Why Kantha stitch sarees of West Bengal are always in demand?

The kantha sarees are in a great way responsible for the fact that folk art of Bengal has remained healthy and alive. Of late, this form of sarees has seen a significant increase in its demand. The motif designs that you see typically in the katha sarees are normally hand embroidered. Apart from sarees, kantha stitch is also used in other dresses that women wear such as kurtas, lehengas, and salwars to name a few. These sarees can be made of cotton, which is more often than not of the finest variety, as well as silk.

When are these sarees worn?

Most of the times, these sarees are worn during festivals considering the fact that kantha stitching is a traditional folk art in these parts. They are also worn during various cultural events as well as family gatherings. When you wear one such saree you would feel prettier and more proud.

How has it spread to the rest of the world?

In the last few decades a lot of people have been migrating from India at an increasing rate. They are going away to different parts of the world. Apart from this, there are places that had been colonies previously and have sizeable Indian populations as a result of that. Therefore due to this movement people around the world have been coming in contact with Indian culture. This has also afforded them the chance to look at various examples of Indian handicraft. This includes kantha stitch work as well. In fact, people in the West have been showing a fair amount of interest in kantha work as such. A lot of women are wearing sarees as well and all these factors have come together to make kantha work popular in various parts of the world.

Fabric of kantha sarees

As has been said already these sarees are made from silk and cotton. In traditional kantha you will definitely see a lot of layers and this is one feature that you will see in the modern pieces as well. However, there has been a major departure from the past. These days, new clothes are used to make kantha sarees. Along with West Bengal, kantha work is also done in Bihar, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. You will find this work in Bangladesh as well.

West Bengal Famous Kantha-Embroidery Work

Borders in these sarees

The borders that you get to see in kantha sarees represent the highest points in hand embroidery and needle work done in India. The borders can just be thin strips that have single line designs. They may as well be broad with multiple line designs. The best thing about these line designs is that they can be quite different compared to each other. In some of these sarees you will see that the same running design has been placed in all the four sides. In some other sarees you will see two borders have been placed in a longitudinal manner, and two have been placed along the wider part of the saree.

One of the commonest misconceptions about kantha sarees is that the designs are always mythological. It cannot be farther from truth. There are various other kinds of designs that can be seen in these motifs. You will get themes such as the following:

• circles
• flowers
• the letter X
• betel-leaf
• barfi
• butterfly   

You can get designs of vegetables such as mango, orange, bitter gourd, and pineapple on the motif borders of these sarees.

Stitches in these sarees

In these sarees, the running stitch used traditionally is accompanied by other kinds of stitches like the chain, double herring-bone, herring-bone, and the cross. 

10 ways to keep style and fashion your regular Salwar Kameez

Following are 10 style tips that you can follow and revitalize the look of the salwar kameez that you wear each and every day in your life:

• Teaming it up, improvising
• Using the traditional angrakha
• Using the cotton anarkali
• Wearing the short kurta
• Wearing a sharara
• Wearing an asymmetrical kurta
• Wearing a straight kurta
• Styling it with a jacket
• Wearing a sherwani suit
• Wearing a full-length salwar kameez

Teaming it up, improvising

There is no law that states that you should wear a salwar kameez in a traditional manner each and every time you wear it. You can do something that pleases you, makes you happy, and create your own fashion trend in the process. A dash of improvisation will always make your appearance a special one. For example, you can use a kurta, which happens to be rather plain and straight, and then team with a pair of palazzo pants.

When you wear it you will feel the difference and others will as well. Fashion experts these days are asking women and girls to avoid leggings since they happen to be boring and passé. This is why, as far as they are concerned you should be letting go of them at times. They always say that you should be wearing your style on your sleeves.

Always try styles that are different to the normal practice, and are thus unique. Try colours that are striking contrasts of each other. You can also give yourself an ethnic look with such efforts.

Indian Salwar Kameez are very famous for your fashion wear

Using the traditional angrakha

You can never go wrong with the traditional angrakha, which is not a mundane piece of clothing by any stretch of the imagination. This style will surely make you feel different and unique. Apart from being a distinct style this dress also gives you a sense of royalty that is something that you will never sense in a normal salwar kameez.

If you have areas in the body that you consider weaker parts of your appearance, such as a bulging midriff or a heavy hip, then you should definitely give angrakhas a go. Angrakha has a fusion of neck designed like a V and features an overlapping pattern as well. This means there is far greater focus on your kameez than the so-called weaker parts of your body.

However, if you have heavy breasts then you should not be wearing an angrakha. The main reason for such a statement is the fact that the layers of the angrakha will make sure that your breasts look bigger than they actually are. It is ideally suited for women who have an hourglass shape or are generally petite.

In these cases, the extra layers would actually enhance your body shape and make you look more attractive in the process.

Using the cotton anarkali

As far as elegant party wear is concerned anarkali happens to be a popular choice among women. However, this anarkali also has a sister who can be worn on a daily basis and is much more subtle in appearance. This one is called cotton anarkali. You can do up these anarkalis in the best way possible and just let the glitter do all the work for you.

You can be sure that with an anarkali you will always look stylish. They are comfortable as well – yet one more thing that works for these wonderful clothes. The best part of it all is that when you wear an anarkali you will never look over the top. There is an inherent class to this dress that is so comforting. 

10 Types of Saree Pallu Draping Style

A lot of us remember the way Priyanka Chopra wore the saree in the song Desi Girl in Dostana. We all remember how gorgeous and sensuous she looked in that traditional dress that has been identified with women in India for centuries. The speciality of that particular saree was that she had worn it over a bikini blouse.

Tickling the imagination

In that appealing garment that measured six yards Chopra set many a heart aflutter throughout India and beyond. She just looked out of the world. In fact, over the years a number of celebrities from around the world have worn the saree to stunning effect. The list includes names such as Victoria Beckham, Pamela Anderson, Angelina Jolie, Paris Hilton, and Selena Gomez. They have worn the saree and given the traditional Indian dress a smashing new look. They have refreshed things up like anything.

Why is a saree so special?

As far as dresses for women in India are concerned there is hardly any other piece of clothing that reflects the sheer feminine appeal of Indian women like sarees. It really complements them unlike anything else will ever do. Over the years fashion trends and clothes have come and gone but saree has remained one constant in the wardrobe of most women in India. Whenever an Indian girl wants to feel feminine and look stunning saree is her first preference.

Where can you wear a saree?

A saree can be worn just about anywhere. This is what makes it so special. You can wear it to special occasions such as wedding ceremonies, farewells in colleges or even on formal events such as office parties. Saree is a versatile dress and will suit any occasion to the T. However, as excited you may be by the prospect of being able to wear a saree, if you do not know how to drape one then you can be sure that things would go bad pretty soon. 

Butterfly Style Saree Wearing

Styles of draping pallu

Following are the 10 best styles in which you can drape the pallu of your saree:    

1. Nivi style
2. Front Pallu or the Seedha Pallu
3. Mermaid Style
4. Bangla Style Saree
5. Half Saree, Two-Piece Saree or Half Lehenga
6. Retro, Wraparound or Mumtaz Style Saree
7. Contemporary Neck Wrap Saree Style
8. Butterfly Style, Bollywood Style or Short Patli Style   
9. Northern or Floating Style
10. Tribal Styles

Nivi style

This is said to be the easiest style for wearing a saree. It belongs to Andhra Pradesh originally and is especially good enough for women who are new to wearing a saree. In this kind of style, the saree happens to be well-draped. The pallu is pinned in a beautiful way to the part of the saree that covers your shoulder. The form in which the saree is pleated is beautiful as well. There are a couple of ways in which you can sarees in this style. Those two styles are Kacchanivi and Modern Nivi. In Modern Nivi the drape is simple and pallu is pinned to the shoulder.

In Kacchanivi the pleats are supposed to pass through your legs and are then tucked to the back of your waist. This covers your legs and also allows for free movement. There are a few tips that you can consider in this particular case. You can use a fancy pin in order to pin up the pleated pallu. You can also pair this with Cholo, a sort of blouse worn by Nepali women, and thus freshen up your entire look. This can really create a fantastic fusion, and will also help you stand out from the crowd.