Styling A Kalamkari Saree

Tips from Experts at Uttariya

Often inspired from nature, sometimes derived from culture, the hand-block printing style of Kalamkari, showcases intricate motifs that differentiate Kalamkari from all other designs. Kalamkari Cotton Sarees especially are known to have a distinctive appeal to them given the detailing of the print. But from cotton to silk, Kalamkari can be printed onto a range of fabrics and its unique style stands out everytime.

When it comes to styling a Kalamkari saree, one has to take a few things into account. That’s because Kalamkari Sarees have a distinctive aesthetic; the same should be complemented along with taking into consideration the fact that the styling shouldn’t take any focus away from the print itself.

Here’s some tips to style your Kalamkari Saree look

Picking the right footwear

High-heels all the way! Kalamkari Sarees are known to have an elegant fall and grace and it best shows when you are wearing heels. You can either opt for platform heels or the more conventional heeled sandals, looks great either way, as long as your saree is the main highlight of the look.

Accessorising a Kalamkari

South Indian jewellery is a great recommendation to enhance your Kalamkari saree look. It all boils down to the visual aesthetic. Kalamkari prints and the motifs are often associated with the culture of southern parts of India and therefore that particular style of jewellery blends beautifully with the prints.

The best blouse styles

Kalamkari sarees are very heavy in their design sense. The artwork is intricate, complex, and detailed. It is important to note that the whole USP of the Kalamkari saree is the print itself and therefore, when you pick a blouse to pair with your saree, ensure it’s a simple design with solid colour tone. Pairing a designer printed blouse with your Kalamkari saree is a strict no-no. You can either go for a monotone blouse or get one stitched from the saree fabric by using the saree print around the arms and as the border of the blouse.

Draping a Kalamkari

A print so gorgeous should be made as much visible as possible. Therefore, we strongly suggest the conventional saree draping style when wearing a Kalamkari print. What would make the look even better is letting the pallu fall onto your arm instead of pleating it, that way the gorgeous artwork on the pallu can very well be the highlight of your look, one that gets you all the compliments.