sorry, no saree (aka sari) / the Nine Yard Wonder

Sarees or saris, the name for the traditional women's garment in India, have been around for thousands of years. Cotton was first cultivated here in 5th century BC. and eventually began to be woven. sometime after, it became the custom to drape and wrap 9 yards of it around women's bodies and this style of dress has been evolving ever since. 

Several events involved in the wedding extravaganza i've come to India to attend were listed as "formal" or "semi-formal". these are not (as many of you know) words that my clothes closet understands. other non-Indian ladies who were traveling from afar made it known they were planning to be fitted with, and to purchase, authentic sarees – in accord with the When In Rome, Do As The Romans maxim. i thought i might do that as well. 

once here however, i began to have second thoughts. the sarees we see on Indian woman are extraordinary - incredibly diverse in color, texture, fabric and wrap style. all, im sure, dependent on class and means. for those with resources, there are Daily Sarees and probably special sarees for every occasion. the streets are a RIOT of color with women bustling everywhere in their amazing garb. 

the special occasion sarees in the stores looked really STIFF to me and i was increasingly afraid i'd feel tight and stuck like a hotdog in a bun. also, in spite of what EVERYONE here has told me - i have polled many Indian people about this - i felt a tiny bit like wearing a saree as a white woman might feel like an appropriation. SO i decided – sorry, no saree. instead, i purchased some amazing fabrics to integrate Indian flavor into my own wardrobe.

After attending the first event where most of the grown women were in a sarees, i actually felt FINE. no one was critical. and some people actually complimented my style. so i decided to carry on being me.

9 facts about the 9 yard wonder