Is it time to reclaim the saree as casual wear?

There exists a subculture of casual saree wearers who believe that there are no rules to donning a saree, and are shedding the shroud of colonial conditioning in their wake

“I remember hearing stories from my mother about how people would snicker at those who wore sarees every day instead of the traditional mundu-kuppayam,” says 63-year-old Suhara Abdul Kader. This perspective through which the saree was looked at in the 1950s, as opposed to the way they are looked at today, isn’t all too different. Despite the market size of the saree industry amounting to 288 billion rupees in India, sarees belonging to the category of occasion wear are what contribute to these numbers. 

Having said that, there is a growing subculture within the South Asian community, of people who are embracing the saree as casual wear. They are diverging from notions of where a saree should be worn, or how it should be worn, shedding the shroud of colonial conditioning in their wake, to reclaim saree for the everyday.

The right place

“Have you ever seen a saree casually draped around someone while they stroll down the street? It's a rare sight to behold in the Americas. Sarees have been stereotyped as only appropriate for special occasions, but why can't we enjoy them on an everyday basis?”, asks Natasha Thasan. As a ‘saree architect’, Thasan educates  people through her online content and classes to reclaim the saree and make it their own. 

Thasan is one among the many who are part of the growing community of sartorial enthusiasts who refuse to save sarees for the so-called ‘right’ occasion. With 778k posts generated for tags like #100sareepact, the number of people embracing saree is steadily growing. But for every person that wears a saree to the mall, there are still questions about whether it would be uncomfortable or cumbersome, owing to the way it has been portrayed over the years. As Thasan puts it, “The media has portrayed sarees with high standards and expectations, which can be daunting for anyone. On the other hand, there is an equally stark connotation of being "too cultural". But what's really wrong with being cultural? Being brown and doing brown things shouldn't be kept under wraps or feel like a crime.”

Sujata Biswas, co-founder of the brand Suta Bombay who associates the saree with the idea of home, dislikes the idea of the saree being labeled as cumbersome. “I hated the fact that every time I wore sarees, I was hoping that nobody would ask me what the occasion was. My sister and I have been working towards walking the talk by wearing sarees wherever we could–pubs, malls, grocery shopping, or simply whilst traveling so that people in urban areas understand that the attire was everyday wear not too long ago.” 

 
The idea that sarees are impractical is a notion that can easily be debunked. In BBC Culture’s conversation with social anthropologist and author Mukulika Banerjee, she shared how the idea of the saree as 'restricting movement' is debunked by the millions of working women across India who are construction workers and farmers.  

The right occasion

Deepthy Prabha, a 26-year- old content marketer is someone who rarely misses a chance to wear a saree to work. But she is tired of the usual questions of what the occasion was. “My standard response has always been 'I just happen to love sarees very much.' My colleagues have eventually come to terms with my unending love for sarees. I find them to be very empowering.” Through such conversations, there is a slow but steady acceptance of the saree as casual wear.

The growing number of advocates for the preservation of sarees, according to Biswas, can be attributed to the increasing popularity of craft and artisanal products. Even in popular media, casual sarees are being featured more. “In the past 10 years of being in this space, Bollywood or even Hindi serials have picked up casual sarees to be worn by their leading ladies. Seeing the modern protagonist wearing casual sarees effortlessly is also contributing to their growing popularity,” says Biswas.

Pooja Jagadeesh began wearing sarees about eight to nine years ago, more because of her love for textiles rather than the saree. As someone who struggled with draping one, she understands where many people may be coming from. “While I often needed help with draping my saree, somewhere along the way I sought to embrace the comfort that I felt in wearing a saree, without a reason or an occasion.” 

With globalisation and the power of social media coming into play, through hashtag movements such as #100sareepact, more people are seeing beyond the perceived limitations as well. Most of which, Biswas opines as, "the result of rampant conditioning.” This is reiterated in what Thasan spoke of. “Across oceans and time, the saree has fought to live on to modern times. There's no one-size-fits-all approach to wearing a saree, which is why it's so adaptable and inclusive. Whether you prefer a more traditional or modern look, there's a way to wear a saree that feels true to you,” she says.

Making it one’s own

This conversation regarding the adaptability and inclusiveness of the saree is perhaps what is contributing to the rise of brands, artists, and influencers challenging the prevalent ideas associated with it. Thasan further commented on the inclusiveness of the saree, “Perhaps the most important aspect of the saree is the way it conforms to the body and personality of the individual wearing it. It's not about fitting into a certain mold or conforming to a standard of beauty but celebrating and embracing one's individuality.” 

While sarees have been referred to as a symbol of femininity, it is also gender- and body-neutral. This is furthered by the work of creators such as Pushpak Sen and Dhruv Dhody who interpret sarees as extensions of their queer identities. Even among those who identify as cishet males, there is an increasing acceptance of the saree as a basic attire devoid of gendered notions.

Talking about making the saree your own, Thasan shares, “Finding your grace in a saree is a hell of a challenge you must be willing to experience. If you're still letting your mom drape you the same way she did when you were a teen, that drape will also not mature. It's about finding a style that speaks to your best comfort, and that takes some trial and error.” Jagadeesh agrees, saying, “In looking beyond the initial struggles of wearing the saree, I figured out hacks to make the saree truly my own and this is what has made all the difference.”