How to wear a pre-draped saree

A lot of women love sarees and dread draping them. The pleats never sit quite right, the pallu slips off your shoulder, and finding someone to help at 7 pm before a function isn't always possible. Many of us end up choosing a different outfit altogether, just to avoid the fuss.

Our Less than a Minute saree, patented by Swtantra, gives you the look of a beautifully draped saree without the struggle. Here's how to wear one, step by step, and how to choose the right style for you.

What a pre-draped saree is

A pre-draped saree is a regular saree with the hard part already done. The front pleats are stitched in place, so you wrap it on like a skirt, fasten it, and take the pallu over your shoulder. No YouTube tutorials, no asking for help.

On our Less than a Minute sarees:

• The pleats are stitched in place.
• There's elastic at the back of the waist, hidden once the pallu comes round, so you can loosen or tighten the fit.
• Invisible hooks close it, so nobody can tell it's pre-stitched.
• One size fits a 28" to 42" waist.

Before you start

Put on your blouse and whatever you're wearing underneath first. That can be a petticoat (underskirt), a pair of slacks, or a fitted skirt. Put your heels on too. It sounds like a small thing, but it means the length you set is the length you'll actually walk in.

How to wear it, step by step

This is our own guide, from our pre-draped product pages. Tap the picture to open it full size.

1. Open the small stitch on the pleats. The pleats come with a small stitch that holds them neatly in place. Open it before you wear the saree.
2. Wrap it on with the first hook at your hip. Wrap the saree around your waist and fasten the first hook at the side of your hip.
3. Secure the pleats with the second hook. Bring the pleats to the centre, just below your navel, and fasten them with the second hook.
4. Take the pallu over your shoulder. Take the leftover fabric from the left side, bring it round, and place it over your shoulder. Fix it with a pin so it stays put all evening.
5. Adjust the height if you need to. If the saree is too long for you or your heels, fold it at the waist to the height you want.

That's it. You're ready in under a minute. Once you've done it once, it really does become that quick.

A few tips from us

• Check the pleats in a mirror. Make sure they fall straight down the centre before you fix the pallu.
• Use a good pin. A small safety pin at the shoulder, hidden under the pallu, keeps everything secure through dinner and dancing.
• Use a pin - If you are concerned with hooks opening - add a pin to hold the 2 layers together .
• Add a belt if you like. A saree belt at the waist holds the pallu in place and adds a little sparkle.
• Relax the fit later. The elastic at the back means you can loosen it a little after a big meal. Nobody will know.

Pre-drapes we'd start with

If you'd like to try a ready pre-draped saree, these are a good place to begin.

• The Pre-Draped Ruby Butter Chiffon Saree is a featherlight chiffon in deep ruby, with a soft, gathered pallu. Self blouse fabric is included.
• The Pre-Draped Liquid Gold Organza Saree is an organza with big diamonds, and blouse fabric is included.

We also have a few pre-drapes made in a different style, worn like a skirt:

• The Wisteria Purple Pre-Draped Saree has a lined skirt, so you don't need a petticoat. The front pleats and pallu are already done. It has mirror work lace at the waist and pallu end, and a pocket for your phone and lipstick.
• The Avant-Garde Knit Pre-Draped Saree comes with a stitched blouse. It's elasticated at the back, and you pull a string at the front to gather the pleats and set the front length.

See every style in our pre-draped sarees and ready-to-wear collections.

Turn any Swtantra saree into a pre-drape

Fell for a saree that isn't pre-draped? Any saree on our site can be stitched into a Less than a Minute pre-drape for ₹1,299. [Team: add one line on how customers choose the pre-drape option.]

Two things to know:

• Each pre-drape is stitched to order, so we dispatch in 7 working days.
• We also have some sarees in our Pre-Draped section which are ready to ship!
• We stitch the saree as it is. We don't add extra fabric to make it longer or wider.

Common questions

Do I need to wear a petticoat? With the Less than a Minute sarees, wear a petticoat, slacks or a skirt underneath. Styles with a lined skirt, like the Wisteria, don't need one.

Will it fit if I'm between sizes? One size fits a 28" to 42" waist, and the elastic at the back adjusts through the evening.

What if it's too long? Fold it at the waist to the height you want, ideally with your heels on so you get it right first time.

Does it look different from a hand-draped saree? No. The hooks are invisible, so nobody can tell it's pre-stitched.

Can I wear it to a wedding? Absolutely. Pre-drapes are especially useful for long functions and dancing, because the pleats stay in place all night.

Getting it in time

Shipping is free above ₹2,000 and cash on delivery is available. Pre-drapes are stitched to order, so they dispatch in 7 working days. After dispatch, Delhi NCR orders usually arrive in 1 to 2 days and the rest of India in 3 to 7 days.

If you've been avoiding sarees because of the draping, we hope this changes that. Give it a try. We think you'll be surprised how easy it is.