DIY Saree : Readers Question

" I stumbled upon ur blog while browsing through the internet. Must say, you’ve posted amazingly informative stuff out there. They are really helpful for someone like me who really has to start from scratch when it comes to shadi and beauty related stuff.

 I have a question and was wondering if you could help me out. It’s my sister’s wedding next month, and I want to design a saree for myself. Basically, get the fabric and kinaris and assemble something! And I am looking to find some place where I can get those heavy designer blouses (Want to keep the saree simple though). Please let me know if you know places where I can go for the above mentioned stuff. Also, is it doable? Have never done this before.

Thanks a lot! And wishing you the best for your wedding "

Yes its totally doable, infact I have made some of my trousseau saree's myself and even gifted a few to my sister and my would be sister-in-law.

Here is a list of places you'll get everything you need from:

(Hope your from Delhi/NCR, because thats the place I know most about)

Fabric :

 Lajpat Nagar : There is a whole Gali which has fabric wala's. Don't remember the name of the shop from where I purchased but its Opposite 3C lane may 'corner wali shop'

Nehru Place : Good for getting plane fabric (but would recommend going to Lajpat)

For a Saree try Fabrics like : 

Georgette Brocade  (also called Khadi silk, pronounced kha-dee silk)

Silk Satin

Mukesh Work Georgette (you get this already embroidered at a good rate)

Chiffon with some embroidery

Crepe

Here are pictures for your reference :

Georgette Brocade

Mukesh Work Georgette

Light Mukesh Work

You can combine them as : 

Mixing Georgette brocade as the pleat fabric and have pure silk satin as the palla 

Mixing Georgette brocade as the pleat fabric and having mukesh work Georgette/chiffon as palla

Mixing Georgette brocade as the pleat fabric and Crepe as the palla

Using Only Mukesh Work Georgette (looks really nice, I made a saree of only this fabric in Emerald green)

Only Chiffon with some embroidery (you get already embroidered fabric at these shops)

Only Crepe (the colors come out really pretty in this so it can be used alone but it can end up looking a bit plain)

NOTE : Take fabric for facing as well! around 2 meters silk, in nice bright complimentary color.

Colours can be any! If your mixing 2 fabrics you can have them in different colors as well! I Took Plain fabric and got it dyed at Lajpat.

Borders :

You get Saree borders ready made these days, just ask straight away for a 9 meter saree border. You can also combine 2-3 borders together.

Chandni Chowk, Kinari Bazaar: you will get the most variety here at good price but insure the quality is good, Kinari can be tricky in terms of Quality.

Lajpat Nagar : There are many shops from where you can get.There is a whole gali for it. The shop which I prefer is Prakash Zari wala, if your going from KFC (with KFC at your left) then its situated near the 2nd park to your right. Ask around a lot of people know this shop. Its a bit expensive but has really good stuff.

For Latkans at Lajpat :

There is a paneer pakodey wali gali (Lane right in front of Bombay Selections) which is really good for latkans, there is a shop that has really good and cheap kamarband too!

For heavy blouses :

Try Meena Bazaar, they have a decent collection, 

Eves tailor at M block Market, GK 2 : I havn't been there personally but have heard a lot about him, if not him then you get a lot of ready made blouses in M block.

Stitching :

Any of your good local tailor can easily stitch the borders to the fabric. You can get a bright complimentary color piping also done to have a finished look to the Saree.

If I get a chance then will will put the saree's, that I have made, on the blog soon :)

A month to go for the wedding!

So much is done but so many details left!

In random order :

Function Outfits : Still have to go for final fitting and pick up.

Jewelry: Done :D

Shoes : Done (waaay back! I think I did my footwear way before I did most of my other stuff)

Makeup Artist : Booked (same as my engagement, although still indecisive on the way I want to look)

Photographer and video : Done

Caterer, Decorator, venue : all done

Invites : In the process of distributions

Trousseau : Done except woolens

Honeymoon Booking : Boy taking care of it, so no idea (although my passport hasn't been asked for so I guess hasn't happened yet)

Furniture and other goods : In process

Mehendi artist : Booked

Folk Singers for Haldi (banna-banni): Booked

Dance practice : Begun

Pre-Bridal : Started

Wedding workout : has been kicked to the last thing on my mind, happy with how I am, instead of being a bone-thin bride I would stick to being the chubby cute bride :P

Am I still freaking out?! YES, the tiny details are the one that are frustrating.

In-law gifts havn't been packed

How will my stuff each the destination, and since I cant go before hand to my in-laws house then how do I manage getting my stuff there?! I have looads!

How to manage 6 different people with different schedules for dance practice.

How to manage without going out in the sun.

Where to get woolens when winters are just starting?

tiny tiny stuff adding up.


But I guess there is no need to freak out a lot, I have done pretty much a lot.

Hair Ornaments : Are the North Indian Brides under doing them?!

I believe I did not do enough justice to hair ornaments when I wrote about the Solah Singar here , that was probably because I did not understand their importance back then. Now I am 2 months older and wiser and it is by sheer chance that I now understand how important is a decorative hair ornament.

North Indian Brides have always been jealous of the south Indian brides unique hair jewelry as they have been of our huge lehenga's.
 (ok I am not sure how true that statement is but I have certainly been jealous :P )

But that does not mean we cant decorate our buns with jeweled pieces of our own.

One might argue that when you add that huge dupatta on top you cant see anything, true, true that what I thought, after all South Indian Brides do not have a dupatta on the head and their beutiful hair jewelry can easily be seen.

But here's a picture of the bride getting ready: her head without and with a dupatta

See you do get glimpses of it. Specially with most of us opting for a net dupatta our hairstyles are open for the world (ahem, guest I mean) to see

Even For a minimalist bride these tiny ornaments which can be used even later are available 

Our Christian counter parts make sure that the back of the dress, their hairstyle and everything is perfect, sole reason : during the ceremony their back is towards the guest, thats the only part they see.

 Where as for us, turning our back towards the guest is a sign of dis-respect and hence the back was never really thought about.

 But now if you think about it, during pooja and phera's its only our back that a lot of our guest will see, plus what with  candid photoghraphy as the 'in' thing we need to be 360 degree perfect!

So let your hair have a little jewel of its own!

and ofcourse don't forget the flowers!

As for the fact what got me thinking so deeply about hair jewelry : I was out looking for packaging stuff when I stumbled on this shop 'Om Sons' in Lajpat Nagar and absolutely loved the hair jewelry they had.

I do not personally like artificial jewelry, but if you do this shop is a MUST check out. They have everything with good prices. Plus they can customize the jewelry for you. Make you your own personal one of a kind jewelry set or the full head to toe bridal set. Its like a one stop shop.

You can see their facebook page at : http://www.facebook.com/pages/OM-Sons-The-Womens-Pride/196427837081113
 Do visit them!

See their fb page or contact me for the address.

Disclaimer : All pictures have been taken off the internet and I do not have or claim any copyright on them. Incase anyone has a problem please contact me I shall remove the picture immediately. 

 The shop was visited by me on my own, I wasn't paid for it (sadly :P )and its my own personal review.

Saifeena Sangeet and Registered Wedding

Totally not a celebratory hogger but since Wills Indian Fashion Week turned out to be a bit of a disappointment for Bridal wear, here's looking else where :

Pictures of Saifeena's sangeet And Registered wedding:

somebody said she wore a lehenga saree but it looks like a lehenga only....comments?!
Din't like it when I had just seen the chunni but the lehenga is I guess fit for her, shiny like a star.

For sister of the groom, she defiantly disappointing!

Although Krishika Lulla looks ok here but her choli fitting is really horrible! please google and see, its too bad for me to put on the blog and so was Malaika's lehenga....she is pretty good at her style but just hate the fabric that Malaika wore.

And post the registered wedding....

Trousseau Winter Wear

I am waiting for winter wear to come in the market, am in desperate need of good woolens.

Till now I was quite contend with my unisex basic navy blue pullovers in 2 different weaves from monto carlo. I used to live in them!

Only last year did I find the perfect overcoat and wore it in and out. I was never seen without it.

For slightly chilly October end I have a basic summer black coat which use to work with everything I had.

I am not much of a winter person so my wardrobe is more out going and better during summer months or at least in monsoons and springs.

After spending years and years trying to get my winter wardrobe 'acceptable' I finally achieved it last year *whoopie*

Only to realize (now) that my checked woolen over coat, my grey hoodie long sweater jacket and my black perfect fitting coat are no match for bedazzling Indian wear.

To add to that mix there will be hardly any winter wear in the market before the wedding.

Lets look at options we have for winters :

1. Cardigans

I have seen women loving them, living in them, and buying as many as possible in ever colour!

However I personally hate them completely. But with Indian wear specially with suits these work the best and are the warmest.

If given a chance I would hibernate the whole of winters.

but I have to-have to choose I guess something like these would work with Indian wear :

if I had to had to choose I still wont choose, but one cant really hibernate

I think the last one and the first ones neckline is better for Indian wear because it will also show the neckline of your suit. Plus it doesn't look too bottled up.


2. Pullover

Indian wear and pullover are not meant to be together and with girls who will be living with their in-laws its certainly not wise to jump into jeans your initial few post-marriage months.

So say bye-bye pullovers this married winters.


3. Shawls

Aah the prettiest Indian winter wear. They are a style statement in their own right. Whether its a pashmina or a jamawar. A lot of varieties and styles are found all around. You'll get pretty colours and embroidery in them too. Not just for older aunties you get a great variety for us girls too!

this particular one is not woolen but you get woolen ones like this too.

I think there is a 'shagun' ki embroidered shawl also that you have to get, cant find a pretty one online but you do get nice ones! Ahujasons in Delhi is supposed to be the best shop for all these. Also take a stroll around Dilli hart for different varieties during off season.

Drape them around your shoulder or wrap them around you they look pretty either way and are must for any Indian winter functions or dinner outs. However they do seem a little impractical around the house or during trips out shopping.


4. Jackets and Overcoats

After only hearing about them and seeing them in glossy magazines finally they made their Indian entry a few years back and then the overload was all aunties wearing them wrong!

Finally we seem to have got them right. Still not the perfect solution for Indian wear they are atleast warm!

Probably without so many pockets.

the  jacket on the right

Don't buy big huge collars, would still not recommend the middle jackets high collar but something similar with maybe a slim collar will look good

Here is the link  to where I got the last 2 pictures from, she seems to think alike : http://www.desifashionista.com/?p=4185

Not sure if you guys are interested in knowing that :

I am still missing a good sturdy big everyday bag.
and
Have 5-6 different color kajal but still need to buy BLACK.

Diet : Are you still on it?

I have been eating and eating and eating!

Question for Other brides-to-be / Brides-that-were : Were you/Are you on a diet right upto the wedding because I have found myself eating a LOT as I get closer to the D-day!

Advice of the old and the learned is to maintain a healthy diet have as many fruits and vegetables as you can. I am having as many deserts as I can *facepalm*.

crossed 20,000 Thank you!!!

One day I don't check the blog and it crosses 20,000!!

Thank you readers!! 
*hugs*

Jaimala / Varmala : Do they get enough credit?

Traditionally exchanging of the rings is not a part of the Indian wedding. So how does the bride and groom say they accept each other by exchanging flower garlands.

Its usually the bride first and then the groom but it may differ culture to culture.

I don't know if anybody prefers a floor length mala, i certainly don't

Roses are ofcourse the most preferred flowers of all

Someone's been telling me to not have Orchids at the wedding, they are considered inauspicious.

You could incorporate your favorite flowers or probably whatever looks best on you in the mala.

Remember although you have got a picture perfect dress, makeup and jewelry its also your varmala that will come in every single picture!

Choose wisely.

Colored Mehendi : Love it or hate it?

I personally hate colored mehendi.  But this one just changed my mind!!