Chikankari Sarees

Chikankari Saree: The Pride of Lucknow

From the city of Nawabs, comes the superb Chikankari saree. The embroidery of chikankari is known for its delicate and intricate handwork. It involves creating patterns on lightweight fabrics like muslin, cotton, chiffon, and silk. The graceful yet show stopping embroidery is dear to many people all over India. While chikankari kurtas are hugely popular in the modern generation, chikankari sarees are also something to check out and buy. Let us try to know various aspects of chikankari sarees so that you can choose the right one.

Popular Fabrics, Motifs and Stitches on Chikankari Sarees

Chikan embroidery is mostly done on fabrics that are neither too thick nor too hard. Cotton, semi-georgette, pure georgette, crepe, chiffon, and silk are considered ideal as they are light and highlight the embroidery. The fabric cannot be too thick or hard.

Motifs used in Chikankari sarees could be nature-inspired, geometric, stylized or abstract. Flowers, leaves, grass, and paisley represented the stories of nature Geometric motifs consist of lines, squares, square shapes, circles and triangles and so forth. Opposite to geometric ones, stylized motifs have more bends and curves. Abstract motifs could be anything that the weaver is inspired from, making them surprising yet wonderful.

Some of the popular types of legendary stitches on chikankari sarees are Pechni, Bakhiya, Tepchi, Khatau, Rahat, Zanzeera and Hool. Traditionally, different motifs, patterns, and designs were stitched onto different colored fabrics using white thread. But nowadays, different colored threads are also used to create more striking patterns. Going apart from the original pristine setting, the tone-on-tone embroidery is in fashion these days. The immense use of beads, sequin, mukaish or mukeish (white flat silver or golden strip embroidery), gota patti, pearl, etc on chikankari sarees are getting widely accepted.

Comfort of Wearing a Chikankari Saree

Chikankari sarees not only look graceful but also feel comfortable, especially if made in cotton. Since cotton is such a lightweight fabric, you can effortlessly carry cotton chikankari sarees. The natural fabrics such as chiffon, georgette, silk and crepe are also incredibly breathable. This makes them perfect for the hot and humid weather of India. The embroidery itself is also stitched using lightweight threads, so it does not really contribute to the weight of the chikankari saree.

The natural fabric and embroidery itself have a very soft texture to it, which makes the chikankari saree feel very soft against the skin. Combining all these qualities makes the chikankari saree extremely comfortable to wear. So, you can wear it to both grand events and for casual daily wear as well.

Styling Chikankari Sarees

A Chikankari saree can be styled in a variety of ways, depending on the occasion and personal preference. You can pair your Chikankari saree with stunning Indian jewelry like jhumkas, bangles, and necklaces. Whether you pick gold or silver would depend on the chikankari saree’s color. For warm tones such as red, orange and yellow, gold jewelry would be perfect. Silver jewelry would be ideal for cool toned colors such as green, blue and purple./p>

In case of a blouse, choose one that will complement the color and design of your Chikankari saree. You can experiment with different draping styles like the Bengali, Gujarati, or Maharashtrian style. Changing the draping style will give you a fresh look with the same chikankari saree. Choose hairstyles like a bun or braid as they will let your chikankari saree and jewelry take center stage. Opt for a metallic or crystal encrusted clutch to add oomph to your ensemble. Golden or silver flats or strappy heels would give you a complete look. Avoid any embroidered accessories as they might divert the attention from the chikankari saree.

Care for Your Chikankari Sarees

Always send your Chikankari saree to dry clean so that the delicate embroidery is not damaged. Store the Chikankari saree in a cool and dry place to prevent mildew and insect infestation. To prevent fading and harm to the embroidery, avoid exposing it to direct sunlight. Iron your Chikankari saree in a low heat setting. Abstain from ironing directly over the embroidery.

Buy The Best Chikankari Sarees at Mirraw

The allure of chikankari sarees might have taken you over by now. With an understanding about everything from fabrics to caring, you would want to buy chikankari sarees online. Trust Mirraw online store to have the best collection of online chikankari sarees. With vivid colors, high-quality fabrics and easy-to-use filters, online shopping at Mirraw is effortless. We provide free shipping in India and fast shipping internationally.