Sari Style

Comment image 39


At a conference on Thursday in Mumbai, Vidya was spotted sporting her signature look in an Anavila sari. What could’ve been a really pretty look was ruined by that hair over the ears ponytail and that huge necklace that could give Flavor Flav some serious envy!

Now, I know many of you have given up on Ms. Balan and think we should just stop featuring her. But, we quite haven’t. We don’t expect her to give fashion forward looks but at least not look this bad in a sari. I know for a fact that you can wear a sari everyday and look good. (Heck, we have our mothers who’ve shown it to us!)

Here’s hoping she is reading. 🙂

vidya-balan-anavila-unity-conference

Vidya Balan at Unity Conference 2016

Photo Credit: Viral Bhayani

  • Like it? Share it!

39 Comments

  1. I am usually all for letting people be the way they want to be. But I find it annoying that she leaves her pallu undraped and then throws it over her shoulder like she is bothered by it. 1) At these appearances she is presumably not doing the chores of other working women. There is no need to throw it over like that. 2) If she is indeed bothered by it, she could pin the pallu to create a more ‘professional saree’ drape (like an air stewardess would).

    Vidya, please listen to me! If you leave it open, please let it fall in the ‘pretty’ way. If you want it, please pin it up properly. Please stick to one side! 🙁

    Reply
    • I am sure Shilpa Shetty and Vidya Balan don’t read this blog. Because they dress the same way from many many years. Any fashion advices for these both women given on this blog is waste. They just dress the way they want, it may not be liked by many but still they do it their way. In a way it’s like saying that they are not competitive to grab the title of “Best dressed”.

      Reply
  2. Just looking at Vidya Balan post after post makes my arm pain. How can she stand with her arm like that ALL of the time. I’m sure if we were to look at her pictures placed next to each other it would like as if it’s a mannequin and just the saree has been changed.

    Reply
    • I am assuming your comment is a reply to my comment above. Yes I like that attitude. Playing your life by your own rules and not to be dictated by other’s rules. 😀 Not trying to impress others at the same time not hurting others.

      Reply
  3. Why reference the people who want Vidya gone from this blog. My eyes glaze over 90% of the offerings on this page but I don’t take time to post and point out the flaws – and I am amused that these people do. Please don’t listen to a vociferous minority. Embrace the perfect, the messy and inbetween. Fashion blogs are not obliged to only post what is deemed fashionable by self-appointed fashionistas who create ever narrowing standards of what is aesthetic. Nothing is more fatal to style. A look may be unfashionable *for its time* but if a woman oozes self-confidence and happiness it also says something about how we carry ourselves.

    On the post, this look doesn’t jump out at you and agree about the necklace, it is a ruiner.

    PS: I saw Vidya being interviewed by NDTV yesterday at the launch of Dark Things and there is more fluidity and charm with her kind of dressing in motion than stills. On which note perhaps the quality of stills also makes a difference when we judge any actress.

    Reply
    • Perfect! A 100% agree with ‘a look may be unfashionable..’
      Such is the nature of the game that everything needs to be judged by that one still.
      She doesn’t aim to be ‘fashion forward’ neither has she used social media to promote brands or a stylist ..bit unfair no to judge her hair make up photo pose by the same fashion blog yardstick?
      Let her crook of arm be…

      Reply
    • +100. For Vidya, she is fine being herself – she is not Katrina or Deepika or Sonam who are paid to wear designer clothes. She likes wearing Saree like a regular Indian woman. Like regular people she sometimes look good sometimes not so much. What is wrong with featuring her. If you don’t like it scroll down that’s it. People should stop tearing down people for what they wear. It is one thing to criticize or point out flaws or suggesting ways to improve – it is another to be mean.

      Reply
  4. I think we should cut Vidya some slack. When she dresses the way other ladies in Bollywood do, she is accused of ‘trying hard’. She has found her niche in saris. In one of her interviews, she admitted that “she was born to wear a sari”, a statement that signifies acceptance of her body type and that not many of those “bollywood” looks suit her. If she dresses perfectly everytime in a sari, honestly, it will be such a *yawn* – For example: Deepika’s sari looks are too predictable and have become boring now.. they all look the same even with different designers (Mind you, I’m a fan of DP). Maybe with Ms. Balan, its now like “Oh I have to wear a sari in any case, so just throw it over”. Something which happens with all of us when wear the same type of clothes every single day.

    With this look, I think its only the hair that are playing a spolisport. In my opinion, if Vidya can’t experiment with her attires, she can experiment with her hair! A simple half tied feminine hairdo would have looked great.

    *Already awaiting crucifixion for my essay here.*

    Reply
    • Agree! Big jewelry and saris are her thing, and I think she usually wears them well. I think it’s her hair that throws it off here. At least she knows how to wear a sari…I’ve never seen her do a stupid boob show with her draping. I like her conservative Indian look. She needs a bit of polish for the “red carpet” but at least she is staying true to herself.

      Reply
      • @Priya: I completely agree. Sari is one attire with which almost ALL styles of jewellery go, unlike gowns/casual wear or any other type of dresses. Obviously the way you style it, and its design influence the kind of jewelry you go for. Such plain solid colour cotton sarees demand ethnic or chunky/gem based jewelry than diamonds or golds. Silk sarees for example can be accessorised with gold or multi strand necklaces etc. So she is right there even with her accessory game. I totally am with you that she doesn’t do that silly one boob show with her pallu draping that bollywood is known for.
        Sari is also something that can suit almost any body type when draped in the right way. I really feel its wrong to crucify someone so much to say that even sari is not made for her. Obviously somebody tall like Sridevi will own it anyday because of her height and lean body. Even here if you see, the saree drape is clean and its actually quite beautiful.. only and only the hair are playing a spoilsport. It is not her fault that she is not tall and lean. Heck, even then she rocks saris for me!

        Please Vidya if you are reading this, please start experimenting with your hair, maybe with even blouse as well and shut all these self-proclaimed fashion police. 🙂

        Reply
    • Lol. I am NOT AT ALL a fan of Vidya Balan. But I can take Vidya’s sarees over Sonam’s posts here on this blog. I know I shouldn’t bring Sonam here but when the question comes about whom to not feature on this blog, I will vote for Sonam to not to be featured and vote to keep posting Vidya’s looks. Because Vidya’s sarees are artistic coz she wears handloom sarees all the time. A handloom saree is a piece of art coz lot of hardwork, creativity, imagination, talent and time of the weaver goes into it to make a saree. A handloom saree is many many times more valuable than the high end designer wear Sonam wears. I agree Vidya should make minor changes in her styling to make it more connected to us. I think me preferring Vidya’s sarees over Sonam’s outfits is a huge huge compliment to Vidya.

      Reply
      • Sonam is an example of waste of money and a slave to brands! Problem with P&P is, they themselves are biased to celebs who read their blogs regularly. If you go to archives of Sonam, in her very initial post, it was revealed by P&P that they remain in touch with Sonam as she had contacted them for some brand clarification that sonam was wearing. In one of P&P’s interviews with a leading publishing house, they were told that Sonam is addicted to their blog, hence the carefully worded comments on her. If you see the twitter page of HHC, you will notice that alia bhatt follows them and when bhatt was asked in one her interviews that what is fashion according to her.. she replied “to each his own, but if you don’t dress properly, there are websites that will not let you live.” That is why I also find that P&P’s comments on alia bhatt too are carefully worded even when she looks bad as she is a regular reader. That is my observation at least.

        On the other hand, DP, Vidya Balan, Kangana are carefree, don’t give a damn type people. DP I believe has become even more audacious and there is this “unfazed by anything” attitude in her since she came forward and publicly announced her battle with depression. She has become stronger and doesn’t get frazzled by the many “self righteous police” existing in our society. Kangana has always been a “i don’t give a fudge” person and with Vidya.. she has developed a thick skin after all that severely ugly criticism for clothing that she received.

        That is why you will always see more of lyrical posts on Sonam, alia bhatt (May I also add mini mathur to the list? :P) than on Vidya here!

        Reply
        • Yes I am following this blog from the beginning. And I am aware of the partiality of P&P towards Sonam and these Socialites. It is because they all wear Brands and Designer wear. They all wear it blindly just to show off, none of them possesses ‘STYLE’. I am always against it. It is injustice to fashion, style and people who really dress well. There are many people and celebs in India who truly have good sense of style and dress so well. But they are not featured on this blog and are underrated and not recognized by media in general. I am always against the propaganda of promoting Sonam as a ‘fashionista’ by media and these fashion blogs.

          Reply
          • That is what it is.. Boot-licking those who have money and wear brands head-to-toe. P&P’s comments on vidya for not wearing saree well according to them really is indirectly alluding to her short and broad frame. Because otherwise I have only seen them (and many other commentators here) heaping praises on only those sari wearers who have a tall and a thin/fit body. Seriously, how mean and cutting can they be.

            There is something about Vidya in sari. All other people look ALL THE SAME in sari with a good height and lean body. Be it deepika, sridevi, rekha or tisca! Vidya has her own different looks of sari! I’m NOT a vidya fan but I’m actually appalled looking at the meanness in comments.

            Reply
  5. I too haven’t given up on VB. I also don’t think she just randomly throws things on not caring how she looks. There is a method to her madness. Nobody would style (!)their hair this way without some thought behind it. I just wish she would on occasion take some professional advice. While these sarees are good enough, their slouchly draping must really stop. And the wholesale, draw by numbers blouses- this style doesn’t suit her in the first place! Also why why why would she style her hair in a way that highlights her face in the worst way possible? I really feel sorry for her.

    Reply
  6. We have celebs like Sridevi ji (at any age) for can rock any Saree like saree were made for only for them and then there is this lady. LOL! It is really a shame that a woman who wears saree all the time has to show up so unkempt like ALL the time..the drape, hair, the weird-cheap accessories( Cheap not in terms of money but yeah taste) ..the list is endless.

    Reply
  7. Styling of Bollywood celebrities is a real sore point. They just don’t get it. Least of all Vidya Balan!!! To look presentable and attractive is part of the job description of an actress of her stature. Hope she improves with time.

    Reply
    • +100. They are in show business to make money and not doing some charity. Yeah she can dress up how she wants and when she shows up in public, there would be comments on it. Don’t see the big fuss and the crusaders that go on the sermon rants about it. lol. Just look up the archives there is no improvement in many years only from bad bad Anarkalis the transition has been made to expensive Sabyas but still the same mess.

      Reply
  8. My problem with Vidya is the ‘unkemptness’ that emanates from her looks.. all the time!
    She never looks put together.. Being not interested in fashion/clothes is one things .. and not being able to look presentable is another .. We have people from Bollywood like Konkana and Nandita Das who rock sarees all the time.. they wear similar sarees, with a laid back attitude, effortlessly but look very well put together..even Konkana’s simple cotton sarees.. When Vidya claims that ‘she was born to wear a saree’ or ‘she can wear a saree any time’, she’s got to look the part to justify her claims .. she takes a lovely Anavila saree and has no clue what to do with it… so she just wears that uniform-ish blouse and random chunky necklace. It is all wrong.. especially that blouse with that style on the neck and sleeve length .. Your saree has an ‘organic’ look, for lack of a better word.. your blouse should look the same. And this is the dis-connect with Vidya’s look every single time.. she / her stylist just does not know what pieces to pair together.. that crooked arm pose and pallu are least of her worries.
    Vidya’s looks give me anxiety at times.. she has this lovely collection of sarees but her looks are so incoherent.. Okay.. rant over!

    Reply
    • You said it. Nandita & Konkana wear sarees for the most part looking so graceful and presentable. They are nonchalant but never unkempt and a mess like her. The best part is that they don’t even wear any “designer” stuff . While Vidya Balan will wear designer sarees (Sabya) but anyway end up looking like a hot mess. lol.

      Reply
  9. Payal and Priyanka, what do you gain by going after someone like this? “Looks this bad in a saree” – such words are cutting and hurtful. And more so when they are written down. Even more when they stay on a blog like this for a long time.

    Please feel free to pass your judgement, but remember that the person reading your words is a living, breathing human being. She might not impress you with her saree wearing skills, not now, not ever, but by such poor choice of words you leave many more people unimpressed.

    Please maintain some dignity in your choice of words. Otherwise it feels like you are putting up her posts just to gang up on her and tease her. The sort ragging seniors in college do with juniors.

    Reply
  10. Priyanka and Payal: The only two people who have a problem with her look is the TWO of you! I mean, if you dont have anything nice to say about her then why say anything at all? she is a beautiful woman who likes the way she dresses and is comfortable in it.. why can you not let it be? You have mentioned in your site that words such as “fat”/ “ugly” cannot be used. The comments that you write about Vidya EVERY SINGLE TIME are no less than using the taboo words!

    Reply
  11. Blogging on a daily basis is no fun without a little cyber-bullying thrown in as click bait for the salivating minions…. or maybe even themselves btl. 😉

    Reply
  12. That is a really insensitive thing to say, P&P. Sorry, but this comes off as a low blow.
    Fashion is, after all, an individual’s personal aesthetic.

    Reply
  13. I think she is a representation of an average Indian woman. If at all they would like to emulate a celebrity, Vidya would be more easy on the pocket.

    Reply
  14. I think she looks alright here. Not elegant, but OK. Vidya, who is a classic beauty BTW, looks good in sarees most of the time.

    There is one commenter, X, on this site who consistently criticizes her, even on Shweta Bachchan’s post. X trolls Vidya Balan and praises Shilpa Shetty, Kriti Sanon and Shriya Saran no matter what they wear. Annoying.

    Hope this comment is posted, for the best of motives.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *