Practice Draping Saree in PRIVATE without mirror

Nithyapry has a good suggestion - first try with mirror, and once you get the hang of it, can try without mirror.

Google "instructables.com art of wearing a saree" and there are also some other results that have instructions with pictures. Take a good look at few of these. You'll be combining tips from a few of those till you perfect your own style.

Coming to the without mirror part - I can perhaps help. As teenagers or twenty-something when getting ready for a family event such as wedding, somehow the youngest were considered least worthy of the rooms that had almirah-with-mirror. Kind of weird given that the older women would be pros by then. I digress.

Some tips to make up for absence of mirror:
In the initial tucking, hold the bottom edge of the saree gently down with big toe or between the big toe and index toe. This will keep that edge from getting pulled too much to the left as you take the saree to the back and to the right.

When ready to do the pleats, pause and run fingers around the tucked in portion of the saree to smoothen any lose edges, and to make sure it is too 'lose-lose' but not too snug either. This is also a good time to take a few deep breaths and check if the skirt/petticoat is secured tightly enough.

Another challenging thing is to make sure the saree is at the correct height at the back. To newbies, I'd suggest start off by tucking in the saree, then hold the bottom of the saree down with the heels and slightly tug it down by putting your weight on the heels and a tiny bit bending backwards with toes up.

The pleats is the trickiest part. This will really only come out well with practice. The picture worksheets do a good job of giving instructions on how to hold the material between thumb, index finger and rest of the fingers. Though, have to say the saree as worn usually is probably not very friendly to left-handed folks.

Have safety pins handy and not too far away. Try to keep ceiling fan at low speed.

The beauty of a well-worn saree is not really in the eyes of the beholder. It is how secure, confident and beautiful the wearer feels. For some simple souls like me, just the knowledge that the three (not two) safety pins are guarding my modesty is enough to make up for a saree that is not draped exactly very elegantly, and which my near and dear on inspection will ask for a re-draping, nay, insist on doing it then and there, for me.

That has always been the case. A saree worn has to meet so many people's approval. But why! Even the tailor has his say in it. Fresh from independence granted to me by marriage, I ventured to my old tailor shop during a visit to get new blouses stitched. I bravely asked him to make the neck 7". Guy had the audacity to turn to my mother and say, 'theek hai?' (OK?) When I indicated that my married status meant my mother's restricted carte-blanche: "Do what you want, just do it after you are married" was now very much legally in effect, the guy grins sheepishly, and say, 'phir bhi...mummy se tho poochna hai na." (still, we have to ask mummy, no).

If you have any specific questions, post. It is kind of hard to give more detailed instructions or tips without getting a bit graphic. But if you have specific questions, we can help.

Good Luck.