How To Wear A Gujarati Saree In 6 Easy Steps

A Gujarati saree is one of the most distinctly recognisable styles of sarees due to its vividly bright colours, heavy use of gota work as well as its elaborate embroidery. If you have seen any modern sitcoms (post 2000) then there is a high likelihood that you would have spotted one of these creations adorned by a television soap protagonist.

In a Gujarati saree, the pallu or the loose end of the saree is often rested upon the right shoulder, which is its unique trademark. Perhaps it is also the reason why most tend to get confused with the draping process since the loose end has to present itself on the right-hand side from the back rather than the front.

In case you find draping a Gujarati saree a challenge, then worry not. We have compiled a 6 step process of wearing a saree, and it’s very easy. So let’s begin.

Step 1:

Start tucking the saree the usual way in an anti-clockwise manner – all the while tucking it evenly without leaving any air gaps. Do not tuck at the same spot again and again. Tuck once at one point, which is preferably at the front, back and the sides of the waist (4 points). You would invariably observe that the number of tucks would correspond to the number of times you wrap the fabric around your waist.

Step 2:

Once you have wrapped the saree (4-5 rounds around the waist), stretch the saree to draw some loose fabric and temporarily tuck it in your waist. Now take the end of the saree and carefully bring around from the rear (lower left corner) to the back of your right shoulder. Start making four to five pleats depending upon the fabric, and design. This is basically the pallu and in a Gujarati saree it is drawn from the back – rear lower left corner towards the right shoulder, cascading to the front.

Step 3:

Rest this pallu from the back to the front. It may feel slightly odd, but there are still some steps to come! Adjust the length of the pallu using the loose loop of saree, which we had temporarily tucked at the middle of the waist. The length of your pallu should ideally be right above your knee.

Step 4:

Neatly overlap the pleats on that section of pallu or drape that rests on your shoulder. Affix this to the blouse using a safety pin. As the pallu moves down you can make the underlying pleats frill out. This will be needed later.

Step 5:

Remember that loose saree you had temporarily tucked? Remove the tuck, and start making box pleats with it. Box pleats are the ones that form a groove on both the sides. There is no count for this, and you can make as many pleats as you want to neatly and firmly tuck the fabric at the middle of your waist. Once done, pin it using a safety pin.

Step 6:

You are done with the draping at the lower end. Now to focus on the pallu. Take the third (or whichever seems suitable) pleat and extend the entire drape in a way that the fabric runs across your entire bust covering it completely. Keep the fabric tight and stretched, and secure it with pins on the saree on the lower back, and at the top to the blouse.

You are now draped in the resplendent Gujarati style saree!

Bonus Step:

In case you would not like to wrap the pallu tightly around your bust then you can simply pull the loose end and secure it to your left shoulder with a safety pin. It gives the pallu a somewhat dupatta kind of look. This is called the Rajrani style variation of the saree and as the name suggests it is more commonly seen in Gujarati aristocracy.

We hope you found our guide on how to drape a Gujarati saree useful! Leave us a comment and do share this article with anyone who needs it. Below is a video that can help you visualize the above steps better.

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