Guides
How to drape
The standard Nivi drape, in six steps.
- 01
Start dressed
Put on the petticoat and blouse first. The petticoat should sit at your natural waist and be the same length as the saree will be — the hem of the drape follows the petticoat, not your legs.
- 02
Tuck the plain end
Take the plain end of the saree, tuck it into the petticoat at your right hip, and go once around your body from right to left. Keep the lower edge just off the floor.
- 03
Make the pleats
From the tucked end, gather five to seven pleats, each about five inches wide. Keep them even — this is the part that shows. Hold them together and check the hem still falls level.
- 04
Tuck the pleats in
Tuck the gathered pleats into the petticoat slightly to the left of your navel, pleats facing left. Pin them if you like, through the petticoat rather than the saree.
- 05
Bring the pallu over
Take the remaining fabric around your body once more, then bring the pallu up under your right arm and over your left shoulder. Let it fall to about knee height at the back.
- 06
Set the pallu
Either leave it loose, or make four or five narrow pleats in the pallu and pin them at the shoulder. Loose shows more of the weave; pleated stays put through a long evening.
Heavy silk drapes differently
A heavy pattu saree holds its own shape, so you need fewer pleats and wider ones — five is usually right. It will not need much pinning. It will need a firm petticoat, because a soft one collapses under the weight.
Light fabrics need the opposite
Georgette, chiffon and other light sarees are light enough to slip. Use more pleats, narrower, and pin the pallu at the shoulder. A slightly starched petticoat gives them something to grip.
Cotton
Cotton holds a crisp pleat without help, and holds it better with a little starch.
Getting the length right
Most of our sarees are 5.5 metres, which suits the Nivi drape for most heights. See the size guide for how length and blouse-piece measurements work, and the care guide for keeping the drape in shape afterwards.