chiffons but not the see-through ones. 
• Go for lighter silks and tussore this summer. 
• Wear elbow-length blouses. I prefer elbow-long sleeves because they make me look slimmer and taller. Boat-neck blouses are back in fashion, also the Gandhi blouses. 
• Wear your aanchol in a careless way. Don’t bother even if it is slipping a bit. Or, play with the aanchol; wrap it around your neck.           
• Backless cholis need to take a back seat, at least for work wear. Enough of back-showing. We’ve seen everybody’s back! The closed designs make you look very stylish. People who are heavier should have a little opening in the back. 

Text: Kushali Nag and Mohua Das
Swastika’s picture: Pabitra Das