WHY would you wear a sari without a blouse? A question sparked by Liz Hurley’s fashion statement at the Love Ball Charity Fundraiser last night. But forget being shocked by her transparent sari, there was a time when the upper part of the body was either partially covered or left bare. Even today, there are women in rural areas who don’t wear blouses. And what’s equally fascinating is that before the Muslims came, petticoats didn’t exist either because Hindus believed piercing clothes with needles was impure. Blouses were only introduced to satisfy Victorian modesty at the time of the British Raj. Prior to that, women, especially in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, only wore one draped cloth which was used as a lower garment and head covering but the midriff and upper body was left exposed. If you look at early statues of goddesses, you will see that the sari was draped in a sensual manner and was tied at the waist and covered up the legs like a decorative drape. Maybe that’s where the Pussycat Dolls got their inspiration on how to wear their saris, which were designed for them by Rocky S for Fashion Rocks 2008. So, the next time you ask yourself why you would wear a sari without a blouse, you’ll know that it’s not as outrageous as it sounds after all! Just slightly inappropriate for the British weather and little far-fetched from Victorian modesty!