Lehenga-style saree
A lehenga-style saree is a modern garment introduced in India that blends elements of the traditional saree and lehenga choli. A lehenga-style saree is normally 4.5 metres (5 yards) to 5.5 metres (6 yards) long. To wear one, unlike a sari, one does not have to form pleats but may simply tuck and drape.
Like that of a traditional saree, the lehenga-style saree is worn over a petticoat (inskirt; pavadai in the south, and shaya in eastern India), along with a blouse called the choli, which is the upper garment. The style[1] of choli mostly resembles that of the choli of a conventional lehenga or ghagra choli. Sometimes conventional blouses are also matched with lehenga-style saree. The choli is mostly of a halter neck style, deep neck, or backless style. As with choli worn with the saree, these cholis are also embellished with kundan, beads, mirrors, etc.
Origin
Lehenga-style saree is stitched as a long flared skirt with a zip at the side and made to the measurements of the wearer. The wearer need only fasten the zipper and drape the pallu (the loose end) over the shoulders. This requires less technical skill in draping and pleating than the regular saree demands. The pallu has the dramatic effect of the matching dupatta of the conventional lehenga choli.
Embroidery and embellishments
Various types of embroidery patterns are used for a lehenga-style saree. Bagh, chikan, kashida, kasuti, kantha, sozni, shisha, and zardozi are some of the commonly practiced types of embroidery in the lehenga-style saree.
Bagh is a special kind of embroidery done by women in Punjab to be worn during festivals and weddings. Bagh embroidery completely hides the base fabric and is a very heavy kind of embroidery. Kashida is a Kashmiri embroidery type. This is very colorful and depicts Kashmir in its patterns. The other most famous embroidery on lehenga-style sarees is the kantha work and kasuti work of Bangalore.
Embellishments used in lehenga-style sarees' patterns include silver embroidery, golden embroidery, metal beads, real pearls, wood beads, glass beads, mirror work, lace work, Kundan, sequins, glittering stones, and zardozi. Mostly rich fabrics like silk, georgette, brasso, brocade, chiffon, crepe, etc., are used in the making of a lehenga-style saree.
Indian draping a lehenga-style saree
Compared with traditional sarees, the method of draping[2] a lehenga style is relatively simple and hassle-free. The plain end of the saree is tucked into the petticoat/inskirt and wrapped once completely around the waist, similar to wearing a regular saree. Whereas pleats would be formed in a traditional saree, at this point with the lehenga style one continues to tuck in the drape without making any pleats. (In a lehenga-style saree, pleats are replaced with embellished gotas or panels at the front, which imparts a flared silhouette that is characteristic of a lehenga-style saree.) Finally, the pallu is draped over the shoulder like a regular saree.
The only difference between a lehenga-style saree and a regular saree is that the lehenga-style saree does not require pleats to be formed at the front. A few lehenga-style sarees come with side hooks to fit the saree snugly around the waist.