4 Ways to Wear Your Mom’s Sari With Pieces from Your Own Wardrobe

“This black, sequinned sari belonged to my maternal grandmother, and my mother inherited it from her. The majority of saris I have ever worn—and love—are from their wardrobes, and it is only now that I have started a collection of my own.

My typical ‘sari style’ is minimalistic. I usually pair them with little crop tops or corsets—kind of ‘mix the old with the new’. And I drape them the traditional style, or in the Gujarati style of bringing the pallu forward, over the shoulder.

I’ve thrown on an embellished Forever 21 corset that I’ve had in my wardrobe for ages, because I think it works well with this.”

“My mom loves collecting beautiful textiles and saris from around the country. This one is one of my favourites from her collection because even though it’s timeless, the colours and handwoven stripes in the pleated section make it so modern and fun. The way my mom and I wear it is so different, but, in a way, this sari is a perfect blend of both our distinct styles.

I’m wearing a satin crop top from ASOS as a blouse, which I really love because it’s so bright, bold, and versatile—it works great with everything, from skirts to saris. It also keeps with the monotone look, so that the drape can be the star. To accessorise, I chose a completely unexpected gothic-style neckpiece from Mawi that’s bejewelled with crystals and pearls.”

“I had gifted this chiffon, Satya Paul sari to my mother a few years ago, and I’ll admit: I love to borrow it from her! Since saris are, by default, ultra-elegant, I always like to add a touch of light-heartedness without detracting from the overall sophistication. So, when I wear a sari, I prefer to keep it classic and elegant with a little bit of fun.

This sari has a Devanagari and ‘mirchi’ print on the pallu, which lends a cool vibe. I wanted to play that up by styling it with a crop top instead of a traditional blouse. And I love pairing sneakers or lace-up shoes with feminine, formal outfits—especially Indianwear—which is why I’ve styled it with a pair of brogues. In fact, they were the starting point for this look—not only are they formal and funky, but also androgynous. Finally, I’ve completed the look with a belt and, of course, red lipstick.

I don't wear saris often, because my personal style tends to be super-casual. But I do think the sari is an absolutely stunning garment, and I love borrowing them from my mom’s wardrobe because she has amazing taste—way way more refined than my own. She’s a continuous source of inspiration for me.”

“I’m wearing my mother’s beautiful, blue sari with an embroidered knotted pallu, a signature style from Gaurav Gupta. I chose to style it with a floor-length, sequinned blazer from my own label because of two reasons: I wanted to add a personal touch to the look; and I wanted to add a sense of ‘power dressing’ to the style, because I’ve always seen my mother as a very strong woman. 

My mother has had a very strong influence on me, especially while growing up. And even though she has a very soft, feminine, and elegant style of dressing up, I see her as a very powerful and confident woman who gets things done.

When it comes to my own ‘sari style’, I’d define it as sexy and elegant. I love a plain, silk, satin drape more than anything else!”