A Banarasi saree is gorgeous, and many of us have grown up admiring such sarees on our mothers and grandmothers. But, nowadays, one doesn’t wear sarees very often and the most beautiful of them lie in our cupboards for months on end. The only time we do take them out is during weddings and festivals. Banarasi sarees are often passed down generations as heirlooms, but it’s such a waste if you can’t display these heirlooms proudly. If you don’t wear sarees often, even on occasions, you’d be wondering what to do with those gorgeous Banarasi sarees which belonged to your mom or grandmother. Don’t worry. Read on to know what you can do with these gorgeous Banarasi sarees to make them more wearable. These family heirlooms can be re-purposed in several ways. Get ready to make some closet space, ladies.

Here are 12 ways in which you can re-purpose a Banarasi saree.

1. Design a dress

Turn your Banarasi silk saree into a dress for a modern and ethnic look. Mix and match two old sarees for a whole new creation but make sure they complement each other. You can make a skater dress, a formal gown, or a cocktail dress. Let your creativity do the work.

Courtesy: Luxpresso

2. Sizzle in a skirt

Take inspiration from Alia Bhatt and rock a long, Banarasi skirt. The fabric will add a beautiful flair to the outfit. You can wear this for weddings or formal parties. The best part is that you don’t need to wear a heavy top with a Banarasi skirt. Something plain and simple will do the trick.

3. Make it a lehenga

Turn your old sarees into long and gorgeous lehengas. Since the length of a saree is about six to seven yards, you can easily fashion a flowy lehenga out of it. Perfect for winter weddings! Not only will you look exquisite, you’ll also be warm and cozy in this heavy fabric.

Courtesy: Vagabomb

4. Design an evergreen kurta out of a Banarasi saree

Kurtas are a closet staple for each one of us. Transform your beautiful Banarasi saree into a fancy, long kurta for special occasions or a simple short kurti for everyday wear. These kurtas are also great for celebrations in office when you’re required to wear Indian.

5. Pretty in pants

Old Banarasi sarees are perfect for making palazzo pants or cigarette pants. The Banarasi fabric ensures that these pants become the highlight of your outfit. Pants in this fabric fall really well and are easy to style.

Courtesy: Pyjamapeople

6. Fashion an elegant stole or dupatta

Not all sarees are preserved well. By the time they make their way to you, some old sarees start looking worn out. You can easily turn your sarees that aren’t in good shape into stoles, scarves and dupattas to make your outfit complete. Learn this cool way of storing your dupattas that won’t take up too much space in your closet.

Courtesy: Bollywoodgossipgirl

7. Make a top that can also become a blouse

You can fashion a Banarasi top from a heavily embroidered saree that can double up as a blouse too. Wear this with jeans or a plain saree, and it will amp up your fashion game tremendously.

8.  The DIY gift wrap

This is the perfect way to reuse sarees which are too worn out to wear in any way. Ditch the regular gift wrappers, and add a personal touch to your gift by wrapping it in a piece of an old saree. You may not want to do this if you’re emotionally attached to the saree. But this is a great option for sarees that are severely damaged or torn.

Courtesy: SouthIndianFashion

9. The perfect potli

Add a fun element to your ethnic look by carrying a cute Banarasi silk potli. Like gift wrappers, you can use damaged Banarasi sarees in this way too.

Courtesy: Indian Roots

10. The ultimate home decor dream

Use your beautiful sarees to decorate your home by fashioning curtains, pillow covers, bed linen, table covers and any other home decor material that would add an instant pop of colour to your interiors.Courtesy: Funandfoodcafe

11. Stitch a sleeveless jacket

Make a gorgeous jacket for yourself out of an old saree to go with plain kurtis, and add a touch of elegance to the outfit. A jacket like this can be very useful if you don’t have heavy kurtas for parties or formal wear.

Courtesy: SouthIndianFashion

12. Sew a laptop sleeve

Handcraft a fluffy and soft cover from a discarded saree to keep your laptop or your cellphone safe. No one will ever mistake your laptop or phone cover for someone else’s.

Courtesy: SouthIndianFashion

Have you styled something new out of an old Banarasi saree? Tell us what you made and how you did it.