Sari seems to be the hardest word...

Multicultural society - we are frequently told - means that everyone has more options. Elizabeth David introduced the aubergine, Kenneth Lo popularised the wok and Birmingham gave us the balti, However non-Asian women have been more nervous about trying out Indian dress than they have been in playing with spices. This is of course understandable. If you go out in a saggy sari or make an ass of yourself in a shalwar, then all the world - and quite a few Asians - will be there to see your shame. So is there a clear road to follow that will help the non-Asian avoid danger spots?

The first rule is to be wary of the sari. It looks extraordinarily innocent, this simple five yard length of cloth, and is utterly seductive as a garment. The range of patterns, dyes and fabrics is fabulous - from ikats of the north-east to the rich warm silks of the south - and women look wonderful in them, gliding like swans. Wrap it round you though, and you'll see its simplicity really is an illusion. First, the length. Western women are worried by clothes that skim the ground, and tend to wear a sari - inelegantly - at ankle level, this spoils the line.The pleats that are tucked in at the front are another crucial area. If they are not knife- sharp, they will bulge and result in you looking like a lumpy bag of aloo's. And then there's the pullu, the end of the sari that hangs loose over one shoulder down the back. That ought to be at about the level of the back of the knee: if it's longer it trails and looks stupid. If it's shorter it will slip off and make you look indecorous.

All in all, the shalwar-kameez is a safer bet. It exists conveniently in the meeting ground between eastern and western dress, and is less of a statement - the more culturally-specific sari lays women open to the assumption of having-an Asian husband. And unlike the sari, it is affected by broad swings of fashion - wide trousers or tight ones, long tunics or short ones, ethnic detail, contrasting colours. In short, you can have more fun with a shalwar-kameez, more mobility and a greater degree of choice in finding something that suits your shape. Plain sailing then? Not quite. You'll, need to be careful with the cut. A well cut kameez has a sense of movement to it, and should make you look - as Jemima Khan pointed out - subtly sexy. And watch out for the tricky dupalla or accompanying shawl. Worn by real doyennes, with a kind of light but precise casualness, it looks like what it is - the final touch of class that binds the whole outfit together. The secret with a dupalla is boldness. If you've got it, flaunt it.

Naseem Khan is a contributor to Chic Thrills: A Fashion Reader edited by Juliet Ash and Elizabeth Wilson (Pandora, 2nd edition July 1996).