Jan 27, 2010

Drape and Shape - Dupatta Setting


images via Kara Purtell Photography

Dupatta - the alluring fabric so deeply embedded in the south asian culture (with many a song to prove it - remember lal dupatta). Today we shall attempt to answer the ever present question of how to actually keep the dratted thing on your head without it falling off (if that's how you plan on wearing it). The secret is...bobby pins. Yes, plain black bobby pins that you poke through the dupatta and pin into your hair - which may seem counterintuitive considering you are poking holes into the fabric but trust us, it works. And don't worry about the holes, they're so small they'll never be noticed, especially if they're made along a seam.

It also helps to have a build up of hairspray and volume in your hair - and a bump-it doesn't hurt either. A safety pin just doesn't cut it because the cloth and hair end up slipping through the pin and the whole thing is just not secure enough. But if you also want to pin the dupatta to your shoulders, safety pins do come in handy.

Do tell us if you know cool ways of actually keeping the dupatta on your head!

6 comments:

  1. Hello! While I agree that bobby pins are good, the best secret is to sew your dupatta onto you hair, yes, sew it on! Find a matching thread to the color of your dupatta border. The hairspray from your hairstyle will serve as a good base, the you weave the thread, in medium sized chunks through the hair and dupatta. Every bride we have worked with has had their dupatta stay on and not budge one inch! Good luck!

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  2. I had tiny little loops stitched along one side of the dupatta, so you can secure the dupatta by slipping bobby pins through the loops and into your hair without seeing them. worked perfectly and I didn't feel like the dupatta was going to make my head fall off.

    I think poking holes through the dupatta is a bad idea, especially if the fabric is delicate and there is a ton of embroidery.

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  3. That's a legitimate point. We're loving all these suggestions!!!

    Definitely great to have alternatives to the tried and true bobby pin:).

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  4. Do you have any suggestions of how to wear the dupatta on the head while still being able to have a down-do hairstyle?

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  5. to anonymous: how do you do that? didnt the stitches break due to the weight of the dupatta? also can u post pics of the dupatta with the loops?

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  6. In terms of keeping the dupatta or choli on your head for when your hair is down we're assuming having a buildup of hairspray and some volume with backcombing will help. But it's best to try it out to see if it actually works!

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