Modern styles
The lehenga saree
A saree worn over, or made as, a flared lehenga skirt, with the pallu draped over the shoulder: a fashion style that mixes two garments.
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The lehenga saree joins a flared skirt with a saree pallu. Either the saree is draped over a separate lehenga, or the whole thing is sewn as a skirt with an attached pallu. It is a modern fashion style, not a drape of one region or community. It is popular for weddings and receptions because it has the fullness of a lehenga with the pallu look of a saree.
Wrapped step by step
Each drawing shows the cloth so far, with the newest step outlined in gold. The figure is a front view; the wearer's left is on your right.
Step 1 Wear the blouse, then step into the flared lehenga skirt and pull it to the waist. Step 2 Tie the drawstring or fasten the hooks at the waist so the skirt sits at the navel. Step 3 If using a saree, tuck one end into the waist and take the cloth once round, pleating it neatly at the front. Step 4 Carry the pallu across the chest and over the left shoulder. Step 5 Pin the pallu at the shoulder and arrange the border so it shows. Step 6 Let the pallu fall behind and spread the skirt so the hem lies evenly. Finished The lehenga saree, seen from the front.
Where it comes from
The lehenga is a long, flared skirt worn with a blouse and a dupatta, with a long history in north and west India. The saree is a different garment, wrapped from one length of cloth. The lehenga saree is a fashion invention that borrows from both. It appeared in the wedding wear market as designers sought a look that was easier to wear than a Nivi but dressier than a plain skirt. There is no single traditional source, and makers use the name in different ways, so the exact construction depends on the designer.
How it looks
The lower half has the full circle of a lehenga, often with a stiff or can-can lining beneath so that it flares. The upper cloth is either a sewn pallu panel or the free end of a saree, taken over the left shoulder and pinned. Heavy embroidery, zari and sequins are common, with the border running along the hem. The bodice is a fitted blouse, usually decorated to match. Because the flare replaces pleats, the waist is smooth and the shape is wide at the hem and narrow at the waist.
Who wears it and when
It is chosen mostly for weddings, engagement parties, sangeet nights and receptions, by brides and by guests. Wearers like that it is more comfortable to dance in than a tightly wrapped saree and holds its shape through a long event. It is not worn for daily life or for most religious rituals, where a plain saree or a regional drape is expected. Since it is a fashion style, pieces differ by designer, and some are sold as one sewn set while others are a saree sold with a ready skirt.
Sarees worn this way
Also part of it, and being written: Organza (A crisp, sheer cloth that holds a flared shape.).
Sources and further reading
Original text and drawings by the EveryPallu desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. The drawings are simplified diagrams of the order of wrapping, not a lesson: how a drape is worn differs from family to family. If we have something wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Banarasi sari: Ekabhishek, CC BY-SA 3.0, source