Sari Style
29
Alia attended Durga puja celebrations on Wednesday evening wearing a Dhakai Jamdani with a chikankari full-sleeve blouse from Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. A Dhakai Jamdani stands out because of the woven motif in the border. The additional embroidered border done by the designers duo drew attention away from the motifs and all the charm that made it a Jamdani was completely lost.
Also, Alia here looks like she is playing dress up vs owning the sari. Rhea, who styled her, is a good stylist but I think gets really caught up that everything must be “big name designer”.
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Alia Bhatt
Photo Credit: Viral Bhayani
Why can’t they just drape normally… This is so artificial and not organic at all. Border is horrendous and definitely takes away the charm and grace of jamdani.
What did I just see . Seriously, is there no way this designer duo can be barred from ruining every craft form in the country, from Ajrakh to Jamdani
So true. Can’t believe that someone ruined a Jamdani.
Can’t agree more
Payal – On the contrary, i quite like the embroidered touch to the Jamdani along with the chikankakri blouse. This elevated the overall look. What is wrong with opting for a designer? Most of Kajol’s and Rani’s sarees at the pujo were designer as well. I love the colors of this saree and the drape as well.
Honestly, isn’t everyone playing dress up in their own way during the pujo?
If you’re talking this year saris worn by Kajol and Rani that had embellishment, neither wore a handloom with embellishment. The point here is that jamdani weave’s standout is the woven motif on it and in this particular case, got lost because of the heavy border. I am not saying we shouldn’t embellish any handloom sari. In this case, should’ve just let the sari be and just added the blouse.
Payal – I am not talking about your comment on the embellishments, each person’s tastes may vary and i respect that. I like the embroidered touch on the Jamdani and you did not, and that is completely to our personal preferences.
Your comment that Alia is playing dress up and opting for big name designers at this event is probably out of context given that Kajol and Rani have been opting for big name designers as well, and everyone is literally playing dress up in their own way at the pujo.
My big name reference was directed towards Rhea. Not Alia…
Got it. But Alia trying to play dress up is still directed towards her . Almost everyone is playing dress up in their own way right?
THISSSS.
In regards to Alia, I have often seen such lines written by our editors – that she seems to be playing dress up. It is honestly so condescending and diminishing to the effort put by the stylist and of course Alia herself.
What exactly gives you that impression Payal? Could you elaborate a bit on why you think she doesn’t seem to own the look? And why is that most often directed at Alia whenever she wears anything traditional and desi?
I couldn’t agree more with the statement that everyone is always playing dress up! That’s what dressing up means.
A kid wearing her mom’s pearls and shoes is playing dress up. A kid wearing their regular dress with extra pretty clips or a pretty shoe is dressing up. When Alia wears these one-off looks that isn’t something she normally wears, it is playing dress up. But, some folks are able to own it. On Alia, it almost always looks costumey.
Ok, thanks for explaining your take on playing dress up. But how do you not see how condescending and rude this sounds? You’re constantly saying this about a mother of a young girl and a thirty something woman that she seems to look like she’s playing dress up?
I understand each to their own but this constant commentary on Alia especially when she wears traditional is getting very tiring.
We can agree to disagree. But, the whole point of this blog is the clothes and this is about the clothes Alia is wearing. I will say the same thing about Sonam or a Deepika if their outfit looks ridiculous and have.
The PR infestation rampant in Alia posts is getting absurdly boring. The defences are so cliche and passive agressive.
Fashion is in large parts perception. No matter how well curated the look is on paper, everything this woman wears looks nouveau, corporate shill like and non-descript. There is no personality beneath that vaccuous PR designed persona to adorn the clothes she wears and lend them some gravitas,credence or character We can’t help it if that is how she is perceived. No matter how “rude” or “condescending” it may sound, this is what happens with manufactured hype and synthetic industry plants. No ground level popularity and people struggling to figure out what they are missing and why they can’t lean into the narrative. Ha ha ha
I am glad P&P have not bought into this circus. A stylist curated look for temple and pandal visits? Looks and feels Orwellian.
Well explained, Payal.
Alia has never been much of a fashion girlie, she never developed her own style (unlike, say, a Khushi). So the stuff she looks most authentic on her are her loose jeans and tees, the seriously casual stuff.
Unfortunately, she’s been pegged as the next big thing for brands — which seriously seems to overwhelm her. The Levi’s collab is probably the best reflection of who she is.
The ‘desi’ looks, the high-end western wear, therefore, always end up giving a “playing dress-up” vibe.
Oh come on. You should know better than this, Payal. Stick to the clothes and not the person, that is why your comment comes across as condescending.
We can agree to disagree. The whole point of this blog is the clothes and this is about the clothes Alia is wearing. I will say the same thing about Sonam or a Deepika if their outfit looks ridiculous and have. And you are also allowed to leave your disagreement here.
Meh as always the Rhea-Alia combo goes for effect and headlines than actually “wearing” the look. The drape is so shabby and the hair is also messy. Again a decent curated look that doesn’t translate well. You nailed it – it always looks like she’s playing dress up and “auditioning” for roles/ doing look tests be it look like rekha, look high fashion, look bengali at a Durga Puja than owning the look.
Looks like she dresses up like The daughter in law at a grand function as host.. or picked grandmas vintage look. Anyway, The blouse spoils this look entirely.
Payal, since when did Rhea graduate to ‘good stylist’ status? Because from Alia to Bhumi to Janhvi sometimes, it’s been more fashion victim than fashion icon. It’s like she’s pulling random designer pieces without really considering who she’s dressing.None of the girls own the look, because Rhea’s too busy curating Pinterest boards instead of personalities.
Absolutely…only Sonam can carry Rhea’s curations. She doesn’t dress ppl for who they are…she puts on what she would wear on them and they mostly look ridiculous.
Rhea has tried really hard to create a quickly-draped “thrown on the body” kind of “just for the pandal” look with this saree. Possibly with the intention of not making Alia stand out with a heavily styled look at the pandal. But what one can’t miss is Alia’s history of trying to make a photo-op out of every appearance. This is a heavily curated look with the veneer of casual. The hairdo further gives it away – bearing the look of a quick half-tied hairstyle but in reality is a “styled messy do”.
There’s something about Alia’s style which is never fluid. Alia herself and her clothes have always been two separate entities. Unfortunately, the entities are wildly distinct this time.
I absolutely abhor that blouse, and agree with Sonal about the drape- come on this is a place of worship dress modestly
Something feels off when you get a stylist to design a look for visiting a temple.. complete with shakha pola. Makes the wearer feel insecure.
Bang on point … I felt the same
This whole dress up in traditional clothes from various regions – Chaturthi, Onam, Pujo, Karwa Chauth etc – is really so tired and over worked, It is like an airport sighting, out and about kind of pr.
The beauty of jamdani and chikankari is in its delicacy and subtle luxury. Sort of if you know you know. Abu Jani is like quiet luxury in the hands of the nouveau riche. A hot mess.
Jamdanis are by far my most favorite weave, it was a treasure to buy one for myself last year. The subtle elegance is what makes it stabd apart. And for all folks to know the intricate needle work is done freestyle by the weavers, without an existing design blueprint. The work is so meticulous, that most weavers get weakened eyesight early in their lives. So much so it gets difficult to duplicate the same pattern on multiple saris. Hence the high price tag due to the intense layout that goes behind this.
Coming back to this look, I had no clue it was a jamdani until I read the comment. The flashy border completely distracted from the work, which should ideally have made more folks interested in the weave and the story behind it. And less said about the drape and curation of the whole look, the better
This is not a true Dhakai jamdani. The motif is different and was not made in Dhaka. It can be called an “inspired” version of a Dhakai Jamdani at best.