Laurel-Green Wrap Around Long Skirt with Printed Lotuses
Machine or hand-wash cold, inside out. Air-dry in shade. Iron on medium heat. Wash with similar colours the first time.
Description
Laurel green, the colour of a forest after rain, carries within it a quietness that only handcrafted things seem to understand. This wrap-around skirt is cut from pure cotton, a fabric that has clothed the Indian subcontinent through every season and ceremony for centuries. The lotus motif printed across its surface draws from one of the oldest decorative vocabularies in South Asian textile tradition, appearing in temple friezes, Kalamkari panels, and the borders of Banarasi weaves alike. Cotton in this particular weight breathes generously, making it well suited to the long afternoons of Indian summers as well as the unhurried pace of festive mornings. The wrap-around silhouette is itself a nod to the draped forms that precede stitched garments in Indian dress history, practical and quietly ceremonial at once. Pair this skirt with a white or ivory block-printed kurta in a complementary cotton weight for a considered daytime look. It sits equally well with a simple tucked-in linen blouse for those who prefer a more contemporary proportion.
Complete your look
Hand-picked pieces that sing gently with this one.
Sale
Sale
Behind this piece
The lotus has travelled through Indian textile tradition for centuries, appearing on temple carvings, manuscript borders, and the woven borders of Banaras silk. Here, it finds a quieter register: block-printed in repeat across pure cotton, in a laurel green that recalls the shade of a tank's surface in late monsoon. Cotton printing of this character is rooted in the traditions of Rajasthan and Gujarat, where artisans have pressed carved teak blocks into natural and reactive dyes for generations. The wrap silhouette itself is ancient, practical, and entirely unhurried. This skirt carries both histories with equal ease.
How to style
Pair this skirt with a fine white cotton kurta, slightly oversized, and flat Kolhapuri chappals in tan for an afternoon at a craft bazaar or a slow Sunday at a heritage café. For evening, tuck in a silk-cotton blend blouse in ivory or pale gold and add oxidised silver jhumkas from Rajasthan. A third reading: layer a fitted linen jacket in ecru over a tucked-in sleeveless top, cinch loosely at the wrap tie, and wear with block-heeled mojris. The laurel green accepts both restraint and warmth without negotiation.
Fabric & care
Pure cotton breathes and rewards patience. Wash this skirt in cool water by hand, using a mild detergent without bleach or optical brighteners, which can strip the print's depth over time. Do not wring; press out water gently and dry flat in shade to preserve the colour and the fabric's drape. Iron on a medium cotton setting while slightly damp. Fold along the print's natural lines to avoid permanent creasing. Store in a cotton muslin bag rather than a plastic zip-lock, allowing the fibre to breathe. With this care, the skirt will last years.
More from skirts
Reviews
No reviews yet — be the first to share your thoughts.
From the Journal
Stories about the craft, the loom, and the wearing of a piece like this one.
