T-shirt and saree : fashion or faux pas

You know my love for saree and  how comfortable and beautiful they are.I did wear one for our annual costuming picnic for the last two years I believe.

Last year I wear a pink t-shirt that perfectly match the color of my saree.The fabric is cotton , strong even if it's thin.Making a traditional choli would be delicate.I try to make one in the green silk and I have difficulties with adjustment , as always.You have one chance or you make holes in the fabric.

I always wonder if it was a faux pas or somehow an insult to wear a t-shirt with my saree.This year again I plan to wear a t-shirt for a question of time and easier to breastfed .

Yesterday I found this article on Utsavpedia .What a nice surprise : it's totally fashion to wear a t-shirt to replace the choli (blouse) , it's call t-shirt saree.I was in and don't even know it.

Ladies if you want to try a saree but don't want to make the classic look , follow the fashion and try your favorite  or a matching t-shirt. Don't be afraid , you know now it won't be a faux pas or an insult to the indians traditions.

New acquisitions and preparations for picnic

 Chiffon saree with embroided lotus flower from Utsav fashion

Next month is the costuming picnic.I do need to breastfed my baby so I thought a saree will be a good thing.This one is my newest acquisition , green with lotus flower.It's so comfortable so I think it's the best choice.It was sold as aqua but it's really more a light green.

 Royal blue silk -cotton saree from Utsav fashion

At this point , I can say I do have a collection of saree.This one is a silk-cotton and may be for halloween.It was my first choice for the picnic but the color is dark and I don't want to attract the sun specially if it's a very sunny day.There is so many other saree I wish to buy but can't afford it for the moment.

I do found a cute bonnet 4$ at Walmart.It has become an inspiration for my little girl.I do have 2 options for the picnic : a dress or a one piece suit.Both are matching and were not expensive.I do save time.

As I am in the preparations of so many sewing project , just look at this picture.This is a gentle reminder why you need to wash your fabric before using it.I had the same surprise about both skirt for the saree.The dye bleed so much.

I may buy a red saree , there is a white top I wish to dye since last year.I always wash it with red stuff  but it did not become  pink as much as I wish.Even things you didn't like, bleeding dye, can be usefull one day.

Preparations for halloween , part 1

Even in june I start thinking to halloween what food I' going to do , how to decorate etc..Last month I send the invitations for our annuel  party.I did like to be an hindi princess or bride (as you like)for the picnic in july.I did found a good source of inspiration and decided we will stay in the theme of India.

As you may seem , I found India very inspiring recently. I did remember this tv serie I watch months ago on the french historia tv and it was so perfect.It's call Rani .It's in french (and I do mean made in France).It seem it wasn't translate in other language as the dvd offer only french and french subtitles .I found this place  which allow you to watch it  with english subtitles, it's a cc work.Each of the 8 episodes is separated in 4 parts, the subtitles are not perfect but at least you can understand.I did like this romance historical serie.The costumes are beautiful and the choc of culture present in the serie is interesting.It show a  part of history. The serie is not old , 2011, I  highly recommend it.Here is a short description of it:

Rani is about Jolanne De Valcourt ,  a french women in the 18th century which have a peaceful life until her father die.Accuse of a crimes her half brother did ,she is sentence to death .She find a way to escape death and her fate bring her in India , where the french and british fight to know which one is going to exploit the richness of the land .India is a country with traditions very different from Europe.Even there , Jolanne is not safe from the intrigues of her brother who hate her so much that he want her dead doesn't matter how ,as long as he could get it.She will have to escape death and will try to find the men she love , a soldier and spy for the british army.

The costumes
For my son , I will do a maharajat outfit .Maharajat or raja is the king in India.I buy a blue art silk sari from ebay for 8,99.It's same fabric I did buy for the picnic.I will have more fabric then I need.I'm going to try to make something I could adjust in the futur so it could be wear more then one time.

For me , I will be a ghost , but not any random ghost but  a women who had been sati.One of a tradition show in the serie , no longer practice (ouf) is women beeing sati.A widow will wear white sari.When a husband die , the women can choose to join him in his new life and burn (alive)on the funeral stake with the corpse of her beloved husband, it's sati.Yes it is a disturbing tradition and even if it was done by choice , history have show it wasn't always the case specially in royalty.Personally , I have a lot of difficulties to believe someone can do it by choice.

I'm not going for something bloody , I don't want to scare the child. I will simply wear a white sari with jewelry I have.You may ask why I choose that.Costume always reflect a part of history or something we like , we do research and learn from it.I think I did learn something  about indian tradition and want other to learn a litlle more about it too.And of course , the idea of buying a new sari wans't exciting at all.The hole party will be about India , food and decorations.

As I said , white is the color for a widow.It was really hard to find something .I didn't want something cheap made of chiffon , net or georgette ,it's too delicate.Most shop didn't sell plain white sari.I finally find something white with a gold border in art silk with a custom petticoat for just 57$ from Indian selections(the link for it is in the shopping for sari article).For that price I knew I could never find a 6 yards of fabric with a gold border like it .I may be a little picky but I want to looks good and like what I'm going to where.The art silk isn't cheap so I'm glad about it.

This year , I want our annual party to be very special and remember by our guest.I'm working very hard on a totally new menu and how I'm going to decorate our appartment.I promess to take a lot of pictures to show it.

About sari / saree

I did spend a lot of time shopping for sari and I thought I could share with you lot of adress and things to know about it.Sari can be also spell like this saree.From comment I heard and read , most people are misinform about sari .Here is a few things to know and place to shop.


By definition , a sari is a three pieces outfit traditionally wear by indian women.

Part 1 the choli.The choli is a blouse with short or long sleeve , the lenght also depend of the area of India.Close at the front and have a tight fitting.Some curvy women may not be comfortable showing too much skin (which you ssaw most of the time).Simply wear it longer.

Part 2 the petticoat. The petticoat is a kind of A skirt .Most of the time they are made of cotton and have a drawstring at the waist.If you buy a sari that comes with a pettiocat be aware that it is a standard size which is small or x small.A custom fitting is always best and sometimes not expensive , 15 $ or less.If the fabric is not sheer you can also wear a pant or short but it won't give the real feeling .

Part 3 the sari. The sari is a great rectangle of fabric wrap around the body.It could be made of silk , art silk , net , chiffon , georgette ,cotton etc.Some area in India have specific design and every place have a speciality.The standard size of a sari is 6 yards + - 5,4 metres .Some are longer , 9 yards , but are harder to find and offer less choice.Sari offer all the colors and design you can imagine , it's a question of taste.The pallu is the end of the sari and always have more decoration or design on it  as it is suppose to be show .There is hundred of way to wear a sari .I do like this site which offer a lot of video on how to wear a saree.Be aware that saree may come with no finish at the edge and required that you do one because it could fray and look better.

Unstitch blouse
Many sari are sold with the mention unstitch blouse.Please know an unstitch blouse is not a blouse at all.It's a rectangle of fabric , in general at the beginning of the sari , which could be used to make a blouse.It's sometimes a matching fabric with the color of the sari and not necessarily the same as the sari.Many people believe it's a blouse already made and you just have to adjust it.Big mistake but most seller did not clearly explain what it is so it's easy to do it.



Where to shop

Ebay
Ebay is always a first stop.Most sari (well to not say all)are from India.Take the time to check how long it take for the seller to ship,the type of fabric and the possible quality it may have , if he offer choli or petticoat custom depending of what you need.To reach north America it can take easily 2 weeks.Even if it is not indicate , most seller offer custom options if you ask them.If you buy more then one sari , some seller can offer a discount but you will have to ask to get it.I think the key is communication with seller on ebay.They will gladly answer and like I said , even if it's not written you ask and they probably can do it.Be carefull and take the time to read.I did buy from many differents sellers and always receive a good service and communication with them.

Web shop from India
There is many  shops from which you can buy sari directly from India.Sometimes the price can be in roupies .Again , many indications can be missing .Send an email and ask.There is nothing like communications.Here is a just a fews I did look at.
Indian selections - You may saw this name on amazon.com which offer art silk saree.Buy directly from them is less expensive and offer customs options.

Sari.com / Utsav fashion - As far as I can see they have the same thing.Utsav fashion offer better deal like discount price and free shipping.Compare the same item you wish before buying it.

Sari dhoti
Pachaiyappa's silk  - One of the rare who offer 9 yards silk saree.
The Chennail silks
Pothys

I hope my little guide will help you to shop better .If you have any recommendations to improve it , please feel free to email me about it.Enjoy your next shopping.

Preparation for the picnic

 

 

I realize I didn't post anything about the costumes preparations for the picnic we done in july.So here we are with close-up and more details of it.

 

For my son

 

A white t-shirt and a pair of gray short I already have.The green scarf I wrap at his waist only for the picture.It was a hot and shiny day so I thought it wasn't a necessity.His hat was a straw I fold to make a tricorn.

 

For my honey

 

He used what he have and just buy a few accessoiries , mostly necklace and an orange scarf wrap at the waist .Hee already have a tricorn so real easy.The truth is he didn't enjoy much costuming.He came with us because he know how much I want him to join us and our son like his daddy to be present.

 

For myself

 

I was in vacation in july and somewhere during the summer it was my birthday.I knew I didn't have time to sew and not much motivation for it.I thought a sari would be a good idea.I found it on ebay for 8,99$.The  seller also have jewelry  so I buy both at the same place to make sure I will receive it at time.

 

 The complete kit of jewelry , red and gold for 40$ .Two necklaces, two bracelets with rings (not show),a pair of earrings , a matha patti (head piece) and a nath (ring nose).Similar kit could be sold for 150$ but if you take time to search you will find less expensive like mine.

 A side view .The earrings have a chain and I assume it have to be attached to the head piece.Anyway I really don't know where else to clip it.The earrings are heavy , attached to the head piece it help to relieve the weight.

 The sari.You know when it's written the color may not be exact as the picture , that's a good example.With time and search I realize in India maroon  is more a red-dark pink then the brown reddish I expect.On the picture it was really  like brown .I was a bit dissapointed but accept it because I receive it one week before the event.I order the petticoat(skirt)to go with it and the choli(blouse or top).It take a month to receive my order so it was too late to complain.The standard petticoat was tight but I could fit in.You really need a petticoat to wear under the sari because some fabric a sheer.

A dark pink art silk is still sheer.You can see my hand under the fabric .When you take the option custom choli , they cut the sari to make it.The lenght of a sari is mostly standard to 6 yards-5.3metres.When you buy a sari , the unstitch blouse mention is only a square of fabric you can use to make the blouse.Many people make the mistake to believe it's a blouse already make you just have to adjust.After cutting my sari , I now have 4,8metres which is a little too short.For a plus size women 5,3 metres could be just enough or not enough depending on how you choose to wrap the sari.The best will be a 9 yards sari but I can tell you they are hard to find and you don't have a lot of choice.

The color wans't the best , it wasn't perfect but we all enjoy the event and we had a shinny day.It is not possible to ask for more.