Kerala Saree with Brocade Blouse

Onam is the time when Malayali ladies try to find variety to wear the quintessential Kerala saree. After all, all the sarees around that days will have the same ivory shade. I do not like elaborate shades and I personally don't find myself buying an expensive kasuva saree considering that I cannot wear it so often.

I didn't give much attention to such details until I moved to my own apartment. Till that time, Onam was something which involved cooking up few items and forcing kids and husband to eat rice served on banana leaves. TH is neither interested in the rice nor the traditions associated with Onam. So Onam was a low key affair which involves me trying to hold onto my childhood memories and trying to make such memories for my kids. It never worked!

Once I moved to this new place in 2016, there was a bunch of Malayali families who took the festival very seriously. We also dressed up in kasavu dresses and posed for family pictures. For us, family pictures doesn't include TH on Onam though.

Anyway when I saw Sindhuri who runs a boutique on instagram showed the cotton silk Andhra Pattur sarees with the Jwalna design , I got a latte gold one for my mom and then I requested her to make me one in the Kasavu saree color. The blouse is a brocade blouse that I got from another boutique on instagram named Umbara Designs run by Rama akka.

Though I confirmed the thread color myself, it was a bit off my expectation in color. But recently I have come to love the yellowish hue in it, possibly due to the weaving of ivory and gold. The blouse was a readymade one, which means I need to send it back tomorrow for alteration. I felt so happy when she Rama akka of Umbara Designs offered to alter the blouse to fit me. It is rare to find someone who will go beyond to help a client.

As of today, I am waiting to get the blouse altered so that I can probably share a better picture with you all. Also the prospect of wearing an unique saree and blouse for Onam does give me lots of joy!