For The Love Of Six Yards – Part 2

* This is a continuation of my previous post. Read my previous post about Sakhi Fashions here.

Sakhi Fashions offer sarees for both formal occasions as well as for a relaxed and casual evening out. For instance, their Kanchi sarees are a class apart. Kancheepuram silk sarees have a rich history behind them. Draping a Kanchi saree instantly gives an opulent and royal look to any woman. No doubt, Kanchi sarees have always been on the wishlist of any saree connoisseur and in many families, the Kanchi sarees of mothers and grandmothers are preserved gently and passed on from one generation to the next with great care and love. 

However, if you are looking for something a little more affordable, then I would suggest Sakhi Fashion’s chiffon sarees. Bright, trendy and vibrant, their chiffon sarees are not only pocket friendly but they will definitely make you stand out in a crowd.

I’ve always been a fan of women-led businesses and was delighted to learn that the entrepreneurs behind Sakhi Fashions are a mother-daughter duo! Chandra and Neeta Rajendran have been in the Indian ethnic wear business for quite some time and over the years they seem to have built Sakhi into a one stop shop for all your fashion needs. Not just online but in fact, they even have physical stores in Bangalore and Hyderabad. 

What’s more, I found it heartening to know that like me, Neeta too has switched career tracks from Engineering to another field (which happens to be Journalism in my case and Fashion Designing in Neeta’s) because she wanted to follow her heart. It’s heart-warming indeed to come across a business that is being run so efficiently and successfully by a mother-daughter pair, thanks to their passion for design and fashion. It certainly wouldn’t be surprising if they soon become one of the top names among Indian saree designers in my opinion! Go girl power!

They have such an amazing range of sarees that it is quite difficult to pick one to be honest! I have at times felt that the world of online saree shopping hasn’t quite kept pace with the online shopping boom. While it is easy to shop for western wear, books, toys and electronics online, the choices for reliable and dependable online saree shopping is somewhat limited. Hence, it was really satisfying to come across Sakhi Fashions with their user friendly website and wide variety of designer sarees. 

Actually, even my family members were initially sceptical when I told them that I have ordered a saree from Sakhi Fashions. However, once they saw the saree in person, they admitted that their fears were misplaced. So once again, if you are looking for a saree which will win you over right away, do check out Sakhi Fashions on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. 

For The Love Of Six Yards – Part 1

If there is one garment that has always held my fancy, it has got to be the saree. Right from my innocent childhood days when I used to indulge in some pretend play with my mother’s saree to this day when I own a shelf full of sarees, the saree has never lost its charm on me. So, when I got a chance to review Sakhi Fashions, naturally I was more than thrilled!

They have such an amazing range of sarees that it is quite difficult to pick one to be honest! I have at times felt that the world of online saree shopping hasn’t quite kept pace with the online shopping boom. While it is easy to shop for western wear, books, toys and electronics online, the choices for reliable and dependable online saree shopping is somewhat limited. Hence, it was really satisfying to come across Sakhi Fashions with their user friendly website and wide variety of designer sarees. Actually, even my family members were initially sceptical when I told them that I have ordered a saree from Sakhi Fashions. However, once they saw the saree in person, they admitted that their fears were misplaced.

Eventually, I chose a beautiful green and yellow lace crossover saree. The crossover saree is a unique design that has been conceptualized by Sakhi Fashions. This saree gives the illusion of wearing a half saree, but it is much more graceful and elegant! The pallu is made of chiffon which makes it lightweight and quite easy to drape. The lace material is of high quality and flows beautifully when worn. 

The red raw silk border serves to enhance the entire look of the saree while the contrast applique work on the pallu shows the amount of thought and attention to detail that has gone into this lace crossover saree. 

What’s more, I am wearing this saree without a single safety pin! And mind you, it’s not as though I am a saree-wearing veteran who wears sarees every day! I only wear sarees for special occasions because although I love sarees, I am a bit clumsy in handling it – added to the fact that my toddler keeps me on my toes all the time. However, I must admit that this lace crossover saree was highly manageable to wear and I could drape it within a few minutes.

Do you know what is one of the most frustrating things about deciding to wear a saree? It’s finding the correct blouse to go with it! Tailors these days are a dime a dozen no doubt. However, they take their own sweet time to stitch one blouse. Despite charging a high rate, often they mess up the stitching as well. An ill-fitting blouse can spoil the entire look of the saree, even if the saree by itself is exceptional. Like me, if you find that you too are at your wits end about getting the perfect saree blouse, fear not. Sakhi Fashions will even tailor a blouse for you according to your specifications! The blouse that I am wearing was stitched by Sakhi Fashions. 

The process is pretty simple. Once you choose your saree and decide that you want your blouse stitched by them, they will send you a blouse measurement chart as well as a list of choices for various parts of the blouse such as the style of the neckline, length of sleeves etc. You will need to get someone to take your measurements and fill up this form accordingly. Once you send them the filled form they will start working on your blouse and it should be ready within a few days.

Regarding my experience with the blouse, I would rate it 6.5/10. It was a bit loose for me and I had to alter it here and there. However, I am not very sure if the mistake is at my end or theirs, because as I do not have any tailoring experience, it stands to reason that I might not have taken my measurements precisely. Therefore I assume that this might have introduced a slight margin of error.

Overall though I am quite happy with Sakhi Fashions. Their customer service personnel were very polite and understanding. Their packaging was neat and professional and shipment was speedy. If you are looking  for a saree that speaks for itself, then you must check out Sakhi Fashions without fail. They are also on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. Happy shopping!