Durga Puja Navaratri Look 1: Saree with a hint of steam

Durga Puja or Navaratri is celebrated among Hindus all around India with great fervor. Specially for the Bengali community in West Bengal its the biggest and most important occasion/festival of the year. Beyond barriers of culture and religion its celebrated with vigor and zeal. Durga puja in West Bengal is twinned with unique emotions which cannot be expressed but experienced. Like last 6 years am outside my motherland during this best time. But as there is a famous bengali saying that husking machine will husk the rice whether in heaven or hell ( ঢেঁকি স্বর্গে গিয়েও ধান ভাঙে !!) 😄....so even when not around their land, bongs can never be without Durga Puja. Thus all around the world Bengali communities celebrate Durga Puja in various scales. 

Durga Puja or Navaratri is not only a religious festival to honor the goddess Durga but a merry feast and social event with many secular elements. During the nine (for people celebrating Navartri) to five-day event people pay tribute to the goddess, people make offerings to her in ceremonies, pray, hop numerous pandals, meet friends and family, eat delicious spreads. Its all about fun and frolic that Maa offers on her stay on the earth. People look forward throughout the busy for these few days to get respite from daily lifestyle. It is a time for family and friends to reunite, enjoy special festival delicacies get decked up new clothes and have fun. It is also a time when people shop till they drop for new clothes, jewelry, and household items as well as gifts. Talking about shopping and dressing up, which is exactly the main objective of this post- to inspire and influence your Durga puja looks.

Over the next three posts, I am going to share 3 different looks (keeping the essence of the festival in mind) that we have conceptualized and styled with outfits and accessories from our own wardrobe for all of you to take some inspiration and style yourself in your own unique ways. Here goes the first one-

 I chose the first saree outfit to be simple yet sensuous. Although there may be rolling eyes to the later part. I keep on reading posts on how plus size women shouldn't wear sleeveless or how petite should wear loose fitted clothes. I get frustrated on how these societal preferences pressurize and influence your our own style. I am happy with my body and so should you. So experiment with different options and find out what suits you best and make you feel happier. So first outfit is conceptualized for an ideal Sashti or Saptami day/afternoon when you are having casual outing with friends or going for lunch and pandal hopping. Its filled with comfort for the long hours of walking or being outside . You can easily carry forward this look to your evening "adda" sessions. I have chosen this simpler grey cotton handloom saree to pair with a contrast blue net crop-top to amp up the style quotient. 

I decided the look to be simple and smart. Kept my hair loose, finished the look with kohl smudged eyes with a hint of shimmer , and nude lips. Paired it with my favorite leather handmade purse, silver hanshuli choker and an interesting silver palm-ring. The tip here is to style your regular simple sarees with stylish blouse and accessories.

Happy Durga Puja!!!

What Was I Wearing?

Saree a gift bought from Sonar Bangla, Howrah, (WB, India)

Crop top from A'gaci (Bought from store in Galleria Mall, Houston, USA)

Silver choker from Gariahat Hawkers Market, Kolkata, India

Palm-ring: Forever21 (Bought from store in Lakeforest Mall, Gaithersburg, MD, USA)

Watch: Fossils (Bought from store in Clarksburg Mall, MD, USA)

Leather Clutch: Karukriti, Bolpur (WB, India)

Hair, Makeup and Styling by yours truly Moumita