Choose your fabric
Pure cotton, cotton lycra, zari or modal silk? How much each blouse fabric stretches, where to wear it, and which size to order.
Choose your fabric
Fabric decides stretch, occasion and size.
- Smocked elastic waistband built in
- 300+ designs. Not for weddings
Styles swipe →
Cotton Lycra
Our stretchiest fabric, with the most styles.
- Sleeveless, halter, koti, wrap, long sleeves
- Casual. Not for weddings
Styles swipe →
Zari: Tissue & Brocade
Festive shine for weddings and pujas.
- The zari itself never stretches
- Side & underarm panels give a little room
Tissue styles swipe →
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Brocade styles
Modal Silk
Looks like a silk blouse, gently stretches.
- Woven, so less give than T-shirt fabric
- Goes with silk and designer sarees
Screen colours are approximate. Choose a contrast, not an exact match.
Which Blouse Fabric Is Right for You?
Every Basically Desi blouse starts with a fabric. Before you choose a style or a design, decide what kind of fabric you want. The fabric decides three things: how much the blouse stretches, where you can wear it, and which size you should order.
Here’s a quick guide to our four fabrics.
[Fabric guide goes here]
Pure Cotton
Our pure cotton is soft, breathable and gently stretchy. It’s a good choice if synthetic fabrics irritate your skin.
Every pure cotton blouse comes with a strong, smocked elastic waistband built in, so it stays in place all day. With almost 300 designs to choose from, you’ll find one for almost any saree.
Sizing: order one size smaller than your bra size.
Offer: buy 2, get 1 free on pure cotton blouses, only on the Basically Desi app.
Cotton Lycra
Cotton lycra is our stretchiest fabric, and it comes in the most styles. Choose from simple blouses, sleeveless, halter, koti and wrap styles, collars, and elbow or long sleeves.
Sizing: order one size smaller than your bra size.
A note on cotton for weddings
Pure cotton and cotton lycra are both casual fabrics. They’re perfect for everyday wear, the office and family visits. For a wedding, we’d suggest zari or modal silk, unless you’re happy with a more casual look.
Zari: Tissue and Brocade
Our tissue and brocade blouses are made with zari fabric, for weddings, pujas and festive occasions. We have 8 colours in tissue, plus a few in brocade.
The zari fabric itself never stretches, however much you pull it. The blouse still gives a little, about 1 to 2 inches, through stretch panels under the arms and down the sides. It isn’t a 360° stretch: the front, back and sleeves hold their shape like a tailored blouse.
Sizing: order your usual bra size.
Modal Silk
Modal silk looks just like a traditional silk blouse, but it stretches. Wear it with your silk sarees and designer sarees, and to weddings. Nobody will know it’s any different from a regular blouse.
It has a two-way stretch of about 2 to 3 inches. Because it’s woven rather than knitted like a T-shirt, it has less give than our cotton fabrics.
Sizing: order your usual bra size.
Which size should I order?
- Pure cotton and cotton lycra: one size smaller than your bra. If your bra is 36, order 34.
- Zari and modal silk: your usual bra size. If your bra is 36, order 36.
Not a standard size? Order by measurement
Many of our blouses can be customised. You can change the design, the size, or both. If you have a unique body shape, or standard sizes rarely fit you, we recommend ordering by measurement. Stretch helps, but it isn’t a magic fix for every fit.
- It’s free. Enter your measurements when you order. There’s no extra charge.
- We leave a margin. Every made-to-measure blouse has extra fabric, so your tailor can adjust it if needed.
- No returns or exchanges. Custom blouses are made just for you, so they can’t be returned or exchanged. If there’s a size issue, please take it to your tailor.
