When it comes to a traditional Indian wedding, a
wedding saree or lehenga is the most important part of the wedding shopping because it is the main apparel of the new bride. Both saree and lehenga are considered vital items of clothing for the bride and a lot of religious and cultural sentiments are intertwined with it. But, with the innovation of fashion and style, a new type of bridal apparel has come into existence that blends the beauty of the lehenga with the elegance of the saree and these dresses are known as lehenga sarees. A lehenga style saree is usually 4.5 to 5.5 meters long and unlike a traditional saree it doesn't need to be pleated. On can simply tuck and drape the saree that makes it not only convenient, but also easy and time-saving.
Features of the bridal lehenga saree
There are quite a few special features of the wedding
lehenga sarees that makes it one of the most popular bridal apparels.
- Just like a traditional saree, the lehenga style sarees are also worn over a petticoat.
- The designer lehenga sarees are paired with a gorgeous blouse known as the choli.
- This choli is same as the choli of conventional lehengas.
- The choli are embellished with stones, beads, mirrors and zari.
- The style of the choli can be deep-neck, backless or halter-neck.
- In a lehenga saree, the front pleats are replaced with embellished panels or gotas that provide the impact of a flaring silhouette.
- The easy to wear stitched, and flared skirt comes with a zip at the side and is custom made to fit the measurements of the wearer.
- Some lehenga style sarees come with side hooks that help the skirt to sit snugly around the waist.
- The pallu is casually draped over the shoulders that give a dramatic effect to the appearance of the wearer.
How to Drape a Lehenga Style Saree?
Although, the wearing and draping process of the lehenga saree might appear complicated, but in reality the procedure is much simpler compared to wearing traditional full-length sarees. The first thing to do is to slip in the skirt over the petticoat and fasten the zipper. Then wear the choli and secure it properly. Next, tuck the plain end of the saree into the skirt and wear it around the waist once completely and drape it over the left shoulder in a casual fashion like a regular saree. The only difference between lehenga sarees and regular saree is that there is no need to form pleats in the front in case of lehenga sarees.
The embroidery and designs in
designer lehenga sarees range from patchwork to embellished godets and embellished panels. The common traditional types of embroideries sued in lehenga sarees are Bagh, Kantha, Chikan, Zardozi, Kashida, Sozni, Kasuti and many others. Bagh is a heavy embroidery from Punjab that completely covers the fabric and makes the apparel kind of heavy while Kashida is a Kashmiri style of embroidery that is quite colourful and depicts traditional Kashmiri motifs. The modern lehenga sarees are decorated with a wide variety of embellishments like metal beads, pearls, glass beads, mirrors, Kundan, shining stones, laces, silver and golden embroidery and sequins. Some of the most popular fabrics used for making lehenga sarees are georgette, brasso, chiffon, brocade, silk and crepe.
How the Lehenga Saree Changed the Face of Indian Bridal Fashion?
The lehenga saree, also known as half-lehenga first made its appearance in the fashion world in the year 2013 at the Lakme Fashion Week and right from its introduction; it took the fashion industry by the storm. The design of the lehenga saree had a unique touch to itself that created a beautiful and harmonious blend of modern fashion and traditional values.
The smart and compact design of the lehenga sarees provided an elegant and contemporary appeal that instantly connected with the modern women of today, who like to flaunt suave and minimalistic fashion, that won't be gaudy and over the top in any way.
The lehenga style saree can be seen as a readymade saree that has a versatile appeal and can be worn at weddings, religious ceremonies and functions as well as parties without putting in much effort. The lehenga saree is ideal for those who are not much acquainted with the intricate pleating and draping of the regular saree.
Lehenga sarees have been made famous by the celebs of the tinsel town and the Bollywood divas like Sonam Kapoor, Vidya Balan and Dia Mirza seem to be totally in love with this lehenga saree concept. The stars flaunt this style in movies, reality shows, promotional events and award functions. There is a huge collection of lehenga sarees online at Lashkaraa.com where you can browse through the designer lehenga sarees collection and choose the one that perfectly suits your personal style.