Sari skirts
I love “thrifted” clothing (if you’re new to the term, it’s bought in a charity or consignment store – pre-owned, usually pre-worn). Taking that one step further is clothing actually made from recycled fabrics – voila the sari (also spelled saree) skirt! (Note: this is not a sponsored post, and I received no compensation from any of the vendors listed here.)
These skirts are made from fabric recycled from saris in India. All the ones I’ve ever seen are made from silk, and are made from 2 pieces of fabric, one longer than the other, and sewn into a waistband with a very long tie. While they are “wrap” skirts, mine wraps about 1 & 3/4 times around my body, which means I don’t have to fear “unwrapping” in a stiff breeze!
I bought this skirt a year ago at a shop in Sedona, Arizona (the shop, sadly, is now closed. I paid $28 for the skirt). It was made by Earthbound Trading Co., but a recent visit to their website did not show them for sale. Their skirts are made from Banarasi saris, which are made in Varanasi, on the banks of the Ganges, and evidently highly prized. Earthbound’s info that came with the skirt said one sari can made approximately 2 to 3 wrap skirts. How cool is that!
Obviously, each skirt is one-of-a-kind, and is kind of “forced print-mixing”! Wouldn’t it be fun to be the person who decides which lengths of silk will be put together? My skirt also has a couple of tiny holes, that I discovered after wearing it several times, but that no one else will ever notice. I really enjoy imagining the lives of the previous owners of the saris, and how and where the fabric in this skirt might have been worn. And how did it come to be recycled? Did a woman sadly part with it because there was a rip, a tear, a stain?
A big selling point for these skirts is that they can be worn an astounding variety of ways! The Earthbound brochure demonstrates 12 different ones! I will probably limit mine to skirts with either the long or short side facing out.
This is decidedly a boho (“hippie” to us more mature folk) look, and I admit to feeling a bit like Esmerelda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame in mine. But some days I feel like embracing that, complete with sandals, statement necklace and an armful of bangles. I do want to try it in the winter, though, with tall boots and a slim dark jacket or sweater.
When I wear grey, it looks blue…
One caveat – if it’s hot and humid where you are, silk is NOT what you want next to your skin. While it will breathe, if you are sweating, it will cling to you and make you MORE sweaty. A great thing about this skirt is the way it’s cut in an A-line that swings away from the body, but if it’s sauna-like out there for you, wear LINEN (and don’t worry about the wrinkles)!
But you can barely see them-too close to my hair and skin color.
So how do YOU get one? Unfortunately, easier said than done. The biggest online seller of these is The Darn Good Yarn Company here. They offer them for $69 for one, or three for $99 (what a deal!), with 15% discount for signing up for texts. You can choose either the ankle length (32-34″ long) or mini length (19-21″ long). You can tell them when ordering what colors you love or what colors to AVOID – then you cross your fingers and hope for the best!
The only other option I could find is a company called Jedzebel here, which calls them Magic Skirts and offers a “3/4” length for $45.99 and a “maxi” for $47.99. The good news is that you can pick the EXACT skirt you want from photos. The bad news? There was only ONE in stock in each length when last I checked! Jedzebel also features “festival fashion”, appropriately, as there’s a definate Stevie Nicks vibe with these….
I’m thinking the best source for these would be your local hippie/fair trade/boho fashion boutique, and ask if they have recycled sari skirts – if they do, they’ll instantly know what you’re talking about. Although it’s quite different from my usual style, I adore wearing it because of the feel of the silk against my bare skin – like a nightgown I’d probably be too cheap to splurge on! I’m wearing mine today for the 2nd time in two weeks (like anyone else would notice). But, as silk is the MOST durable of all natural fabrics (did you know that?), I’m not worried about it looking too worn any time soon.
So tell us – do any of you have one of these, and what do you think of it? Do you have anything else made (or re-made) from recycled garments? Has anyone worn a sari? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments….
19 Comments
jodie filogomo
That’s funny you said that about silk, because my top for next week is part silk and was nice and cool in the summer heat. I bet the difference is the humidity (or lack of …LOL)
You know I’m all about the versatility of this item. What I should do is search for a sari skirt at the thrift store, and have my mom recreate this!!
OXOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
mkmiller
Humidity makes All the difference – like your misters do in a good way! I know Charlotte could whip one of those skirts up in no time if you could find that much cheap silk…
Jo Davis
That skirt is adorable
mkmiller
I can see you in one, Jo!
Janet VA Replogle
Incredibly versatile! You wear it well so well. I don’t have any recycled garments, per se, unless you count my purchases from the rummage sale at my church – none of which are as glamorous looking as yours!
mkmiller
Thanks! I’m very tempted to get that 3 skirts deal from Darned Good Yarn….
Gail
I love garments made of silk and it’s very ingenious what you’ve done with thrifted saris. There are many places in the UK where you can buy them – in a town called Ilford, not far from me, a whole street is lined with sari shops. The colors are amazing. Thanks for joining #WowOnWednesday.
mkmiller
Wow, Gail – I would be in sensory overload in a sari shop – how wonderful!
Jo Davis
This skirt is adorable and so are you
Em
Thank you for posting this!!! Last year when we were on vacation, someone was selling these at a kiosk. I thought they were fascinating and so wanted to try one…but no fitting rooms or mirrors (mr’s favorite kind of store). So, I passed. 😞
I looked up patterns when we got home, but forgot all about them since then. Love, love, love the versatility!
mkmiller
If you see them again, remember that you could just wrap them around yourself to check for fit and length. They are made to be “one size fits most”…
Theresa
Love sari prints. I actually have a couple of these wrap skirts. So comfy and the mixed patterns are great. So many options for wearing, as you’ve nicely demonstrated!
Theresa
mkmiller
Thanks, Theresa! Itching to get more…
jess jannenga
How lovely are these patterns and fabrics. I love the Sari prints and the way you are mixing them .Your wedge sandals look great with these looks too!
thanks for linking!
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
mkmiller
Thanks, Jess! I think I’m going to get a couple of the minis next. I’m so short they’ll be knee length!
Kimberly F Malkiewicz
I’m a big on upcycling. I love the idea of a repurposed sari, and have thought about it, but didn’t want to look like I was appropriating a fashion. I’m glad you found these resources for us and I’m going to check them out. (I’m generally a fan of the Earthbound stores.
mkmiller
Kimberly – reappropriating a fashion hadn’t even occurred to me, but it probably should have. It’s not wearing a sari with any of the cultural attachments, but it would be interesting to hear what women of that heritage would say about it. It’s the upcycling idea I loved the most – that, and being able to afford that incredible silk! Thanks for visiting.
Anne
I have a vast collection of these recycled sari wrap skirts and it did occur to me to wonder how the original culture felt about their saris being repurposed and worn by western women. To my relief they thought my questions were funny and asked if I would be concerned if they repurposed t shirts or jeans? Saris apparently are just everyday wear and no sacred in any way and the fact they get recycled is enough to make them happy.
Go to India one day if you get the opportunity, it’s a really beautiful country. All I had ever seen were the cities in movies, the country is vast and different and beautiful and well worth visiting.
mkmiller
Well, that’s a relief to know we aren’t offending anybody! I appreciate the suggestion about the Indian countryside – we never do hear about that, do we? Thanks for commenting, Anne.