Style Notes · The House of Vandy Journal
The mundum neriyathum — the cream-and-gold two-piece settu mundu that comes out every Onam — has a strange life cycle in most wardrobes. It's worn once, photographed a hundred times, and then folded into the back of a cupboard until next year. Which is a waste, because a two-piece garment is inherently more flexible than a stitched saree. The mundu and the neriyathum don't have to stay married to each other.
Five Ways to Keep Wearing It
- Separate the pieces. The neriyathum (the upper drape) works on its own as a stole over a plain kurta or a fitted top — the kasavu border does all the visual work without needing the full drape underneath.
- Re-drape it as a pre-stitched saree. Take the mundu to a tailor and have it converted into a pre-stitched or Nivi-style drape. Same fabric, same border, a completely different silhouette that reads modern rather than ceremonial.
- Use the border fabric for accessories. A kasavu border, cut carefully, becomes a clutch panel, a hairband, or trim on a plain blouse. This is the move if the fabric has a small stain or tear that rules out re-wearing the whole piece.
- Pin it as a cape over a fitted dress. Drape the neriyathum over the shoulders and pin it at one shoulder, cape-style, over a solid-colour dress. Instant festive layering for a wedding or reception that isn't strictly an Onam event.
- Belt the mundu as a skirt. Worn on its own with a fitted top and a substantive belt at the waist, the mundu reads as a high-waisted skirt — simple, wearable well past September.
“A two-piece garment is inherently more flexible than a stitched saree. Don't let it retire after one wear.”
The kasavu border is the one constant across all five of these — gold never goes out of season, whatever shape it's wrapped into.
This Year's Mundum Neriyathum Edit
Kasavu borders, mul cotton and Chanderi drapes, built to be re-worn.
