Saree shopping made easier

Manjureddy · Jan 30, 2007

Hi All !

Just some historical info i want to share.
The saree started off ( 3000 yrs. ago according to some) as a unisex garment it seems. The old Sanskrit word for the common garment was Chira and in Prakrit, it was called Sadi .
In fact, the Togas worn by men in ancient Greece were all exactly like the saree, with pallu included.:-D

Manjula

varudhini · Feb 1, 2007

Hi Meena

Now-a-days in Andhra it is common for TV anchors to wear the butterfly pallu saree and here in Andhra esp in Hyderabad in shops also they are displaying those sarees a lot, but except for cine heroines and TV anchors, a common woman will not like and wear those sarees. Though they look modern, I do not think they are comfortable to wear.

Varudhini

meenaprakash · Feb 1, 2007

Hi Varudhini,

I really would like to watch them wearing those sarees.
let me check it out myself.
thanks dear for the info.

Love,

kk_karthi2000 · Apr 29, 2008

Vidya24 said: ↑

Hi all,

I found this guide useful when shopping for Tamil Nadu type sarees, especially for elderly ladies.
This essay is faithfully reproduced from the net, and is not my own work.
Enjoy yr retail therapy in sarees!
Vidya
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USEFUL FACTS

Sari buying is easier if you can name what you want. The following terms were patiently explained by Selvam, a friendly salesman at the Radha Silk Emporium:
The silks
Kanchipuram pattu: Hand woven from hand-spun silk yarn.
Pure silk: Woven on a power loom from twisted silk yarn.
Crepe silk: More slinky silk woven on a power loom from twisted yarn.
Vairoosi: Silk shot with gold. The warp is silk thread, and the weft is one jari thread for every few silk threads.
Tissue: Silk shot with more gold, so that it shimmers. The warp is silk, and the weft is entirely jari.
Brocade: Silk with heavy jari woven on a Jacquard loom.
(Many shops use words such as "art silk" or "fancy silk", material which may have nothing to do with a silkworm. If something doesn’t look silky enough to you, keep moving.)
The jari
Pure jari: Silver jari thread that is plated with gold. Selvam recommends dry cleaning the first time and then careful hand washing. For long-lasting saris, don’t buy any other kind of jari.
Tested jari: Copper jari coated with thread. Dry clean only. It is usually not worth the trouble and you are better advised to stick with the pure stuff or silk thread work on the borders.
The cottons
Madurai "chungudi" cotton: A smooth cotton woven on a power loom, sometimes tie-dyed. Look for a high count (close weave) if you want a long-lasting sari with an easy drape.
Kanchi cotton: Handloom saris with a more open weave.
Chettinad cotton: Earthy handlooms, the most popular being checked or striped. Buy the closer weave.
The colours and weaves
Double colour: The warp thread is one colour and the weft another.
MS blue: Double colour of ink blue and black threads, named after M.S. Subbulakshmi.
Mustard: A muted gold.
Ramar blue: Teal blue.
Ramar green: A green that is deep, but not as dark as bottle green.
Two-tone border: The inner edge of each border is one colour and the outer edge another.
Ganga-Yamuna: The upper border is one colour and the lower border another.
Ganapati temple border: Simple peaks at the junction of border and body.
Gopuram border or thazhampu: Jagged peaks at the junction of border and body.
Self border: A border that has no band of contrasting colour, only the jari design.
Lakshadeepam: Dense jari motifs all over the body.
Kalakshetra: Pattu without jari. Not to be confused with the proprietary designs of the Kalakshetra Foundation in Adyar.
Minakari: Motifs or borders with red and green silk spots highlighted in the jari, resembling minakari enamel work.
Vanasingaram: Pattern of forest animals or Rama and Sita.

Click to expand...

Useful information

Thanks
Karthi

archana.kc · Apr 30, 2008

Hey IL,

I am only 21, and not really wearing sarees every time. But, whenever there is a family occasion, I love flauting around in one. And for that purpose, I have got some designers etc. My mom is a huge saree fan. Infact, she used to buy sarees all the way from Bengal. After a point of time, she used to take orders from here, and get sarees for her friends from Bengal. Nowdays, she is not really into it.