Bong Mania Overloaded: kantha saree

Time for another installment of What We Wore! Finally changed out our pajamas and tanks to preen up for a very special evening. It as the centenary celebration of our Alma Mater, the school that made what we are today. And the heat couldn't beat our excitement. We dressed up in our light weight comfortable silks to join the bandwagon.

Gokhale Memorial Girls High School has always been known for the confidence, excellence and empowerment it has imparted to women for generations. Thus as the institution touched threshold of 100th year, a grand celebratory program was held at Nazrul Mancha, Kolkata. We have been extremely fortunate to witness and enjoy this once in a lifetime event.

Sanchita and me chose to wear traditional light weight silks sans zari work. As zari gives a more brighter look chose it to be more classic and sober. Kept the attire comfortable, traditional and also stylish for this sultry April evening.

I got my hands on this peacock blue colored Nakshi Kantha saree from Sanchita's wardrobe (Click here to see how Sanchita wore this same saree earlier) . The color and the intricate bird motif kantha embroidery are the main USP of the attire. Matched it with authentic 5 layer pearl strands and a light makeup.

Sanchita borrowed this off-white and red Assam Silk from Ma's wardrobe. Paired it with a uber stylish bow-back sleeveless blouse. The blouse changed the conventional vibe of the attire. Statement leaf necklace and a big bindi summed up this classic glamorous look.

We spent a lovely evening meeting with old friends and teachers. Here are few snap shots if the evening exclusively for you!

Saraswati Pujo has been always nostalgic and full of childhood memories. The only day when Ma wouldn't bother if we don't sit with our homework and when you get to explore her wardrobe for sarees without getting a scolding. It has been so much more than just a religious affair. Now at this phase of our lives we miss those stupid giggles and the innocence. Nevertheless that doesn't mean we don't enjoy Saraswati pujo anymore, every age has its own shares of laughter.

Last year our first ever Saraswati Pujo look has been immensely popular (you can revisit it here ), so we decided to create another look for 2019 which would be more dramatic yet easy to recreateThe saree and the blouse were both from Bolpur but different sets. But somehow they created a royal vibe when paired togeter. Our inspiration was the Bengali women of Zamindari household, who represented an aura of beauty and strength.

The white Kantha Saree has a beautiful anchal and is paired wuth a kantha blouse with frills not only on arms but neck and back too, much like the ones from early 20th Century. But fashion as they say recycles itself.

Kept the look traditional, true to the attire by pairing with light gold jewelry, kohl eyes and red lips. But what I loved most about accessorizing this look was the genda or marigold strings. It was Sanchita who got this idea and got hold of simple marigold strings used for puja or decor purposes. and Voila! it changed the vibe of the look completely

I hope you like our look! If you want to revisit our look from last winter click here. If you like the post please do like, comment and share it. Your words of encouragement keeps us going. Please do follow us on Facebook and Instagram for latest updates on the blog.

A breezy sun-kissed afternoon at home, a hot cup of tea and me with my loved ones.... Most of us don’t acknowledge or realize all these amazing little moments we have in our own daily lives. It’s easy to fall into the cycle of “having nothing to do”. We might go out to dinner or a movie, a farmer’s market here and there, but how many of us actually take the time to sit back and enjoy the comfort of sitting at our backyard and doing nothing! Instead of constantly pining for the French Riviera , I have recently started to enjoy the coziness of our own home. From warm home made meal with a good movie or a fulfilling adda with loved ones....there's nothing more gratifying in this whole wide world.. The weather in Charlotte is now enchanting...as Fall is approaching, the summer heat has soothed down and neither the chills have arrived in the atmosphere. So as Baba Ma was visiting us, on one such lazy afternoons, when we had "nothing to do", Baba said "চল তোর ছবি তুলে দিই কিছু , blog এ লাগাবি "(let me do a photo shoot for you for the blog) Well, the rest you can see them yourselves....

Outfit Details

Its a Bangalore Silk sea green saree with kantha patchwork. Matched it with a black and white striped crop top from H&M and pairs of Afghani Bali from Amazon.in Paired very simple lipstick-kajal makeup with the outfit. The look was as comforting and simple as the afternoon and the mood.

Saraswati Puja might be minuscule in regards to its glamorous counterparts such as Durga Puja and Deepavali, but it is a big event in its own way, especially for students. Falling on the eve of Vasant Panchami, according to the Hindu calendar, the auspicious occasion is marked by the worship of Goddess Saraswati – the deity of knowledge and enlightenment. Though largely known as a religious festival, there is much more to the day then just Puja. Bengali students wait for Saraswati Puja so eagerly that they might not have waited for their birthday. Its a day when you get a respite from your books, flaunt your desi best and participate in the puja....for us it was a "Bong Bhalentine Day" 😊😊😊 long before the Valentines Day became trendy in India. Our fondest memory from childhood was the excitement of choosing the best from Ma's wardrobe to wear on Saraswati puja and altering her blouse with our never so perfect run stitch. It was all fun we had and thus the memories are so very special.Now at this stage of life when we are residing at the other part of the world, away from madness of the puja, still we loath in turmeric pack, dress in our yellow or white attires and attend the local Saraswati Puja celebration. Though the excitement now is vaguer than our teen years but the essence remains intact.

Saraswati Puja, also commences with the onset of ‘Basanta" or Spring Season. Spring symbolizes blooms, flowers, happiness and divine bliss. Yellow is the dominant color of this festival as it signifies the ripening of fruits and crops. . So people prefer to wear yellow on this day to usher in brightness into their lives. As a tribute to the season and the festival, here's how I have styled Sanchita for the upcoming Saraswati Puja.

She is wearing a vibrant yellow silk saree with dense all over #Kantha work. Apart from the color of the saree, the floral motifs of the embroidery perfectly marries the mood of the season. This saree is one of our favorites bought from Shantiniketan, Bolpur, and as you know we have a huge weakness for kantha sarees, thus it was top pick for this look. These sarees are fully hand embroidered on Bangalore silk yards. These intricate pinwheel (টগর ) flower motifs are very traditional apart from bird, lotus and alpana kantha designs. These টগর কাঁথা (pinwheel kantha) work involve months of hard labour and skill of kantha artisans. If you have missed our previous post on Nakshi Kantha sarees please do click here to read. It will give you a more detailed insight into intricate Kantha work on sarees.

We wanted to keep the styling of the saree simple as the main puja is an early morning event. Thus dressed it down with the matching blouse but a contrast long green faux pearl necklace and earrings. The makeup was kept classic too with kohl smudged eyes and bright red lips. But you can easily carry this look in the evening by opting for a contrast green or red blouse.

And last but not the least never underestimate the power of roses! Sanchita just dressed up I just knew instantly that this look is incomplete without those bright yellow roses, so just tucked few of them in her hair to finish the look.

Few more tips to end with!

Wear lighter sarees as you might have to run around giving pushpanjali(prayers and offerings to the Goddess) and be comfortable for long addas. Avoid heavier weaves like kanjeevarams.
Its not mandatory to wear yellow or white for the puja, but it only adds in to the festive spirit. So don't kill yourself if you don't have one to drape, wear whichever saree you feel comfortable in. You can alternatively add yellow accessories like bag or jewelries as it matches with the outfit.
You can opt for longer sleeve blouse if weather permits as its probably the last festival in the year before the thermometer chases up.
You can incorporate a jacket or shawl with the saree if its chilly outside. It will enhance the saree look even more.
Flowers add in fragrance and freshness to the look in the morning, incorporate them in your look if you can.
Apply lot of sunscreen and go easy on base makeup as its a morning event. Choose shades of lipstick and blush which brightens up your face to match the onset of Spring season.