As you know, there are dozens or even hundreds of ways to drape a sari. It is amazing, how a simple rectangular piece of fabric can be turned into many different garments of various designs. Usually, sari is draped like a dress or skirt – it is, naturally, the easiest way. But you can make pants out of a sari with the help of just 3 safety pins and nothing else. Let’s see how to wrap a sari in a very special style. This style is called Meenakshi style or pants style.
Meenakshi is a Hindu goddess, the divine consort of Sundareswarar (a form of Shiva). She is worshipped mainly in South India. And also, it is said that this particular style of draping a sari was her very special style.
All you need is a sari and 3 pins. The sari should have a nice decorative border on the right side and the left edge can be plain. The top part of the sari should have a small border and the bottom part – a bigger border.
First, make sure that there's a little bit of length on your left side, with the plain border.
Grab the fabric of sari at the top and tie a knot at the waist.
Next, take the left side of sari and wrap it around your left leg. Form kind of a pant leg out of this cloth.
Now, you have to drape the left edge of sari. Make sure the border is seen. Pleat the edge and, when ready, tuck it at the waist. This creates one leg of the sari.
Now, your right side, the longer one. Take the fabric, wrap it around your right leg and then throw the edge over your left shoulder.
Now, you need to drape this long edge with an ornate border around your upper body.
First, pleat the edge with a border. Once it’s pleated, make sure that the pleats go all the way down.
Then, arrange the pleated fabric neatly over your left shoulder.
At last, take your first pin. The fabric of the sari should be fitted snugly. Smooth out everything and arrange all the edges perfectly. Clip the pin from the inside.
With another safety pin, clip the fabric in the area of your armpit to be sure your bust is covered safely.
Now, you have to arrange the sari at the back. Smooth out the fabric on your backside and make sure the decorative border is on top. Clip the cloth with the 3rd safety pin on your lower back so that the sari looks like trousers from the back.
Meenakshi-style sari is ready. You can go out like this.
Or you can take the edge draped over your shoulder, wrap it around your waist like a sash, and tuck into the waistline. This way, the attire will look finished.
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