How to Construct a Draped Garment Dress

Sari beauty is timeless.

By definition, draped garments are made of fabric that is wrapped or tied around the body. No sewing is required. Examples of draped garments include a sarong, sari and toga. The key to making these garments look attractive on the human form is in the way the fabric is wrapped around the body to accentuate natural curves and contours. The Indian sari is a very common type of draped garment dress. While there are many ways to drape a sari, the method presented here is a good means of beginning your experimentation with Indian dress.

Things You'll Need

• Sari fabric

Instructions

1. Hold the fabric in front of you with the fabric width hanging down. The beginning corner of the fabric has to be at your right hip. The bottom edge of the fabric needs to graze the top of your feet.

2. Wrap the fabric around your body and tuck it into your waistband to hold it in place. Keep the bottom edge of the fabric even. Wrap around the body one more time.

3. Wrap the fabric back across your body from the right hip to the left hip. Create a pleat at the left hip by folding the fabric back across your body. Create a pleat at the right hip by folding the fabric back across your body. Tuck the fabric into your waistband. Keep the bottom edge of the fabric even with the previous layers. You now have a large pleat at each hip. Each pleat has to fall straight down your body.

4. Drape the top border of the sari and place it on your left shoulder. The width of the fabric has to be hanging along your arm.

5. Grasp the top edge of the sari fabric halfway between your shoulder and hip. Pull the fabric out in front of you until there is enough fabric to wrap around to the middle of your back. The fabric must maintain a drape over your shoulder while you do this. Keep a grasp on the fabric where it meets the middle of your back. Bring fabric back around to your front. Gather enough of the fabric to make a small knot at the point where the fabric reached midback. The knot is only on the edge of the fabric and not through the entire width of the fabric. Tuck the knot into your waistband at midback. The position of the knot can be adjusted as needed to maintain both a good fit and a flattering drape.

6. Grasp the lower edge of the fabric that is opposite of the knot. Traditionally, a house key was tied in a knot in this corner, both as a matter of practicality and to act as a weight. Use your imagination for whatever is handy to add some weight to this knotted corner. Drape the knotted edge on your left shoulder.

Tips & Warnings

• For a less bare look, wear a blouse or T-shirt beneath the sari.

References

• Cornell University: Dress, Fashion and Social Change
• Sari Safari: The Bengali Drape