Subho Maha Saptami: Makeup Breakdown and How to Wear Saree with a Twist

Whenever I talk of the women in my life, one person who comes to my mind first is my oldest funniest and best friend in the whole world.

Today, we have Sanyukta Bose with us. She is my childhood best friend and ohh!!! talk about the memories. Fun and crazy, ups and downs, we have seen it all, faced it all and our friendship has come a long way… and still we have an amazing journey ahead of us, that I am sure of.

She was the first woman, after my mother and didan, who inspired me and encouraged me to be a better person, who made me work on myself. She is one of the most compassionate and kind-hearted women I have ever met in my life, putting everyone every one before herself. When we were in school, we used to spend every Saptami evening together, no other commitments elsewhere. We used to plan from days and months ahead, what to wear, how to dress up. Even in college and the years after, nothing really has changed. Hence I chose her for the Saptami Look this year. What better way to reminisce on those childhood memories? And black being her favorite, I had to give her the “permission” to don a black saree for Saptami Night look.

Sanyukta or Sanju, as we fondly call her, is always fun and funky with her looks. She carries outfits with such ease and élan, I can only dream of doing so. She loves experimenting with her sarees and this is a look which I wanted to do on her since long.

Changing little things and adding some interesting twists to your saree draping style is a great way to enhance your look and make heads turn. 2 years back I posted my “Saree with Kurti” look and I am so glad that many of you actually had recreated it. It was indeed overwhelming. This year I am pairing the saree with a shirt. The saree Sanyukta is wearing today is a black soft silk which has silver motifs all over it and a thin purple border. To compliment this gorgeous looking saree we went for a simple and classy white linen shirt. You can wear it as a blouse by tying a knot in the front or can tuck it in for a simple, clean look.

You can also choose to wear the pallu in whatever way you like. You can wear it in classic pleats pinned on left shoulder or can carry it in front. You can drape it around your neck or can also drop it on the shoulder in messy border width pleats. The options are many. You can also give the “pulled-on waist, tight pallu effect” a break and go for a loose, more relaxed drape on the waist. Experiment with the looks and find your favorite.

If you don’t have a white shirt, you can mix and match with any shirt that is tucked in your closet. Just make sure that if the saree has elaborate work, the shirt should be plain and simple and if the saree is a simple one you can go for checkered or printed shirt. “Balancing” is the key to nail the look.

The saree has silver work and hence I went for silver jewelry. I kept the jewelry minimal. Just earrings, a ring and a bracelet. I would recommend you to keep the accessories minimal as well. You can also skip the jewelry and go for a belt instead. Looks very sassy. But if you are wearing a belt, you have to tuck in the shirt.

Keeping in mind the color palette of her attire, I went for a pearly silver and black smoky eye. Tons of mascara and a nude lipstick finished off her look. I didn’t apply much on her face other than just a thin layer of foundation mixed with moisturizer. You can amp the makeup up or tone it down depending on your saree and your own comfort level. And don't forget the bindi. 

You can keep your hair open or tie it in a puffed pony tail as per your wish. We decided to keep her hair open.

So that’s it. Effortless and something that will make you stand away from the crowd.

Sanyukta, I know sometimes I can be a lot to handle…or annoying, but I love you and will always hold your hand. And if you ever forget that, I’ll break your nose. I want you yourself to be the light you want to see in the world, you have everything that you need inside of you. And I hope you will find the strength to pick yourself back up if you ever fall. I know you can, I know you will. The person that I saw inside of you can handle it all. You are strong, you are intelligent and you are wonderful. I hope Maa Durga gives you the courage to fight the evils or some sense to at least identify them. You attract weird people darling. Stay away from them. We love you. And it is still true that human stupidity has no limit and I would not have known that if you were not my best friend.

Lastly, never let go off the child within you…no matter what the worlds throw at you. Keep shining love...