The Sari
-The sari is the traditional garment of an Indian woman. It is an unstitched piece of cloth, which varies from five to nine yards in length and can be worn in different styles. A sari is worn over a petticoat and a short-sleeved midriff-baring blouse. The most popular style of wearing a sari is by tucking one end into the petticoat at the waist while a major portion of it is pleated neatly and tucked in the front. The rest of the sari, which is known as the pallu or pallav is taken over the left shoulder. The pallu is the most fascinating and striking feature of a sari, it is often heavily embellished with woven motifs or embroidery.

However, this authentic Indian garment has lost some of its popularity as daily wear in the recent past. The western outfits have made an inroad into the Indian woman’s wardrobe due to a shift towards rapid globalization and emerging corporate culture. Today, women prefer to wear clothes that offer ease of movement in addition to style. Also, with the boom in the retail industry Indians have a wider variety of options to pick and choose from and women are being increasingly seen in designer outfits western style outfits.



Gujarati
-The Gujarati woman sports a distinctive style, as she wears a sari with a neatly pleated pallu brought in front over the right shoulder with one end tucked around the waist to the left.



Mysore Silk
-Mysore Silk: Mysore silk saris of Karnataka are famous for their traditional designs and colours. The zari work on the pallus and borders add to the sophistication and elegance of these saris. Mysore silk saris are considered to be very durable and can be washed and worn as often as required.



Ghangra/Lengha Choli
A ghagra or a lehenga is a long gathered gypsy skirt with dazzling embroidery or mirror work and comes in vibrant colours. It is worn with a choli, which is a short closely fitted woman’s blouse that shows off the midriff, or a kurti (shorter version of a kurta). Some cholis can be fastened at the back by means of narrow strips of cloth or chords. An odhni or a dupatta (scarf) with intricate designs complements the outfit. Women in Rajasthan and Gujarat don this beautiful and highly sensuous outfit. Dressier versions are teamed with chunky silver jewellery during festivals and other important occasions.


Maharashtrian

 A nine-yard sari called the nawwadi is the traditional style very similar to the men’s dhoti. The pleats of the sari are placed between the legs and tucked in the centre back. Fisherwomen in the coastal regions of Maharashtra still wear a nawwadi and well, it is worn without a petticoat!