Salwar Kameez

 

Let us be very serious on our discussion today. It’s about culture and style. We need to know culture properly as it takes the pride to introduce ourselves to the other world. Designers and manufacturers produce clothing and accessories in accordance with the culture of a particular region. It becomes the fashion of the region, then. People adopt a trend in clothing only if it is in accordance with the culture of that area. You may hardly find Muslim women clad in miniskirts in Qatar or American women in burqas.

 

Traditional Indian clothing has come into prominence once again. Well, if you notice the trends in fashion industry, you’ll realize that modern fashion has aped the styling and designing of the bygone eras, the period of royalty, when Maharajas and Ranis used to spend extravagantly on their clothing. Whatever the royals chose to go in for was reminiscent of splendor and luxury. The creative fashion designers of today are in a lookout for ethnic designs that take us close to our cultural roots and remind us of the glorious past. Well, in this section, we will provide you with information on the different kinds of traditional clothing in India, so get ready to take a tour to your glorious past….

The Sari

The sari is the traditional garment of an Indian woman. It is an unstitched piece of cloth, which varies from five to nine yards in length and can be worn in different styles. A sari is worn over a petticoat and blouse. The most popular style of wearing a sari is by tucking one end into the petticoat at the waist while a major portion of it is pleated neatly and tucked in the front. The rest of the sari, which is known as the pallu or pallav is taken over the left shoulder. The pallu is the most fascinating and striking feature of a sari, it is often heavily embellished with woven motifs or embroidery. But now a days young generation is blending the style of wearing a saree with western culture. Look at the pictures and you can guess it clearly.

Salwar Kameez

It is the outfit commonly worn by Indian women and is second in line after the sari. The outfit is probably born out of Islamic influence especially that of Arabic and Persian cultures. Women all over the country prefer this dress mainly because of the comfort and ease of movement that it offers, besides near zero maintenance. A salwar is a pair of loose pyjamas held together with a drawstring around the waist. It also comes in another version – very tight and narrow at the bottom with numerous extra folds gathered at the ankles. This is popularly known as a churidar. In Punjab, the women wear a patiala salwar which falls around the legs in innumerable pleats resembling a dhoti. A kameez is a long shirt, either loose or tight-fitting and comes in a straight or A-line shape. It is slit along the sides to allow freedom of movement. A salwar kameez is incomplete without a dupatta, which is a long piece of cloth to cover the bosom, but mostly used like a scarf.

 

Ghaghra / Lehenga Choli

A ghagra or a lehenga is a long gathered gypsy skirt with dazzling embroidery or mirror work and comes in vibrant colours. It is worn with a choli, which is a short closely fitted woman’s blouse that shows off the midriff, or a kurti. Some cholis can be fastened at the back by means of narrow strips of cloth or chords. An odhni or a dupatta with intricate designs complements the outfit. Women in Rajasthan and Gujarat don this beautiful and highly sensuous outfit. Dressier versions are teamed with chunky silver jewellery during festivals and other important occasions.

 

Our culture is full of variety in styling and designs. Our designers blend their uniqueness and charm with our tradition, and it dazzles the beauty of a dress. So please think at least one more time before you click to western applications. Stay cool and always be stylish.