What could be a better way to show off that perfectly chiseled body than a sexy, transparent saree? Gone are the days when oversize, flabby women would resort to wearing sarees to hide their flab and extra pounds.
Women today are figure-conscious and do not mind spending a few hours sweating it out everyday to attain that perfect hourglass figure. Such see-through sarees are a hot favourite with top notch Bollywood designers as well- with chiffon and net being the obvious choices. Chiffon is a light, transparent fabric- soft and delicate. But the delicate look is actually a façade to the strength and durability of this fabric which drapes beautifully and accentuates the soft curves of woman, adding an element of sensuousness to her femininity. The same holds good for Net as well. Net is a gauzy, meshed see-through fabric which can be used to showcase a perfectly-proportioned body. Inspite of its sheer look, it is sturdy enough to bear the weight of elaborate embroideries and last a few seasons, given some careful handling. Such diaphanous fabrics keep the wearer cool in our hot and humid climes while their quality of revealing more than they conceal can actually make a woman look sizzling! Infact, they could make the heat unbearable for most men!!
There are occasions which would require an Indian woman to dress up in traditional attire and since heavy silks, brocades and traditional sarees are not exactly savored by the woman of today, they opt for a transparent saree which would appease the elders in the family yet not make them look matronly. An elegantly draped chiffon or net saree adds panache to a woman’s style quotient. A favourite with designers like Manish Malhotra, Ritu Kumar and Sabyasachi Mukerjee, they now come in embroidery embellished, hand embroidery, paisley work, sequined, zardosi, bead work, velvet-appliqué work, brocade-bordered and hand block printed versions, apart from the traditional bandhinis, lucknowi, chikankari and floral prints. A trendy, transparent saree can make a woman look groovy and chic since they typify class and sophistication. A fashionista, at least in India, would find her wardrobe incomplete until she has a few see-through chiffons and net sarees in her collection.
Worn with a simple traditional blouse, a transparent saree can look classy even on women who like to dress up conservatively, since there is not too much skin-show. Youngsters who like to think out-of-the-box could get a little experimental and try wearing such sarees with a noodle-strapped blouse, a sequined halter blouse, a bikini-top or a corset and make a fashion statement with it. Not only this, since the new brigade these days has no qualms with a little skin show, the saree can be tied way below the navel to add to the oomph ( more so, if the navel is pierced and adorned with a tiny piece of jewellery!). On a hot summer evening, pastel tones (like a baby pink, off-white, peach, lilac, aquamarine or sea-green) can be accessorized with silver or pearls or light-diamond jewellery to have that killer effect. Use of brighter shades (for instance, royal blue, red, purple and black), on the other hand, coupled with solitaires and a string of pearls can make a woman stand out in a crowd.
As with most outfits in India, the Bollywood influence on sarees too is conspicuous. Our leading ladies have, over the years, endorsed such dare-to-bare sarees in their own ways. In recent years, Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukerjee, Kajol and Vidya Balan have been wonderful brand ambassadors. Of late, Kareena kapoor and Deepika Padukone have been seen donning a transparent saree with an itsy-bitsy barely-there blouse and flaunt their chiseled bodies at film award ceremonies and functions. No wonder then that Rekha, the original diva of our Indian film industry, finds a saree sexier than a little-black-dress. A typical Hindi pot-boiler would be incomplete without featuring our leading lady draped in a sheer saree and standing under a waterfall or dancing in the rain. This is something that never fails to have an aphrodisiacal effect on the men in the audience. Accept it or not-the modern woman likes to be flashy and swanky. She is not willing to dress up like her Mom did two decades back. She is not happy being just brick-in-the-wall, she wants to get noticed.
And with the contemporary designers infusing new life into this hitherto traditional attire, sarees are becoming popular with the new generation as well.