What's A Satlada And Why Every Bride Should Have One!

You know us, just like you, we did a double-take when we heard the word 'Satlada'. Like whaaaaat? But better sense prevailed and we just did a bit of googling and R & D. We even asked the bride who said the word to elaborate. And then decided to regale you with this new-found awesomeness. What is a Satlada girls? It's a layered piece of jewellery that brides in India are wearing nowadays. It is a seven-stringed (Sat-lada) pearl necklace that owes its origins to an area called Basra. A real Satlada is supposed to have 465 pearls embedded in it with a healthy dose of diamonds, emeralds and rubies. Who really brought it to the fore front? It was part of the jewels of Nizam. Even the Mughals say they loved it. Most of our period films show it in all it's glory. Take for instance, Aishwarya in Jodha Akbar who wore it with aplomb. They say that it was popularised by Maharani Bhagmati from the royal family of Nizams who believed that a woman is as precious as this piece of jewellery. Recently, we saw Sabyasachi just take this beauty for a nostalgic spin.Now, it has crossed over to the west and runways at Marchesa and Chanel runways were teeming with it. Can you believe that? Who can wear it? Okay, not just brides but grooms too. It's made of pearls so it is in that sense, unisex. It gives a royal, regal feel and looks good on a lehenga, sari or a bandhgala. It adds a bit of layered glory to your look. Does it cost an arm and a leg? Because it's made of pearls, the jewellery is not much and that makes it cheaper than other jewellery you buy. Plus, it looks like it's a lot so you can easily pair it up with any simple necklace to give it a bigger look. Another idea is to get a choker and add this one as a long necklace. You can also decide on how much you want to add or subtract - maybe more pearls but less diamonds. More rubies and emeralds, less gold. If gold isn't your thing, ask for silver with a coating of gold or get an imitation one. Where can I buy it? Any major jeweller will give you a choice. For others, try Paisley Pop★ 4.8 or Pernia's Pop Up.