#indian saree drape

[monsveneriss]

[bookishmomsstuff]

N in Indian women fashion

An attire that has been worn for centuries, six to nine yards, draped in different styles to give a unique look. A fashion statement and a symbol of Indian culture, it is a popular attire across the world and not only in India.Now let us look at some drapes and fabric in N. Nivi drape Image source Amazon The most common saree drape that you can see around and the easiest drape. Originating…

[shaadiwish]

South Indian Bridal Kanjeevaram Silk Sarees Designs

[mansimalhotra]

Mansi Malhotra Fashion,Shop Latest Designer Sarees, Lehengas, Sharara , Ares Drape Saree , Indian Wear, Aster Wisteria sequin fitted skirt drape saree , Aurum Lime Lehenga , Bridal Lehenga. Visit:- https://www.mansimalhotra.co/

[luxurious-saree-blog]

Discover the art of saree draping with our step-by-step guide. Whether you're a beginner or looking to perfect your saree drape, our comprehensive tutorial provides easy-to-follow instructions for achieving that elegant saree look. From choosing the right saree to mastering the pleats, our guide covers it all. Dive into the world of saree draping and elevate your ethnic fashion game effortlessly.

[shivangibhardwaj7]

How to drape a saree? Navratri Special Video. Please do shower your love on this video and subscribe the channel!

[indianlacesandfabricsupplier]

Ikat Silk Manufacturer – Characteristics And Uses Of Silk

Most of us love to use dresses and other accessories which are made up of silk. Silk – is popularly known as the Queen of Fibres. But do you know why it's expensive? Do you know that there are many types of silk fabrics available for sale? Let's know more about it here.

Today, there is a growing demand for silk. Hence, you can also find man made silk in the market too. Know that artificial silk is cheaper than natural silk. Let's first under about the silk completely.

What is natural silk?

The natural silk fibre is a fibre which is obtained from the silk cocoons produced by the larvae of certain insects such as silkworms. Hence, silkworms are cultivated for the production of natural silks. It is the strongest natural protein fibre which is mainly composed of Fibroin. Silk is a shimmering textile known for its satin texture and famous for being a luxurious fabric.

Silk is a unique fabric which is loved by many people. You can get different types of silks from the Ikat silk manufacturer. If you wish to make an outfit enhanced then you can use the saree laces online shopping to get the additional embellishments that will enhance the appearance of the fabric.

Ikat silk manufacturer – What are the characteristics of silk?

• Silk is composed of 80% of fibroin which is mostly a protein substance and also 20% of sericin which is a silk gum. • It’s a strong and natural fibre which possesses a good tensile strength. This strength usually comes from the continuous length of the fibre. • Know that silk is an elastic fibre which can be usually stretched from 10-20% of its original length without breaking. • This fabric has moderate resistance to wrinkling and has the ability to retain its shape through ironing. • The fabric has high flexibility and liability that gives excellent drape-ability. • Silk has good absorbency that makes it comfortable apparel to create a warmer atmosphere. • Silk fabrics will not attract dirt because of their smooth and slippery surface. The dirt which is gathered can be easily removed with dry-cleaning or washing with a mild detergent.

Silk is mainly used in the manufacture of clothing such as dresses, sarees, ties and many more. The fabric is used for making the home décor furnishings engendering an elegant, lustrous and beautiful result. This fabric is famous since it's easy and best to use. Silk is the best choice for the skin since it will not irritate the skin.

There is a unique guide for maintaining the material. If you are looking for saree laces online shopping then know that there are many online stores in the market. All you need is to just look at the best store from which you can get all the things required for the stitching process. The things will be available for high quality and at an affordable price. Hence just make sure to choose the right Ikat silk manufacturer and online store to make the whole process easier.

[pulimoottilonline]

Different Ways to Drape Saree

The attire which has undergone n number of transformations and yet remains the royal one to all other attire is the saree. The main advantage of saree is that they have no size barriers and can be draped to the style you want to be addressed. Traditional style, butterfly style, Mermaid style, lehenga style, and Mumtaz style are some of those which are often used to flaunt the curve. Bring out the perfect femininity inside you by styling with your favorite draping style. To know more about the saree draping style please go through this blog. 

[welcometotheravenclawcommonroom]

(South) Indian Harry Potter Headcanons:

Harry knew he was Indian (mostly because the Dursley’s used to say racist shit to him) but he didn’t know where in India the potters were from until he went to Hogwarts. He finds out from the Patils, who were close with the potters because desis stick together.

The Patils are from the north and use Hindi to speak to each other. Neither of them knows Telugu/Tamil/Marathi/Malayalam/insert Southern language of choice here (I personally headcanon Telugu because it’s the only Indian language I speak and because there’s a huge diaspora of telugumandi in the west, but feel free to choose whatever you’d like). So Harry has to rediscover his heritage language on his own.

He also studies Sanskrit, and it opens up a HUGE world of spells that they don’t teach at Hogwarts (because of course Indian wizards don’t do spells in Latin). He and the Patils know a bunch of spells that nobody else does.

Harry’s pleat game is ON POINT. It makes sense, since he had to do all the chores at the Dursley’s and that includes perfectly folded and ironed laundry with the edges aligned neatly, or else he would risk being punished. But the result is that if you want your saree drape to pass the inspection of even the most judgemental auntie, you go to Harry to help with your pleats.

Even when they’ve graduated and all have their own homes, it’s a pretty regular sight for the Patil twins to come through Harry’s floo, half dressed, to have Harry pleat their sarees or their lehenga dupatta for them.

Harry LOVES spices. The dursleys only liked bland food, but Harry has always liked flavorful foods, and has no problem with (hot) spicy food either. He uses lots of spices in his own cooking now. His food is very flavorful, but when he’s cooking for himself, it’s too spicy for all his friends (even the Patils). So nobody can eat his leftovers unless he was specifically cooking with other people in mind. Ron learned this the first time he rummaged through Harry’s fridge after a night of drinking. Now Harry labels all his food as to whether or not it’s “Harry spicy”.

James LOVED to buy Lily sarees. He’d order them with custom, wizard-themed designs from weaving villages in south India. The women who made them assumed he was just very imaginative, so he wasn’t violating the statute of secrecy since saree patterns are often vibrant and unique. Harry finds some of them in the old potter manor, and they still smell like the perfumes and scented oils his mother would wear when James took her to the local temple for Hindu holidays.

Indian witches often store extra magic in or enchant pieces of their copious jewelry with spells that can keep them safe if they’re ever in a situation where they don’t have their wands. stuff like, each bangle can function as an emergency portkey that can take you to different safe locations if you say the activation word, or ones that create an instant magical shield when you tap them. Harry finds some of his mothers gajulu, gives them to his female friends.

He ties Rhaki on Ron and Neville, and all the weasley boys. Ron was the first person he ever tied it on, because Ron was the first person who he ever bonded with, and his closest brother.

Harry always cooks idli sambar or dosa for his friends for breakfast the next morning after a night of drinking together, and it’s the perfect hangover food because it definitely brings you back to full alertness/knocks the last bit of post-hangover grogginess right out of your system.

Harry’s parselmouth abilities are valued in his native culture because of the sacredness of snakes in Hinduism, and it comes to be something he’s really proud of (personally I think the ‘parselmouth connected to the horcrux’ thing is dumb, so I’ve always imagined Harry was just naturally a parselmouth).

As the number of Indian immigrants/expats continues to grow after they graduate, Harry helps some of his students (he’s the DADA teacher) start the Hogwarts “South Asian Student Union”.

He always has snacks out for his students when they come to visit his office hours, and they’re all Indian snacks and sweets. His personal favorite is kaju barfi, but he always has a good variety of both sweet and spicy treats, especially for stressed out owl and newts students.

He collaborates with Hermione, who works in the ministry, to make it mandatory for Hogwarts students to a “foreign magical language” course so they can broaden both their minds and their spell repertoires. Padma Patil becomes the “Sanskrit Spells” teacher, and Seamus teaches “Irish Gaelic”. (It took him a little longer to get his course started, since it turns out that at least 40% of Gaelic spells are just increasingly complicated and violent ways to repel the English).

Hermione and Harry also work together to make sure there are employees in the international magical cooperation department who specialize in post-colonial relations, because the magical world also has its issues with that colonialist mindset towards countries that were formerly part of the empire.

Just south Indian Harry embracing his heritage, learning about what was ripped from him, and using it to enact meaningful change in a multicultural magical society.

[dokidokitsuna]

The Eel Deal

This was my first time drawing Frye’s face, and it was honestly one of the most rewarding fan art experiences of my life. She has such a good design!! OMG she has such an amazing design and I never really realized it until now…!

…I think it’s because I’ve never really seen her design rendered in a ‘hybrid-toon’ style like this, with her features ever so slightly exaggerated for effect. Tbh, I’m one of the very few Splatoon artists I’ve seen who draws like this; most artists either do ‘chibi-anime’, ‘semi-realism’ (there are SO many semi-realistic Splatoon artists; and it’s hilarious because you’d think it’d be the opposite), or something reflective of their own unique style that’s not really ‘on model’. And all that is fine, but with a design as unusual as Frye’s it means you never get to see how well it works in 2D all on its own. And it works SO WELL

Anyway, speaking of design: you may have noticed my final ‘bandit’ design for Frye changed a lot from its first draft, just like Shiver’s. I did like the original jacket, but I felt like I needed something less generic for the real thing. So I came up with this abstract shawl-looking thing, designed to resemble the pallu of the Indian saree. The long drape at the back kinda mirrors the shape of Shiver’s kimono-sleeves, which I’m very happy about. ^^

So in this re-concept, Frye’s eels have a job just like Master Mega does, albeit a less-mandatory one: if you feed them Power Eggs, they will accompany you into the lab spaces to search for things: secret rooms, locker decorations, and other hidden collectibles that contribute to your “percent completion” of the game. I imagine this as something you set up before entering a level, like the weapon select screen…maybe it could even be semi-interactive; like Agent 3 holding up different items for the eels to sniff, each one corresponding to something you can tell them to find for you. ^^

I also think it would be cool if, the more times you borrow the eels this way, the lower their Power Egg price becomes, as if you’re gradually ‘training’ them to help you. Maybe once you get down to the lowest possible price, Frye could congratulate you on becoming an ‘Honorary Eel-Charmer’ and give you a prize; something like that~

[taleofdaringdo]

Crowley in Indian Saree because she will slay Indian attires ❤️

Saree in my mind is a Georgette saree

For people who don't know what a saree is, it's a single fabric long clothing material that south asian women drape. This is one of many draping styles, but also most common one.

[shaadiwish]

These South Indian wedding images will make you fall in love with it and you would want to pin them right away.

[minim236]

Requested by @angel-starbeam - Edwina and Friedrich meet in India before she leaves for England and exchange letters.

Edwina knew balls would be much different in England. She would not get to wear her saris anymore, having to wear English clothes instead. She would have to drink English tea and soften her Indian ways. She was to be an Englishman's wife.

She took a deep breath, as her mind races with all the changes. Especially standing in the ballroom of the Sivaganga Palace. It was her last ball here before she and her family set sail for England.

Kate, in her beautiful teal sari was standing with their mother, assured it would be well. Edwina was an extremely proficient young lady and excelled in all the skills she put her mind too. Mary was anxious about returning to England. All Edwina knew is that she left after marrying her Appa, given he and Kate were traveling with the Maharaja when they met in London. She hoped there would be a few good memories at the very least, for her mother.

She strolled outside into the water gardens, smiling at the other attendees and taking it all in. She had run around in these gardens as a child. In between lessons and naps in her father's office. Lanterns, covered in different colours illuminated the garden as water lilies floated around in the various pools.

Oh, she would miss home.

Edwina looked up at the sky as she leaned against the pillar. She remembers her Appa telling her the stars were the same all over the world, so they were all looking at the same stars when he went away. It was a comfort. She would see these same stars in London and think of her father. She was determined to make him - and her mother and sister - proud. She would do it. She hummed to herself.

Prince Friedrich had thought himself alone, looked around hearing someone humming. It was a beautiful sound.

"Hello?" He called out. He had seen her. She was much like a startled fawn, trying to hide behind a column. A girl in a pretty pink floral saree, lined with gold. Her deep brown eyes widened.

Edwina looked at him, nervously fiddling with the material draped over her shoulder. She was in so much trouble!

"I-I did not mean to interrupt you, sir!" She protested, seeing his uniform. He was white, tall, with broad shoulders which told her he could be a soldier. But his uniform was different from the British or Indian guards. A deep blue that brought out the blue in his brown-blue eyes.

"No, not at all." He assured her with a kind smile.

"You are German?" She asked, hearing his accent.

"From Prussia, yes."

"Oh, my deepest apologies!" Edwina quickly said, afraid of offending him.

He chuckled at her cautious approach, "Not at all. My mother is from a German principality, so I suppose I am. But do not tell any Prussian purist. A crown prince should not admit being from another country!" He winked and watched as her face fell, this opposite effect he was hoping to have.

She curtsied immediately, "Your Highness."

"I am Friedrich."

Edwina fixed her saree, unsure of what to say. She should know what to say!

"That is a beautiful dress." Friedrich said with a smile, “Who might you be? One of the Maharani’s lovely daughters? Sisters?”

Edwina giggled and blushed, shaking her head, “No, no. I am just Edwina. Miss Edwina Sharma, sir.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Miss Edwina Sharma.” Friedrich replied. He leaned on the opposite pillar from her, “What are you doing so far from the gathering?”

“Oh, I needed some air. This shall be my last ball here and I found myself overcome with emotion.”

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes, to England in a few weeks.” .

"England? Why leave such a beautiful country for country in which in rains all the time?” Friedrich wondered.

Edwina's face fell, "Well, my appa died. We have managed this far, as the Maharaja has been most generous. They were close. But to ensure long-term stability for my family, we must go to England so that my sister and I will make good matches." She explained. She did not know why she was telling him this but he was listening intently.

"My deepest sympathies for the death of your father. But why England?”

“Well, my mother is English. My parents met at a ball.” Edwina gushed, her eyes alight as she recounted the story she had adored hearing as a girl. "Amma always says how she fell in love with him and his soul. How he would always find her eyes in any room. Appa said that it was love at first sight."

"Do you wish for a love like that?" Friedrich asked softly. She looked like someone who deserved a love like that. A beautiful young lady, intriguing too.

Edwina thought hard. She did. She wanted to feel the love and joy her mama had for appa. But she remembers how devest

"I do. But I suppose…” Edwina sighed, “It does matter.”

“I believe it does.”

“I do not think so.”

“Are you sure?”

Edwina giggled, “Such impertinence from a gentleman!"

“I am a Prince. We are impertinent men.” Friedrich replied, then smiled taking a step towards her, "I hope you shall enjoy England. Perhaps we may see one another there. You are most lovely."

Edwina felt her face warm, "You are kind, my lord."

"I am honest. You are beautiful."

She shook her head, “I should go, I do not wish to disrupt you further."

Friedrich stood, wanting to reassure her, "You are not disrupting me. Did the Prince revelation scare you? I do not hope it did?” He asked.

"I think so." Edwina admits, fiddling with one of the gold bangles sliding up and down her arms, "Surely, you have far more interesting people to speak with?"

"I am a soldier. I can only have so many conversations on trade." He pretended to close his eyes and snore, making her laugh again.

She looked back, “I should go. I do not wish for my sister or mother to worry for me.”

"Good evening, Miss Edwina Sharma." Friedrich said in farewell.

"Your Highness." She smiled bashfully, looking back as she walked away. He was still smiling at her and she felt all warm and fuzzy inside.

[ramayantika]

–✦– 𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨, 𝙍𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙠𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 –✦–

Usha Lakshmi Gargi Ratri Saraswati

Rati

(@krishna-sahacharini had figured it out 💖)

Amidst my box of pink, peach and nude shades of lipsticks, the bold red lip colour stands out. It appears as if it wants to mock me. 'You purchased me from Ladies Corner two months and I am still sitting in your box with an unbroken seal. Are you afraid of a colour?'

I have worn red sarees, red frocks and even red tops. I have red clips and rubber bands, heck even red sandals, but the prospect of applying red lipstick scares me. It makes me nervous. I have heard this boy tell me that you look gently and dainty in pink and peach shades like a fairy. The other day while coming back from college, I heard an aunty comment on a girl, saying, "God, did you see that bold red shade on her lips. It looks so improper. Girls should wear light shades that makes them look graceful."

But I remember applying the same red shade on my lips after borrowing her lipstick. She was reading a book then and I was trying out her lipstick. The colour suited me so well! For the first time, I got goosebumps when I saw my lips in red. It felt as empowering, liberating, bold as well as beautiful. My friend was observing my reaction and cheered, "You must wear red colour too you know. The shades you wear look pretty, but red has that charm which no other shade has." I blush and mutter a thank you. That evening I bought a red lipstick for myself.

Never wore it after I purchased it though. I always make excuses to myself. I carry a gentle, sweet, cotton candy persona so red isn't suitable.

Like always, I pick my light pink lipstick to retain my natural colour. I look at the black saree with golden borders carefully placed on the bed and then at my reflection in the mirror. Open tousled hair, black blouse, white petticoat and golden jhumke dangling down my ears. I bring the pink lipstick near my lips when suddenly the mirror turns black.

Gasping, I touch the mirror. I pinch myself to ensure if I am active or dreaming. The slight pain tells me I am actively experiencing this. My heart paces in panic. This feels like a scene from a horror movie and for a moment I brace myself to prepare for a ghostly attack when the black fades away only to reveal a lady dressed in dark red robes. Her outfit reminds me of sculptures of dancers, apsaras and goddesses from ancient Indian temples and paintings.

Her skin is as fair as milk. Well drawn arched eyebrows between which a red circular dot called bindu is carefully applied. Deep kohl highlights her beautiful pair of eyes. On her neck, I see a nuptial chain and a couple of jewelled necklaces reaching below her bosom. A thick strip of deep red cloth is tied around her chest. On her waist, I see a loosely tied waist chain and her hips sport a jingling hip belt. She wears a dhoti styled draped cloth which reaches till the knees to cover the lower half of the body. There was a specific name to it which I had read in a book. Sadly, I can't recall the name anymore.

I stare at her matchless beauty. She gracefully steps outside the mirror and stands behind me. Her thin fingers gently place themselves on my shoulders, and she whispers in my ear. "Did you recognize me?"

Stuttering, I try to form an answer. "Apsara Menaka?" She looks like a sculpture reborn alive from a temple after all!

The woman chuckles and taps my cheek with her index finger. "I am the Goddess of Love, my darling."

My lips part in shock. I gaze at the reflection of the woman beside me. "Rati...." I murmur.

"Absolutely correct! Thankfully, you remember me. Many women don't -- atleast not in today's generation."

Hundreds of question circle my mind regarding why is the Love goddess here in my room on a random Saturday afternoon when I am to leave for an outing in an hour.

"My my, did you forget about the lady in red from your visions? I am here for that only," I hear the goddess say.

She snaps her fingers and the lady in red appears on my mirror. Her face looks eerily similar to mine. I hear Devi Rati again. "Do not look away from the mirror until the lady in red disappears."

The woman looks mesmerizing. She doesn't have the perfect zero figure like models do. I see her belly rolls and love handles. There are a few stretch marks on the side of her waist where a thin chain lies. But God, the confidence on her face and eyes makes me shiver. Her eyes makes me want to get lost. This was the woman, I wanted to be and not someone who pinched at her love handles and looked up hundred ways of removing stretch marks from my hips and thighs while fretting over my slight double chin and non existent jawline.

Devi Rati speaks again. "Look at her, love. Her bold red dress stands for the feminine energy she carries within herself. Do not confuse her sensuality with lust. Her eyes are bright and playful. She needs no man no woman to tell her how gorgeous she looks or how modest she has to look. She saw you look at the 'flaws' of her form, but she is beyond flaws and perfections of the flesh. She knows the trivial nature of beauty. It only lasts until the age of youthfulness runs. But does that mean one should not appreciate beauty? Should one not wear good clothes and adorn themselves?

"They should and everyone has the right to feel good about themselves. Do not cover or hide yourself. If you love a colour, a dress or a jewel, wear it. If the world has to judge you, they would just do it for a minute and forget about you in the next minute." She picks the red lipstick from my box. "Your life is too short to be spent in worry if a boy or that old woman down the lane will call you bold for wearing a simple red shade."

She gently applies the lipstick on my lips. Her eyes meet mine and what she says next gives me goosebumps once again. "When they tell you to cover yourself on their narrowed understanding of modesty and culture, remind them about me, Rati, the goddess of Love and Beauty. Remind them of the goddesses and their sculptures from the same temples they love to visit. Remind them of apsaras and beautiful maidens who were clever, wise, knowledgeable and beautiful. Remind them of the same golden ancient culture that looked upon the female form, every female body as divine and everlasting."

The goddess makes me stand up and removes her hip belt and ties it around mine. "Do not let them dim your shine. This powerful red shade intimidates many. This power, this divinity and beauty is your reminder that we reside in you. Your body is a temple for the divine Shakti. You are the legacy of us Goddesses, queens and maidens who carried wisdom and power equally. Do not let them take away or make you hide this powerful radiance from your mind, heart, body and soul."

Rati snaps her fingers once again and the mirror shows my reflection. I am dressed in the same red saree, bold dark kohl lined eyes, red lipstick, jingling anklets and roses in my hair just like the lady in red from my dreams. She winks and says, "I not only make two people fall in love, my love. I also teach how to fall in love and admire oneself."

"Thank you, Rati..." My eyes well up with tears. It's not because I look so pretty. It's because for finally acknowledging my identity, my power and my connection with these divine women and Goddesses who have looked after me and every woman on earth. I promise myself that I shall let no one especially a man to take away my strength and pride for me, not when I carry the power of the Goddesses in my bones.

"Now now, i would hate to see that kajal drip down your eyes."

I laugh and wave at the goddess. Time to show the world sakhis!

******** ***** ****** ******** ****** ***********

Look, I am really excited for this. For a while before writing about Sarawati, I thought maybe I shouldn't write Rati because I was afraid if I would do justice to her.

But as every piece of art that I do is inspired and dedicated to the gods. Nothing of it is mine, somehow the Goddesses made me do it skskkanskakasmsmsmsks so here I am. Mein jaa rahi nahane ab :)

Tagging all of you because I want all of you to read this 🤧: @inexhaustible-sources-of-magic @tumhari-bhairavi @sanskari-kanya @krishna-sahacharini @krishna-priyatama @mere-heera @morally-gayy @shut-up-rabert @arachneofthoughts @thegleamingmoon @flowerheadkiller @ketchup-jar-ka @kaal-naagin

[scarletsapphic]

DESI MERMAID AESTHETIC~

(Based on my own personal opinions)

Rest of the series

Indian pearl jewelry

Silver payal, jhumke and maangtika

Long wavy hair, weaved with jasmine

Gentle hands that make gajras

Elegant and bright sarees draped in nauvari style

The sweetest voices that flow through the air early in the morning

Small red and shimmering bindis

Lace-like mehndi

Smell sweet like jasmine and lotus

Eyes that linger on yours for a second too long

Long lashes with innocent gazes behind them

Will yell at you for hurting a fish

Delicate mirror and pearl jhumkis

Thin bangles that leave just a a faint ghost of a sound in your ears

Fine silver nose rings

Multiple baaliyan in their ears (tiny hoops)

Cherry red alta let's be honest

I'm pretty sure there's an underwater equivalent for sindoor for married mermaids idky desi mermaid screams sindoor to me.

Will sing you to sleep

Soft kisses and giggling (platonic/romantic whatever.. they're just affectionate as fuck)

I personally don't think they would swear unless you messed up real bad

Dramatic as fuck

watch the instagram reel here!!! <3

[hunterartemis]

The Kate Sharmas in Real Life : Indian women in 19th Century Attire

As an Austenite, I find Bridgerton an abomination, from the costume to plotline. However, like many people I found the 2nd season a bit tolerable especially the storytelling. Simone Ashley who was Kate Sharma (it’s rather pronounced as “sher-ma”) reminded me someone, especially someone dressed in western clothes in colonial India.

It is a preconceived notion by many that Indian people, especially women did not wore western clothes until it was post 1960s, but it is not true. The most fundamental garment, a blouse for saree was a Victorian addition. The eastern Indian women often worn saree as a single garment, and in ancient times, Saree or “akhanda vastra” (undivided cloth) was worn with a “kanchuki” underneath, or an Indian version of Bandeau. Blouse, in its modern form was then called a Chemise (semij, as the local vernacular called it). It came as in late 19th century, and the trendsetters were Upper class Bengali women. Rabindranath Tagore mentions how modern yet scandalising it was for a woman to wear a “Semij” in his numerous novels, especially in Chokher Bali .The picture below is of Princess Sudhira of Cooch Behar wearing what can be deemed as the earliest Indo-Western Fusion fashion in 1900s (she was known to have some good european wardrobe)

You might be thinking, Indo-Western garment is not anything near to the empire line Regency costume! yes, it is not. But before you at me, behold this historical photograph.

She is Maharani Suniti Devi, Queen of the Princely state of Cooch Behar, North Bengal. This shot was taken at 1902. I Know I am 100 years too late but during the 1813 Indian royals were busy from saving their states from the British Subsidiary Alliances, and Artisans were getting crushed by the flooding capitalists as the Monopoly of the East Indian Company was abolished by the 1813 Charter Act--- long story short, they didn’t wear the western garments that early. I picked her photo specifically because Simone Ashley, as Kate Sharma reminded me of her. Tall, slim, thin mouth, bright eyes, voluminous hair and dark skin. 

It is not that there are no dark skin rulers in India, and there were no royal women who donned western clothes--there are: in Fact the Daughter of Daleep Singh, the last Sikh Emperor and the Maharani of Kapurthala, both were photographed in Late Edwardian costumes in the beginning of 20th century. My pick is specially Suniti Devi because she exudes a classic ethnic Bengali beauty. I am emphasising on the fact Bengali because in Indian pop-culture Bengali women are portrayed as docile soft shy beings venerated for their big eyes and pliant beauty. However here you can see that this women is anything but. She is properly clothed in Late Victorian gown. From the prim contours of the waist it is clear that she is wearing proper undergarments like longline corset; light bustle as it was fashionable at that time and the correct petticoat. Loose but well arranged Gibson curls define her thick Bengali waves at the front of the head. The entire thing does not come off as costume-like, she looks like she was made for wearing it: she was not obviously corset trained because Indians often prefer loose fitted clothing and yet she does not look least bit out of place in that dress. 

Despite everything western in that dress from the Gibson hair to the black passmentary lace detaiiing on the white skirt, there is a distinct Indianness that graces the outfit. A long trail of English tulle is draped across the chest, as to emulate the shoulder drape of the saree: in India, a gentleman’s daughter is required to cover her chest with the drape of saree or a light scarf with Salwar. She didn’t need to; she was a Maharani, she could go without it, but she chose to drape it anyway. she also wears bangles in both hands, again a Custom by Bengali women who think a girl should not leave her wrists empty, because it symbolises widowhood. It was unlikely for a Victorian or Edwardian woman to wear bangles in both hands, especially without gloves-- but she did it anyway.

This distinct Indianness with western outfit is the exact essence which Kate replicated in the Wedding Scene