In a world where machines have taken over for our hands, several rural artisans are still striving to preserve our rich cultural heritage by continuously creating beautiful pieces of art in the form of saris. The craft of handloom is a textile heritage that needs to be celebrated every day, and the gorgeous divas from Bollywood and those closer to home in Tollywood have been championing this with elan!
On the occasion of National Handloom Day, My Kolkata handpicks celebrity sari drapes that not only applaud the legacy and craftsmanship, but are also attainable fashion pointers for every woman.
Konkona rocks minimalist sari look
Konkona Sen Sharma @konkona/Instagram
Konkona Sen Sharma’s fashion statements are all for the keeps. But if there has to be that one minimalist sari look that is our favourite, it is Konkona sporting a muted pink handloom sari with an off-white blouse with rose motif. A monochrome sari is a wardrobe must, because it can both save the day and zhuzh up the evening plans. It’s soft, comfortable and sustainable, what more do we want!
MK style tip: You can also add hair accessories or rings to the look. A small bindi and makeup as minimal as Konkona, and you are ready for lunch dates to ‘biye baris’.
Vidya’s gorgeous Benarasi look
Vidya Balan in a gorgeous red Benarasi sari @balanvidya/Instagram
The emotion of a ‘Bangali’ for a laal silk Banarasi can barely be put into words. Let’s just say, it is a sartorial love language. Vidya Balan’s red handloom Benarasi with heavy zari work and matching blouse gives us major bride vibes. It is also a sari that can be worn many times and in many ways on several occasions. And this is something that’ll never go out of fashion.
MK style tip: Play with your hair to create different looks, sporting a tight bun like Vidya, with flowers in the hair, letting your hair down (literally) or trying a braid. On the style front, team up the sari with a backless choli — a halter neck or a long-sleeved one — and you have your own lookbook.
Shabana flaunts a royal look
Shabana Azmi in a rani-coloured sari @azmishabana18/Instagram
Regal and bold, Shabana Azmi’s ‘rani’-coloured silk sari is timeless, just like her. Long before Barbiecore entered the fashion scene, there was ‘rani’ colour reigning our fashion mood boards. The best part of this look is the similar colour tone and its vibrance. This pink does not shock but adds festivity to the ensemble.
MK style tip: If you want to go for a dual tone with a Barbiecore sari, we suggest a white shirt blouse or one with ruffled sleeves and in gold, or you can play with different shades of pink and go for a pastel blouse. What say?
Dia’s soothing ivory sari look
Dia Mirza Rekhi in an ivory-coloured sari @diamirzaofficial/Instagram
Someone please stop the RHTDM track in our heads, we are already blushing! Dia Mirza Rekhi looks like a dream in an ivory sari and we cannot take our eyes off her! The golden embroidery and sleek border add definition to the sari. If you are a lover of white and the shades of it, take #Sarinspiration from Dia and invest in classics.
MK style tip: Keep a monochrome red raw silk blouse ready too and team ivory and red together for a biye bari. Thank us later.
Swastika’s fusion sari look
Swastika Mujherjee sure knows how to steal the show in a sari @swastikamukherjee13/Instagram
We have officially named her Swastika ‘diva’ Mukherjee and it is for a reason. Just look at her, resplendent and real, in a white jamdani! The lacy blouse, for some reason, reminds of Madhabi Mukherjee in Charulata, and you end up imagining Swastika slipping into the shoes of a Tagore heroine. Swastika is a new-age woman who wears a textile legacy with short hair. She brings heritage and the power of choice together, and that is exactly what makes her special.
MK style tip: We are imagining a ghoti hata blouse or a ‘shemiz’ with this handwoven jamdani, along with the Parama classic that Swastika is sporting. All the jomidari vibes!
Sohini’s girl-next-door look
Sohini Sarkar in a plain, soft cotton sari @sohinisarkar01/Instagram
The beauty of a handloom sari is not only in its comfort but also in its creases. You can pull the pallu together and throw over your shoulder and yet the creases won’t make you look shabby. The handloom saris come to the rescue in those long months of summer when ‘dressing up’ is a problem. But these handloom saris help you to not ‘dress down’. They are the ‘less is more’ of the ‘desi’ fashion scene, and have graduated from the wardrobes of arthouse film heroines to popular choice of the masses.
MK style tip: Quirky crop top and sneakers with a bright but minimalist handloom sari, we say. Tad bit of experiment a day keeps the monotony away.
