For a single piece of unstitched cloth, the humble sari is most versatile. “Sari” is the traditional dress worn by Indian women over the centuries. We saw our grandmothers draped in saris, and our mothers too. The sari was an all-purpose garment. Simple cotton ones for “wear-at-home”, beautiful synthetic prints for “outside-wear”, and lovely silks for “special occasions”. But in the last decade, the sari lost out to a more exciting Western wardrobe, and a more comfortable “salwar kameez”. But the good news is that “The Sari” is back, and with a bang!

Designers and textile houses are now promoting the sari amongst the youth in a big way. The sari is no longer a garment for the mummys and the auntys. It is a garment for the youth. The young women who want to look sexy, seductive and glamorous, find the sari to be extremely obliging. If you have any doubts, just try to remember Mandira Bedi!

Saris today come in various designs. From printed to embroidered to embellished, your wallet alone limits your choice. You could buy a sari for Rs. 250, and you could also blow up Rs. 25000 on a single piece. This is the versatility of the sari. It belongs to both the masses and the classes. One good thing about the sari is that you can create multiple looks from the same sari. How? Very easy, By draping it in different styles, and by combining it with different blouses.

The sari blouse has come a long way from the Bollywood cinema of the 70s. The sleeves are gone (or at least cut short to caps), the necklines have plunged, and the simplicity has given way to embellishment. The sari blouse is really emerging as the more important garment of the combo. Many women prefer to combine simple and plain saris with heavily embroidered and embellished blouses. Here are a few styles in the sari blouse that you could try for upping your “hot quotient”:

• Halter Neck Blouse
• Choli Style with doris at the back.
• Backless Blouse
• Collar Kurti Style
• Bikini Top Blouse (for the bold)
• Sequined Sleeveless Blouse (must have for everyone)
• Noodle strap blouse

The sari is one of the most glamorous and elegant dresses for women. It lends style and class to the wearer, while adding a dash of mystique. From demure to impish to sexy, the sari can give shape to your moods. So waste no time! Go and buy yourself a couple of saris. Cotton, georgette and chiffon should be your first few buys. Since the silk saris are really expensive, you should buy those only after you become comfortable with draping a sari.