“Esho, he Boishakh, Esho Esho. Come, O Boishakh, Come, Come”

– Rabindranath Tagore

Every year, April 14 celebrates the arrival of the Bengali New Year or Poila Boishakh, part of a unique calendar system determined by the seasons. The same day is observed elsewhere as the traditional solar new year and a harvest festival by Hindus and Sikhs, and is known by other names such as Vaisakhi in central and north India, Vishu in Kerala, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu and Rongali Bihu in Assam. While growing up, Poila Boishakh used to be my (Moumita) favourite day of the year as it is the only day when all Bengalis will unwind and celebrate, irrespective of religion, class or caste. Ladies clad in white sarees with red borders, men in dhuti and kurta, take part in the Probhat Pheri processions early in the morning to welcome the first day of the year. On Pohela or Poila Boishakh, a Bengali home is thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned, people bath early in the morning and dress in new clothes. Everyone spends much of the day visiting relatives, friends, and neighbors. Our early memory of a Poila Boishakh day is about wearing new clothes, eating scrumptuous Bengali delicacies all throughout the day and what a fun it was to visit neighborhood businesses to celebrate their Hal Khata or opening of new ledger book for the year. We used to participate in various cultural programmes that usually take place to usher the first day of the Bengali calendar singing Tagore’s songs, not to mention wearing red & white saree and fresh flowers in hair.  Here in America, the celebrations are not quite as elaborate but the traditions are kept alive within the Bengali community. 

Look of the day:

As mentioned earlier, Poila Boishakh has an intimate connection with red and white saree for a Bong lady. It represents tradition along with festivities and rituals. The colors red and white symbolizes a wierd combination of love, passion, peace, sanctity, and fierceness for me. When planning about this look we thought of skipping the typical red bordered white saree but wanted to keep the essence of red and white colors. Thus the tussar saree with block prints was chosen. It had both essential red and white but yet was unconventional for the day.

I(Moumita) draped the saree in the traditional Bengali আটপৌড়ে style. Full sleeved blouses matches perfectly with this kind of traditional drape and brings in a lot of drama and style. For some extra servings of drama paired simple yet unusual accessories. The gold necklace and kaanbala earrings is complimented by the showstopper Marathi Nathni. Adding the nath makes the whole outfit all the more spectacular and deviates from the usual bengali look. The golden potli bag was a gift from a dear cousin and was a match made in heaven for the outfit.

Before ending this post, wishing all of you a very prosporous and a Happy New Year, শুভ নববর্ষ. May all your dreams come true this year. 

I hope you enjoyed the look and found some inspirations. If you have liked this look and feel inspired, then please share this post right now with your friends on Instagram and  Facebook. Leave us a comment or two below so that we know our effort was worth it.

Outfit Details:

Saree: Adi Dhakeshwari Bastralaya, Gariahat, Kolkata India

Blouse: Designed by Moumita

Gold Jewelry: N.P. Jewelers, Gariahat, Kolkata, India

Nath: Gehna

Potli Bag, Gift, source unknown.

If you’re wondering what to wear to a glamorous evening party or a grand dinner date, then we've got this gorgeous look put together just for you today, along with some must-remember do’s and dont’s when it comes to looking like the belle of the ball. For souls like me dressing up acts like a catharsis and evening parties and events gives us the perfect opportunities to do so. Sanchita had to attend such a dinner party in Charlotte and wanted to look her glam best without overdoing. Am sure this has occurred to you as well on how to get the right balance of glam without looking like a Christmas tree. Thus we thought of sharing her look with you and our takes on how to dress up in your ethnic best for the next party. 

Know more about the look

Sanchita is wearing a gorgeous handloom Tussar saree with intricate Madhubani painting done all over the pallu and border. We have always been very passionate about hand woven and handloom sarees as they have been someone’s hard work and toil. A craftsman somewhere out there must have spent several days to give life to these sarees out here. What can be more special than that. So buy more handloom so that we can support their livelihood. If you want to know more about handloom sarees please read our previous post here

This precious six yards adorned is with hand painted Madhubani art. Madhubani art or Mithila art is practiced in the Mithila region of India and Nepal. Painting is done with fingers, twigs, brushes, nib-pens, and matchsticks, using natural dyes and pigments, and is characterised by eye-catching geometrical patterns. There is ritual content for particular occasions, such as birth or marriage, and festivals, such as Holi, Surya Shasti, Kali Puja, Upanayana, Durga Puja.(source)

Let's get back to the look now, designed the blouse which came with the saree to be simple with a deep back. For a glamorous evening party Sanchita chose to amp up the look with a heavy dramatic necklace. It was match made in heaven with the saree and became the focal point of the whole look. Added some faux flowers to the simple bun.No elaborate hairdo as the outfit already had a lot going on in terms of accessory and saree. Just smoked up the look with dark eyes and nude lips. It added more attractiveness to the whole look.

Let’s wind up with our tips for today! 

• First of all, Styling sarees has no rules so keep experimenting and finding your own comfort.

• For a change put rest to your blingy designer labels and try out traditional sarees like Madhubani, Gadwal, Baluchari etc. for your evening parties. Some of you might be wondering if wearing your mom’s traditional tussar will make you look old for a happening evening party but trust me, these  age old weaves will stand out gracefully amidst all “trendy” outfits. In fact these classic sarees are beyond any fashion trend and are perfect heirloom possessions that you’ll treasure for years to come. 

• Team up deeper cut/halter blouses or trendy crop tops with the traditional sarees for that extra glam quotient.

• Pair dramatic makeup/accessories with simple sarees and vice versa. Balance in hair makeup and outfit is key to look good. You don’t have to be an expert hair and makeup artist but just know what looks good on you.

• Shoes and bags are equally important to complete the look. Invest in a good black or tan purse that would be your loyal friend for most of the outfits.

• Wear your smile and confidence and that’s the key to look good.

I hope you enjoyed the look and found some inspirations. If you have liked this look and feel inspired, then please share this post right now with your friends on Instagram and  Facebook. Leave us a comment or two below so that we know our effort was worth it.

Outfit details

Saree: Adi Dhakeshwari Bastralaya, Gariahat, Kolkata, India

Necklace: H&M store, City Creek Mall, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.

No matter how long the winter is... spring is sure to follow.... 

And its knocking on our doors already, the season of love,  color and sunshine.  After the dry and dull winter months, spring comes and spreads riot of colors in nature and in our mind. It is rightly said that Spring is the nature's way to say let's party. Indians throughout the world welcomes spring with the colorful Holi or Dol jatra festival. Holi means shops sprawled out on the streets with vibrant gift hampers, colors, water balloons and, of course, those fancy water guns. You could smell the aromatic gulaals everywhere!So we introduce our this years' second spring look by wishing every one of you a safe and Happy Holi. If you're interested you can look into our first spring saree look here.

Look of the day

As spring symbolizes color and life,  we have chosen a  vibrant neon green Khaddi saree. It looks as fresh as nature and with the bright "Abir"(gulal) pink woven border. The saree woven in a rich banarasi pattern, is suited for any kind of spring celebrations, both night and day. In addition to that the saree is light in weight and very season appropriate. I bought the saree from my last visit to Kolkata, the fresh and bright color combination and the floral border caught my eyes. So made sure to keep shoulder pleats wider to highlight on the saree border. Draping of a saree makes a whole lot of difference on how it is presented. 

I have paired the saree with a vibrant makeup as well, fuschia pink lipstick and highlighted eyes. Kept the hair simple loose. The golden batua bag and gold and emerald stone studded jewellery matches perfectly with the gorgeous saree. You can always tone down or up the look by opting for heavier jewelry or lighter makeup, depending on your comfort level and the occasion.

Tips for Your Spring Fashion

• Spring is the season of "growth", thus season of bright colors. But it doesn't mean you'll always have to wear them or you'll be comfortable carrying them. If you want to wear dark or muted colors, do can a pop of brightness in your accessories like makeup (a bright lip or eye-shadow) or, bag  to balance things out.

• Try out different spring prints. Floral is the most popular spring print,and a floral printed, woven or embroidered saree looks so apt this season.You can try mixing things up by wearing a contrasting print or solid colors with it.

• Avoid thick fabrics and try breathable fabrics to feel your best.

Hope you have a colorful spring!! 

If you're interested please look into our other traditional saree posts. 
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Outfit Details:

Saree: Adi Mohini Mohon Kanjilal, Kolkata, India

Jewelry set: Gift, source unknown.

Batua bag: Metro Plaza, Kolkata, India

 A must-have for Bengali brides, Banarasi Sarees are among the finest sarees in India. They are known for their gold and silver brocade or zari, fine silk and opulent embroidery. Most of us have been familiar with these rich weaves tucked with care in Ma or granny's armoire for ages. I

The #Banarasi sarees are made of finely woven silk and are decorated with intricate design, and, because of these engravings, are relatively heavy.are being churned out by thousands of weavers with Mughal inspired patterns like intricate intertwining floral and foliate motifs, kalga and bel, jhallar at the outer, edge of border, hunting scenes etc. They are known for their intricate gold and silver works, compact weaving, intricate figures, metallic visual effects, pallus, jal (a net like pattern), and mina work.. These sarees embellished with expensive art work can sell upto Rs. 2 lakh or up. Of course you get several varieties of them in different price ranges depending on the work and material.

Apart from the high cost, Banarasi Sarees have irreplacable sentimental values  attached to them. They have been inherent part of family's wedding trousseau for generations.   Some lucky ones of us may have inherited  heirloom Banarasi sarees from their grand moms. But we rarely take out our Banarasis assuming they would be too boring/ not so cool to wear or even over the top for occasions. 

But trust me nothing  can replace the glamour and grace of a Banarasi saree for your next family wedding or party. You just have to style it to your comfort and choice, drape it properly and voila!! By draping a handloom Banarasi saree and embracing these heritage weaves you're actually doing you're bit to encourage and support the livelihood of thousands Banarasi weavers. Thus here's our few styling options for your next Banarasi outing.

As traditional as it can be!

This is for the ones who loves the conventional vibes of the saree and want to keep the feel intact. Drape and style your Banarasi in the most conventional simplest way you can. As the saree is heavy enough you don't need work to hard to accessorize the look. Your most traditional gold or kundan jewelry, simple makeup and a gajra paired may look just perfect. 

Recently was just bowled over by some of our Bollywood celebrities donning the most traditional of Benarasis in the most conventional way. Here are some of the pictures I saved in my heart as soon as I spotted them.

Twist to the traditional Banarasi

Here's the part which some of you may hate or love. Pairing your conventional Banarasis with the most unconventional blouses/tops. Here's I have draped my Banarasi in the most commonly found color combination of maroon and green with a black ruffled bodysuit 😎😎. Its outrageously experimental for the kind of saree it is but, instantly changed the bridal vibe of the saree. Its a cool way to wear your wedding sarees again without repeating a similar look. Experiment with various blouse options with one saree to give it a different vibe each time. 

So if you're up for the game and need some more inspirations...here you go!! Bring up your games with these unusual styling of the orthodox Banarasi weaves.

If you want some more Banarasi treats...stay tuned for the next part of the series on our blog!
In the mean time let us know through your comments which look did you like most and would opt for. 
If you're interested please look into our other traditional saree posts.
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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.

Outfit Details:

Saree: Amar Kuthi in Bolpur, West Bengal, India

Necklace set: Bought from a seller in Amazon