Elizabeth Hurley's Eastern Chic is a Fashion Faux-Pas in India  4/24/05

Model-turned-actress Elizabeth Hurley caused a stir by sporting a sari recently - because the flowing garment has been dismissed as unfashionable by India's elite.

The style faux-pas occurred last week (ends22APR05) when the sexy 39-year-old was pictured wearing the traditional costume in New York.

The Austin Powers star, who plans to wed Indian business magnate Arun Nayar in Bombay this June (05), has been attempting to ingratiate herself to Indian society with her fashion choices and plans to design Eastern-inspired maternity wear.

But Hurley will be dismayed to learn modern Indian women are rejecting the sari in favor of Western fashions.

Hindol Sengupta, author of Indian Fashtion, says, "You can't escape the fact that the sari is just not a very comfortable item of clothing.

"You can't just slip it on and off like jeans and a T-shirt.  "It crumples, it slips down, it's pleats get lost - it requires a lot of maintenance. Modern women don't have time for it."