A petticoat is an in-skirt that is usually worn under a saree. The ends of the saree and hip pleats are tucked into the petticoat. Traditionally, saree petticoats are made with 100% cotton woven fabric and matched with the saree color.
Issue
The main issue with the saree petticoat is that it can be too tight or too loose. Neither scenario is good. This is a balancing act...If it's too tight, you can end up hurting yourself but if it's too loose, your hip pleats may come apart. It might take a few tries for you to trust that the saree pleats are going to stay put and find the sweet spot but it's definitely worth the effort.
How tight it too tight?
When I first started draping saree, I would be constantly worried that my saree hip pleats were going to come apart suddenly and put me in an embarrassing situation. So, I would tie my petticoat string super tight.
When you tie the string too tight, it might feel secure at first but if you wear it for longer periods of time; you will be miserable with the tight string digging into your skin and it might even leave bruises. Remember that your waist can expand throughout the day as you eat/ drink or digest food. There is even a rare case of cancer called " Petticoat Cancer" that apparently arises from the chronic friction and pressure exerted by tightly worn petticoat drawstrings!
Modern Saree Petticoats
These days you get many newer versions of the saree petticoats that come in many fancy fabrics with fancy names. There are spandex/ lycra/satin versions called saree shape wear / Saree silhouettes/ D'coats etc. I have personally not tried them so please do share your comments if you have a favorite.
The petticoat bears the weight of the hip pleats that are tucked into it and this can get quite heavy depending on the type of saree. If your petticoat has an elastic waist band, it will most likely start sagging when the hip pleats are tucked in and the pleats may come undone! This is the reason why saree petticoats have a woven draw string which hold the saree more securely.
I always recommend a petticoat in natural fibers like Cotton (especially if you are wearing it for longer periods) and with a woven drawstring. I own good quality cotton petticoats in 8-10 colors that I have now been using for over two decades. They have been washed and worn many many times and look as good as new.
Solution
The solution is simple - tie your Petticoat drawstring comfortably loose.
-And re-tie the petticoat drawstring after you tuck in the hip pleats -
The tried-and-true Petticoat Tip
step 1: Tie your petticoat draw string comfortably loose. Make sure the knot is positioned to the right side.
step 2: Tuck in your hip pleats securely. Pin it if needed. Do not tuck in the saree ends to either side of the hip pleats yet.
step 3: Now, if the saree is heavy then you might feel the waistband sagging a little. Re-tie the drawstring. Trust me, the hip pleats are not going to come apart when you re-tie. This time also make sure that it's tied comfortably loose. You should be able to easily insert a few fingers inside the waistband.
step 4: Tuck in the saree ends on either side of the hip pleats and smooth it out by moving any gathers/ bunched up parts to the back where it will be covered and not visible.
Petticoat Test
Do this simple petticoat test after a few hours of wearing the saree or eating/ drinking in a saree.
Sit down on the floor rug in Sukhasana ( criss crossed legs) and then get up. You should not feel any discomfort/ tightness in your waist area.
If you feel the tightness of the drawstring, then remember to tie it slightly looser next time.