IT is often said that you can never go wrong with a saree. Yet, the moment someone who is not accustomed to the six-yard wrap walks about in it, you can tell her apart. Sarees demand a certain respect and grace that only Indian women are born into.

That apart, where we tend to go wrong with sarees is while choosing the material (silk, cotton, synthetics...), not to mention the colour, print and embroidery. Even more important, most of us have no clue about how to correlate what suits us best with what’s in and what’s not.

Here we are not considering the stitched, zipped-up or buttoned sarees some fancy designers have on offer. Such outfits have outlived their relevance and can never match the timeless appeal of the traditional drape.

If you are buying to build a wardrobe, do not restrict yourself to one shop, or several in a row. Chances are that you will end up with sarees more or less of the same style as the suppliers would be common and stocks would have arrived at about the same time. Cast your net wide and shop at different places for variety.

A pure silk all-over-printed saree with traditional paisley motifs can be a good point to begin. These are not only in fashion, but look classy and not being ostentatious, blend well both in a work environment and at a formal dinner. Moreover, these are easy to maintain and eminently durable.

Easy elegance can be acquired with raw silk and tussar sarees, with a dash of tone-on-tone embroidery. Such sarees are back in fashion after two years, especially with embellishments like the kantha stitch and mirror work. The pallus of some of these sarees are so grand that it seems as though you are wearing a work of art!

Another version that can perk up your collection is a white-on-white chikan-work saree from Lucknow. These days you have the option to choose from cottons and silks. But ideally, stick to the traditional crisp cottons for anytime wear. They may look difficult to maintain, but a bit of starch does the trick.

A richer option would be the white tangail, which has a more dense weave and yet is just as light and comfortable as the chikankari saree. A tangail matches perfectly with a white blouse with a touch of gold embroidery around the neck and sleeves. Middle-aged artistes and celebrities have developed a liking for this weave which originated in West Bengal.

For the look and feel of South India, the classic kanjeevaram with its characteristic gold-embroidered border, is your best bet. No other saree from anywhere else and at whatever price can match its grandeur during weddings, festivals and such ceremonial occasions.

A not-too-expensive alternative is the Mysore silk with its pencil-thin zari border. The multi-hued pochampallis from Andhra Pradesh are also worth a look. The cottons are just as pretty as the silk ones and perfect for day wear. Sambalpuri cottons in shades of earth and rust are also splendid options to be worn on informal occasions.

For formal dos like office parties or a late evening dinner out with friends and family, the in-thing to wear is a black saree. But be careful, or else it could end up looking quite tacky. Even designer stores are known to pass sarees with print and weave defects as perfect ones after dyeing them black. It would require a trained eye to spot the defects.

Ideally, if you are prepared to spend, go in for a designer black saree from a reputed boutique with beads or tasteful sequins and a complementing blouse. Metal chiffons in sober colours, teamed with heavily embroidered blouses and a dupatta to match, are also nice for those glitzy evenings during winter months.

What you should avoid, though, are the fancy reds, peacock greens, electric blues and the like. They are no longer in fashion. So also have the checks, stripes and prints become extinct. You could, for instance, find kantha prints in reputed designer collections and these would look just as appealing as the embroidered originals. But such sarees are eminently avoidable. (MF)