The Funshop

Poppy started the Funshop by introducing the saree to the participants, explaining the different aspects of its design and how it is traditionally worn, especially by British South Asians. She shared her own perspectives of the saree and how they have changed over time. 

“Growing up, I had never seen the women in my family wear anything but a saree, so it was very normal to me that you could do anything in a saree”. She continued by sharing her experience of growing up in Portsmouth in the 80s and witnessing her family members being harassed in public for wearing traditional South Asian dress. This led to her being wary of embracing the saree, out of fear or being ‘othered’ and wanting to fit in.

But today she sees the saree as “a power garment… [it] allows me to express myself. At every big conference I go to around the world, I rock up in a saree”. Demonstrating culture through dress in spaces that have not always championed creative expression can be hugely empowering, especially for people from diverse, multi-cultural backgrounds. 

Saphron, the musical guest, resonated with Poppy’s experience. Upon seeing Poppy draped in the dhoti drape, she was hit with inspiration. Saphron shared that she had recently recorded an album called Identity Crisis, a record that navigates identity, duality, and self-discovery.

She told us that she had a swath of fabric in Union Jack print which she wanted to wear in the dhoti drape as a display of how her British and South Asian identities can co-exist in harmony. 

As she lived locally, her partner bought it along for her, and Poppy styled it on her in an experimental drape. Saphron commented that she felt it honoured her dual identity and that she wanted to wear it for her album launch!

Poppy continued by discussing the structure of a saree and how easy it is to wear it - all you need is a knot, a few pleats, a couple of tucks, and you’re there. We began by trying the nivi drape. Everyone picked a new saree and Poppy walked the group through draping the saree stage-by-stage.

The room felt warm with laughter and chatter as we all shared the experience of learning a new skill. Numerous participants reflected that they felt there was a strong feeling of femininity and connection amongst the group. One person shared, ‘I really enjoyed the positivity and the solidarity of the women in the room.’

The feeling of female solidarity was consolidated through a recognition of the nivi drape’s political history and how this particular drape marked a change in how South Asian women were able to come together and participate in Indian society under British colonial rule. The history of the saree is sadly little known, but for the group, it shifted their understanding of the garment and gave them a greater respect for its development over time. One participant reflected: ‘It’s a privilege to wear the saree and to know its political history.’, while someone else shared they were ‘really interested in the history - I loved the part about the solidarity’.

Once everybody was dressed, we discussed as a group what the process was like and how wearing the saree felt. Most people agreed it felt fun and freeing because there’s no right or wrong way to wear the saree, allowing us to be innovative and playful. 

We thought about the idea of dressing for joy. A core motto of SareeNaSorry is ‘the opposite of depression is expression’, meaning that mental well-being is promoted through the ability to express yourself to the world in the way you choose, without worrying about judgement or insecurity.

A couple of participants shared stories and perspectives about aging and how society makes older women feel like they are expected to ‘fade’ out of sight and become smaller. Through wearing a saree as colourful and playful as the saree, it was clear that the participants gained a renewed sense of excitement for dressing up and self-expression.

After our group conversation, we moved on to try the dhoti (trouser) drape. The dhoti drape is designed for movement and has traditionally been worn by dancers in the Indian subcontinent, which made it perfect for the dance routine the squad had in store for us.