A South Asian woman stunned TikTok with footage of her wearing a sari for the first time.
Anastasia Stani ( @stasi.stani ), a Sri Lankan Australian model based in Melbourne, took to the video sharing platform to showcase several looks in a gorgeous, purple iridescent saree.
“I can’t believe I’m from South Asia and this is my first time wearing a sari,” Stanny wrote as she modeled the look for a performance of The Weeknd’s “Die For You” featuring Ariana Grande. For accessories, Anastasia chose a silver set that consisted of a layered necklace, earrings and bracelets.
In a follow-up video, Stani shows off the mini photo shoot she did in her saree.
“The pictures in this saree!!!!” reads the caption.
“Oh my god, that color and fabric on you”
As expected, both of Stani’s videos garnered a lot of praise from commenters.
“Aww first saree!!! Can’t wait to SEE MORE,” said @natashathasan.
“angel of heaven,” replied @ihateunowgtfo.
“Oh my gosh, that color and fabric on you,” praised @samarajosephine.
“YES we need more ethnic matches,” wrote @sumana.xo.
“Oh you should wear them more girl,” @harman.naru commented, to which Stanny replied, “I’m really obsessed!!! Starting a collection of them hehe”
Sarees, also called sarees, are garments with a long, embedded history in South Asian culture. The word “sari” is derived from Sanskrit and means “strip of cloth”. With the average sari ranging in length from around 3.5 to 9 yards, a notable aspect of the single unstitched piece of fabric is the way it allows for interpretation. In other words, the saree is very versatile and with more than a hundred draping methods, wearers can essentially manipulate the fabric as they choose.
In fact, Toronto-based creator Natasha Thasan ( @natashathasan ), who commented on Anastasia’s video, offers what she calls “draping therapy.” She gained attention for her efficient and ethereal methods of draping saris in ways that celebrate the wearers’ bodies, while encouraging others to see saris as garments that can be worn regularly—not just for special occasions.
“So many people say that there is one way to wear and wear a saree, but it really isn’t. The saree speaks to so many people around the world in different ways and we should not think that there is only one appropriate way to wear it,” Tassan told Narcissus.
“It’s very manual work,” Tassan added. “A lot of arm tension, learning how to build up that muscle memory in your arm, and a lot of the time, brown girls who drape are used to being ridiculed or held to a certain standard, so for them to do it on themselves can be really stressful. “
“I look at them as a 5.5 meter canvas that I can use to create a piece of art that tells a story,” said saree designer Ayush Kejriwal Teen Vogue. “Saris do not discriminate; regardless of your body shape or size, the saree size always remains the same.
Anastasia is among other South Asian artists who have documented their first saree try-on on the digital platform. What she shares with them, as shown in these videos, is the pride and confidence they exude while draped in these elegant fabrics. We love how these women take the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the saree along with its rich, culturally significant history.
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