5 Modern Ways to Drape a Saree

The six-yard staple, five fresh attitudes. From the classic Nivi to the belted drape — find your signature style.

The five drapes

1. Classic Nivi: pleats tucked at the waist, pallu over the left shoulder — timeless, foolproof.
2. Bengali athpourey: the pallu wrapped around twice with keys and a broad border — heritage drama.
3. Gujarati seedha pallu: pallu drawn from back to front over the right shoulder — regal and bridal.
4. Belted Indo-western: cinch the waist with a sleek belt over the saree — modern, structured, red-carpet ready.
5. Dhoti / pant style: pleats tucked like trousers with a short pallu — the fashion-forward favourite.

Pleating pointers

Press pleats with your palm, not just pins — crisp pleats are the whole look. Taller drapes suit longer pallus; petite frames should keep the pallu fall above the knee line of the leg.

Stylist tip: drape on the blouse you’ll actually wear and walk around the house for ten minutes. Adjust now, not at the venue.