Sari

I ambitiously decided to go all-out-Indian today and am wearing my first-ever sari. For those of you not entirely familiar with this fashion option, a sari is a very large bolt of fabric (approximately 5 meters) that you wrap around your body in a series of intricate pleats and tucks. Very intricate. Bewilderingly intricate, in my humble Western opinion. I had to have someone else dress me this morning, but that was fun too.

The sari ensemble consists of a very tight blouse which fastens up the front and a draw-string petticoat, over which the sari is swathed. You have to have the blouse for modesty, since the sari only goes over one shoulder, toga-style. And the petticoat is needed to tuck bits of the sari fabric into as you wrap yourself up like a large burrito. Mine is purple and teal and yellow and I’ve gotten lots of compliments on it. The blouse is super tight so you have to stand up really straight all the time and I’ve felt quite regal swishing about the campus. At least until I step on the trailing end of the sari and stumble about wildly trying to regain my balance. That diminishes the elegance slightly. I’ll try to take a picture today and post it tomorrow.