The saree is seven yards of pure grace, a timeless staple of Indian traditional wear. Its breathtaking beauty lies in the artistry of its draping style. Different Indian states have distinct draping styles of saree. But ever wondered if a saree can become a statement accessory, taking a step back from the spotlight of being the main dress? Fashion content creator Komal Panday draped the saree itself as a dupatta for her lehenga. Let’s see how she styled it.

Saree as dupatta

It’s a breath of fresh styling as Komal Panday brings in the experimentation of mix-match to her traditional ensemble. She wore a blue blouse with a deep scoop neckline with a mustard yellow-coloured lehenga skirt with purple flowers printed all over. Komal chose gold earrings connected with a gold chain to her braided hair, adorned with a single white rose.

She reimagined her saree as a lehenga dupatta and draped it over one shoulder, crisscrossing and tucking it in her golden waist belt. The matching colour and texture of the blouse and dupatta suggest they were from the same set. Komal opted for a skirt instead of wearing the saree traditionally. This created a creative mash of saree-lehenga, a unique ensemble. Adhering to her colour-coordinated style, she accessorised with purple bangles that complemented her subtle purple eyeshadow and the purple floral print on her skirt.

Things to look out for draping saree as dupatta

This is a great, sartorial inspiration to jazz up your traditional wear with the lehenga-saree look. First, choose the right saree for your dupatta draping. Sarees made of lightweight materials like chiffon are flexible and versatile, ideal for draping. Avoid heavier saree materials like cotton or silk saree as they become bulkier and difficult to manage.

Sarees primarily have a distinctive border with heavy threadwork or print along it. Go for plain sarees that blend seamlessly with the print. Or even if there’s any print, make sure it’s evenly spread out through the fabric and not solely concentrated by the border. If the saree is too long, fold it and secure it with safety pins, before draping it over your shoulder. Alternatively, you can also gather it behind and let the length cover up the backside of the skirt. This is visually intriguing as well, with different fabrics making up the skirt. To secure the drape effectively, like Komal, go for a waist belt. It serves as a great statement accessory while also providing adequate support to keep the saree neatly tucked in.

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