Saree fever! School girls deck up for Teachers' Day
New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) Whoever said Teachers' Day was just about celebrating student-teacher bonding! Young school girls are more than excited about the day as they get to drape the six-yard wonder for the first time, and spend a lot of time deciding whether to invest in new purchase or dig into their mother's closet for the perfect pick.
In most schools here, Class 12 students are given the opportunity to step into the shoes of their teachers and teach junior classes for the day. Boys are asked to come in formals and girls get to wear a saree.
So choosing the right saree becomes the talk in the school corridors much before.
"I am excited, not because I am becoming a teacher, but because I will get to wear a saree. And especially the one I have been eyeing for a long time in my mom's closet," Mansi Aswani of Bluebells School International, told IANS.
"I've got a blouse stitched especially for it. However, I will borrow beautiful jhumkis (danglers) from my elder sister and click a lot of pictures. I just hope all my efforts will get me compliments from everyone," she added.
Such is the excitement that girls even went shopping and splurged on accessories.
"I am busy preparing for Teachers' Day. Naturally it adds a lot of excitement as for most of us it's the first time we are going to wear a saree. A lot of planning -- teaming up the saree with perfect accessories -- is on my mind," said Rhea Ahuja of The Pinnacle School.
"I am getting goosebumps thinking of it. It will be such a cool day with all of us in traditional clothes. The charm of Indian wear is unbeatable. I am worried about so many things," she added.
Sarees with minimal bling and not-so-heavy embroidery are the best pick for these girls, who are apprehensive about being able to walk straight and climb up stairs in their first outing in the outfit.
"It is easy to carry georgette and chiffon as they are light and manageable. They are easy to drape and are available in beautiful colour combinations. I have finalised a black saree with hot pink border and will team it with a shiny silver blouse," said Akanksha Sharma.
Ayesha Varma of Tagore International School has chosen a tie-and-dye saree. She said: "Jaipuri prints are always a hit. They make you look so beautiful. That is why I have chosen a green-blue combination."
Some are indulging in stylish blouses, while others are going easy with readymade ones - as the school has dished out warnings for any over-exposure of skin!
"We now get ready-made blouses in all kinds of styles easily in the market. But we had to be conscious about picking the right blouse as we have been given guidelines which we need to abide by or we won't be allowed to enter the school premises," Varma said.
So what are the guidelines that the school has given?
"The sarees shouldn't be see-through, the blouses shouldn't be revealing or short and a proper decorum needs to be maintained. Make-up and jewellery should be minimal," said Karishma Joshi.
Accessories and clothes are not all; the girls have planned special beauty treatments too.
"Me and my friends are getting our backs waxed. Some are even getting their stomachs. I am sure it's not a big thing but for us it is all new," said Jasleen Kaur, a former student of Salwan Public School.
"The excitement is not only about wearing the saree. The day brings along a lot of responsibility. We get to show and explore our own mature side. I had initial jitters but the day shaped so perfectly that it is still fresh in my memory," she recalled.