Saree is without a doubt the most popular attire among Indian women. However, with a wide range of materials and styles originating from India’s different states, the sarees’ selection to suit your lifestyle could be a daunting task. This article is to take you into a journey through different types of sarees.
Different types of sarees based on material are silk, art silk, cotton, crepe, net, georgette, polyster, chiffon sarees. Sarees can also be classified based on design and origin such as Banarasi, Kanjivaram, Paithani, Tant, Kasavu, Bandhani and many more varieties in each region.
Today, as we delve into the world of sarees, we will profoundly discuss the different types of sarees. The article also addresses important saree concerns such as the best types of saree, best saree materials, and best saree draping styles. Without further ado, let’s begin.
Different types of sarees
Different types of sarees based on region, culture and origin are as below.
Paithani Silk Saree
Paithani silk sarees are named after the paithani region in Maharashtra state, where they are woven. The saree is handwoven to perfection using the finest of silks and cotton.
The paithani saree’s signature pallu features an intricate peacock motif or a golden zari fabric. Paithani sarees are also found in contrasting borders and base with zari in the border, and pallu and the motifs of flowers, chandeliers, and birds are in colorful weave design.
Banarasi Silk Sarees
Among the silk sarees, banarasi silk sarees are considered to be the finest sarees. Made in Varanasi, India, this type of saree is commonly known for its gold and silver zari designs and motifs. This type of saree was only made for royalty as each saree was made with real gold and silver threads,
Kanjivaram Saree
Also known as the queen of saree, Kanjivaram sarees are made from traditionally woven silk from the region of Kanjivaram, Tamil Nadu. The sarees are elegant, refined, and graceful, all in one drape. They are known to be the only type of saree that is rich in color and texture.
Kanchipuram Silk Saree
Weavers from Tamil Nadu make the Kanchipuram Silk Sarees. The Sarees are woven naturally and are considered to be of the highest quality among silk sarees. This saree is woven with heavy silk or gold yarns, and its wide contrast borders distinguish it.
Tant Sarees
Tank sarees are traditional sarees from the land of Bengal. The sarees are made of cotton, and it is the preferred daily wear outfit of many in West Bengal. Tant cotton sarees are light and easy to wear. Their thick border and beautiful prints make them stand out among other sarees.
Kantha Sarees
The name of these sarees originates from the technique of the embroidery used. The technique involves running stitch embroidery used on saree from raw silk to cotton, covering the entire cloth with beautiful motifs. Examples of these motifs include flowers, animals, birds, and geometrical shapes or themes from everyday activities. Kantha sarees’ stitching gives it a slight wrinkled & wavy effect.
Kasavu Sarees
Kasavu sarees are examples of sarees made of tissue or cotton saree material. Traditionally, the sarees were only a dhoti (a mundu), a blouse, and a stole that went across the blouse.
Today, the kasavu saree’s modern version is characterized by a thick golden border woven with real gold threads. Additionally, the sarees have been diversified to include colors and artificial thread.
Bandhani Saree
The name where these types of saree are derived means ties. This is in line with the process of tie and dye, which makes these sarees. Bandhani sarees are commonly made in Gujarat and Rajasthan. However, the Khatri community also practices this art exclusively to this day.
Muga Silk Sarees
Muga silk sarees are one of a kind. A special kind of silk is used to make these sarees from Assam. They are produced from larvae that feed on mainly two special leaves. The larvae’s silk is always considered the best because it is glossy and durable. By the way, you can only find muga’s golden threads in Assam.
Pochampally Cotton Sarees
The town of Bodhan in Nizamabad, Telangana, is famously known for the pochampally cotton and silk sarees. The sarees feature intricate motifs and geometric ikat designs. They are made of the perfect combination of silk and cotton.
Bomkai Sarees
Bomkai saree is a piece of art with ikat, embroidery, and intricate thread work, all woven into one beautiful nine-yard wonder. These types of sarees are available in silk and cotton and make for good festive wear.
Chanderi Sarees
This type of saree is made from a mix of silk, zari, and cotton, originating from Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh. The materials are woven together to make a lighter fabric than a feather, have a royal sheen, and are gorgeous.
These sarees are commonly known for their sheer texture, lightweight, and a glossy transparency. Chanderi sarees are ideal for formal wear, festival wear, and marriage function wear.
Sambalpuri Sarees
Sambalpuri sarees are traditional handwoven sarees made from a delicate weave of different colors. This saree’s rich colors do not fade because the saree’s threads are dyed before they are woven.
Konrad Sarees
These types of sarees are also known as temple sarees. This is because they were originally woven for the temple deities. This saree fabric usually has either stripes or checks and a wide border to distinguish these sarees from other types of sarees from Tamil Nadu.
Different types of sarees based on material
Not all fabrics can go well with this outstandingly feminine attire. Different fabrics have different densities and weaving styles. The density and weaving styles impart a unique set of characteristics to the fabric in terms of fall, pleats, and flowing smoothness.
Below are the best saree materials you can choose from.
Cotton
Cotton saree is a trendy saree material that is versatile. This means you can wear it both on an everyday basis and on special occasions. The fabric is natural, breathable, and extremely durable. Due to the cotton yarn’s strength and versatility, you can weave the material with several options.
Different types of cotton sarees are always available at your disposal. Check this out!
Silk
Known for its luxurious texture and vibrant appeal, silk is a natural fiber most commonly woven into textiles. Silk material is a shimmering, smooth, and soft texture. Because of these qualities, silk fabric is considered one of the most preferred fabrics for occasions and festive wear.
Silk is the strongest natural fiber. However, silk material loses strength when wet & in harsh sunlight. For this reason, many manufacturers prefer synthetic fibers or blend rather than pure silk to produce more affordable & sturdy textiles.
Take a look at these varieties of silk saree material.
Crepe
Crepe saree material is a type of fabric that has a gauzy texture and a typically crimpy surface. Crepe fabric was traditionally made from silk but can now be made from almost any fiber, either natural or artificial.
This fabric has a beautiful drape and is popular for evening saree gowns, suiting, and home decor. Its surface textures vary from fine, flat crepes to pebbled & mossy effects.
Net
Net saree material is among the hot fashion trends in recent times. The fabric has a weave construction that is looped at their interceptions. This results in a fabric with large open spaces between the yarns. The net’s weave construction gives the material fullness and lightness in weight.
Georgette
Georgette is a lightweight, fluid fabric, which can be made from silk and synthetic yarns, commonly known as faux-georgette. This type of saree material yields very well to pleating and can also be easily dyed, printed, and embellished in multiple ways.
Tissue
Also known as the Lame material, this fabric is woven with thin ribbons of metallic yarns or usually gold or silver. Tissue fabric has a shimmering appearance and slippery texture. The material is also lightweight. This is the reason why it is often used in evening sarees rather than everyday wear.
Check out various types of tissue saree materials.
Brasso
Unlike most of the saree materials, brasso fabrics have a print effect where motifs are burned out on base fabric to form attractive patterns. Occasionally, you will find brasso, particularly velvet brasso on chiffon, georgette, or net bases with designs in multiple colors.
Amazing brasso saree materials are always available on Pinterest.
Brasso fabric is often rich in texture, and very attractive. Perhaps this explains why brasso sarees are an eveningwear favorite.
Tussar
Also known as wild silk, tassar silk, or tusar silk, tussar is an exquisite thread. The thread is obtained from a wind-winged moth that is yellowish-brown in color. Tussar fabric is highly valued simply because of its natural gold color inherited from the moth. This makes the fabric more delicate, and so it needs better care. Check these out!
Chiffon
Chiffon saree material is a lightweight, plain weave fabric with a slight shine. Generally, chiffon refers to a light plain, weaved sheer fabric. It is delicate in appearance. Also, it’s a relatively robust, balanced fabric and can be dyed or printed for use in sarees.
This fabric can be challenging to work with because of its light and slippery textures. Therefore, due to this delicate nature, chiffon must be hand washed.
Best Saree Draping Styles
Here are the most common and comfortable saree draping styles that will modernize your look.
Pleated Drape Style
This is the most saree draping style among most Indian women, especially for brides wearing traditional Kanjeevaram sarees. This saree-wearing style works the best with a high-neck blouse and a pleated cotton saree to assure your elegance and style.
Marathi Drape Style
This style is commonly found in the state of Maharashtra. The Marathi drape style often comes with certain playfulness and brings out the best look in women. You can choose a saree of 9 yards length and wear leggings that can come up to the upper portion of your knee.
Mermaid Saree Drape Style
This is the common saree draping style among Indian women. The mermaid style can also achieve an impressive saree charm for any occasion. The style might seem to be a lot of work to achieve, but it only requires a few extra tucks and pleats.
Bengali Drape Style
To achieve this saree draping style, tuck your saree a little over your navel and towards the right side, and then continue tucking it around your waist from the left side.
Butterfly Saree Drape Style
The butterfly drape style is not only stylish, but it also makes you look slimmer. All you got to do with your saree is to make extra thin pleats of your pallu and pin it on your shoulders.
Pant Drape Style
This is the newest saree draping style. To achieve the best of this style, replace the petticoat in the saree with a pant and then drape your saree around it.
Lehenga Drape Style
One of the simplest yet impressive ways you need to create a stylish statement is to wear your saree and drape it in the lehenga style. Lehenga style is extremely easy to ace. What you need to do is to keep pleating the complete saree. But remember, to enrich your beauty, you need to leave some piece of the saree for your pallu.
Gujrati Style Draping
Do you remember the traditional Gujrati drape? The style includes using a banarasi or a heavy silk saree and draped to cover the front. Also, the pallu is tucked in the front in a conservative style and is a famous style in India.
The basic step to achieve the Gujrati style is to drape the saree from the beginning. Ensure to drape till the pleats are taken and then tuck it into the center of the petticoat facing the left.
Dhoti Style
To achieve the best of this style, you should go for saree material such as georgette, satin with a border not wider than 2 inches in width. If you want to drape your saree in dhoti style;
- Drape the saree below the navel
- As you drape the saree, make sure there are around one or two meters from the pallu free.
- Secure the saree with a pin to join both ends and overlap them, with the right going over the left.
Next, drape the pallu to create pleats of around two or three inches, and then get the pallu’s resting part and secure it on the front. You can drape this saree with some leggings and tight skinny pants.
Floating Saree Style
This style involves letting the pallu flow freely after you slightly put it over the edge of the shoulder.
Madisaru Drape Style
This saree drape style doesn’t require the use of a petticoat or a blouse. You need to drape the lower half like a dhoti and pleat the upper half like a saree.
Belted Saree Drape Style
If you want to rock in this saree draping style, drape your saree the normal way and add a belt to cinch your pallu at the waist. Alternatively, you can use the kamarbhandh if you want to go for a more traditional look.
Dupatta Drape Style
The Dupatta drape style, currently popularized by an Indian fashion icon- Sonam Kapoor, is another amazing way to wear your saree. To achieve this glam, all you need to do is find a matching bordered dupatta that would go with your saree and wear it around your neck without any additional garment such as a blouse.
The Twisted Pallu Saree Drape
Don’t you love the neatly pinned pallu at the shoulder, even without a blouse? However, if you want to add that extra oomph on your saree, what you can do is twist the pallu like you would twist a rope braid and get your saree to be the center of attraction.
Make sure you have a blouse alternative such as a bra if you want to go blouse less. The bra is going to be the center stage.
Front Pallu Drape
Apart from the twisted pallu saree drape style, you can also wear your saree without a blouse in the front pallu drape style. If you don’t want to have a blouse, yet completely you have an interesting bra and want to showcase it without going overboard, and you can go for the front pallu drape just like the Indian empress Aishwarya, did at the Cannes film festival!
Double Drape Style
Saree double drape style is a classical and innovative drape. This is because the style has the use of two sarees simultaneously. If you are confused now that you don’t have a blouse and what to wear and are locked between your sarees, pick them both and get a double drape done. It looks amazing.
Fish Cut Drape Style
This saree drape style is distinctive because it only needs a petticoat and not a blouse to glam your saree look. The fish cut style allows you to fit the saree’s petticoat at the waist and flare at the bottom to highlight your shape.
The best saree fabric for this style is satin, silk, and cotton, with adjustable drawstrings and no extra frills at the petticoat.
Hope, you got a complete idea on different types of sarees. And there is even more larger exhaustive list and one way to look at is which are all popular sarees from each state in India.
