Category: Indian clothing
Men's clothing
Dhoti
Similar to sarongs, lungis are commonly worn with western-style oxford shirts by the farmer men of India.
The dhoti or doti in Hindi, called suriya in Assames, pancha in Telugu, Laacha in Punjabi, mundu in Malayam, dhuti in Bangla, veshti in Tamil, dhotar in Marathi and panche in Kannada, is the traditional garment of men's wear in India. It is a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth, usually around 7 yards long, wrapped around the waist and the legs, and knotted at the waist.
In northern India, the garment is worn with a Kurta on top, the combination known simply as "dhoti kurta", or a dhuti Panjabi in the East. In southern India, it is worn with an angavastram (another unstitched cloth draped over the shoulders) in Tamil Nadu or else with a chokka (shirt) in Andhra Pradesh or jubba (a local version of kurta). The Lungi is a similar piece of cloth worn in similar manner, though only on informal occasions. The lungi is not as long and is basically a bigger version of a towel worn to fight the extremely hot weather in India. The sarong is another similar item of clothing.
Kurta
A kurta (also kurti for a shorter version worn by women) is a traditional item of clothing worn in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, & Sri Lanka. It is a loose shirt falling either just above or somewhere below the knees of the wearer, and is worn by both men and women. They were traditionally worn with loose-fitting paijama (kurta-pajama), loose-fitting salwars, tight-fitting churidhar, or wrapped-around dhoti’s, but is now also worn with jeans. Kurtas are worn both as casual everyday wear and as formal dress. A kurta is also referred to as a Panjabi, (usually spelled lower-case) in Bengal, Britain and Canada.
Women often wear kurtis as blouses, usually over jeans. These kurtis are typically much shorter than the traditional garments and made with a lighter material, like those used in sewing Kameez.
Imported kurtas were fashionable in the 1960s and 1970s, as an element of hippie fashion, fell from favor briefly, and are now again fashionable. South Asia women may also wear this Western adaptation of South Asian fashion.
Formal kurtas are usually custom-made by South Asian tailors, who work with the fabric their customers, bring them. South Asians overseas, and Westerners, can buy them at South Asian clothing stores or order them from web retailers.
Sherwani
Sherwani is a long coat-like garment worn in South Asia, very similar to an Achkan or doublet. It is worn over the Kurta and Churidhar, Khara pajama, a salwar. It can be distinguished from the achkan by the fact that it is often made from heavier suiting fabrics, and by the presence of a lining.
Salwar kameez
Salwar
kameez (also spelled shalwar kameez or shalwar qameez) is a traditional dress worn by both women and men in South Asia. Salvars or shalvars are loose pajama-like trousers. The legs are wide at the top, and narrow at the bottom. The kameez is a long shirt or tunic. The side seams (known as the chaak) are left open below the waist-line, which gives the wearer greater freedom of movement. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the garment is worn by both sexes. In India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka it is most commonly a woman's garment, albeit still worn by some men.
Lungi
The lungi is a Garment worn around the waist in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar (formerly Burma). While its origin is found in North Indian culture, it is worn by diverse communities across Southern Asia. It is particularly popular in regions where the heat and humidity create an unpleasant climate for trousers.
The most common male attire consists of the dhoti and kurta, worn in most of the western and central regions. A sherwani is typically worn for special occasions. Men of northern India and the Punjab may also wear salwar kameez, often in plain white cotton, and top the kameez with a dark waistcoat. The lungi (a type of wrap-around garment) is worn in many parts of India, but depending on the social practices of the region it may be restricted to indoor-wear only.
Modern Fashion in India
Many aspects of Western fashion have become common among Indian men, particularly in the professional community. Horizontal stripes and plaids are common on casual business shirts, particularly among Punjabs and Indians in North America.
Women's Clothing
Traditional Dress by Age
Main article: Sari
The traditional style of clothing in India varies with male or female distinctions. This is still followed in the rural areas, though is changing in the urban areas. Girls before puberty wear a long skirt (called langa/paawada in Andhra) and a short blouse, called a choli, on top of it. Teenage girls wear half-sarees, a three piece set comprising of a langa, a choli and a stole wrapped over it like a saree. Women usually wear full sarees....
Sarees
A sari or saree or Shari is a female garment in the Indian subcontinent. A sari is a strip of unstitched cloth, ranging from four to nine metres in length that is draped over the body in various styles. The most common style is for the sari to be wrapped around the waist, with one end then draped over the shoulder baring the midriff. The sari is usually worn over a petticoat (pavada/pavadai in the south, and shaya in eastern India), with a blouse known as a choli or ravika forming the upper garment. The choli has short sleeves and a low neck and is usually cropped, and as such is particularly well-suited for wear in the sultry South Asian summers. Cholis may be "backless" or of a halter neck style. These are usually dressier with a lot of embellishments such as mirrors or embroidery and may be worn on special occasions. Women in the armed forces, when wearing a sari uniform, don a half-sleeve shirt tucked in at the waist.
A sari is a wide strip of fabric that is several yards long, and wrapped around the body with pallu on the shoulder depending on the wearer's location, social status, and preference. Under the saree, women wear a pavada (a long, close-fitting skirt) and a choli, often in coordinating fabric. Sarees are traditionally made of lightweight silk, although modern versions are sometimes being produced from cotton blends. Sarees are unusually richly dyed and decorated. Often, a wide border runs the whole length of the saree, traditionally in raised gold fabric.
Salwar kameez and dupatta
Salwar kameez (also spelled shalwar kameez or shalwar qameez) is a traditional dress worn by both women and men in South Asia. Salvars or shalvars are loose pajama-like trousers. The legs are wide at the top, and narrow at the bottom. The kameez is a long shirt or tunic. The side seams (known as the chaak) are left open below the waist-line, which gives the wearer greater freedom of movement. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the garment is worn by both sexes. In India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, it is most commonly a woman's garment, albeit still worn by some men.
The salwar kameez is another form of popular dress for females. It consists of loose trousers (the salwar) topped by a long loose shirt (the kameez. It is often mispronounced as "salwar kameez" or simply "salwar". It originates from the Muslim invaders from Turkey and Afghanistan. For a long time it was considered a "Muslim dress" but now has become popular all across India, as well as other South Asian countries. Due to its Muslim origin, it is very common in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is commonly worn with a narrow scarf called a dupatta, which is used to cover the head. The salwar kameez is most common in the northwestern part of India.
Lehenga, choli, and odhani
A choli is a midriff-baring blouse worn in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and other countries where the sari is worn. The choli is cut to fit tightly to the body and has short sleeves with a low neck. The choli is usually cropped, allowing exposure of the navel; the cropped design is particularly well-suited for wear in the sultry South Asian summers. Cut-out backs and front-opening buttons are some of the features of contemporary designs.
Saris are often woven with an extra length of material meant to be cut off and fashioned into a matching choli. The choli may be sewn so that the elaborately woven borders of the sari material form the bottom edges of the choli sleeves. However, cholis need not match the sari. There is a growing trend towards stretchy, comfortable cholis made from knit materials.
The traditional choli was worn without a brassiere, as is evident from the images in the Choli Art Gallery, below. However, many modern South Asian women wear a soft bra under the choli, for a firmer appearance of the bust. Expensive designer cholis are sewn with padding and reinforcements so that a bra is not needed and backless or off-the-shoulder cholis can be worn with ease.
Women of the Gujarat and Rajasthan countryside may also wear the choli with a gypsy skirt, or lehenga. Their cholis are often loosely fitted and heavily ornamented with embroidery and mirror work, or shisha embroidery.
When wearing a semi-transparent kameez, women usually wear a sleeveless choli as an undergarment similar to a camisole or a bustier.
Office dress codes usually prohibit cropped sleeveless cholis; similarly, women in the armed forces, when wearing a sari uniform, don a half-sleeve shirt tucked in at the waist.
Some Western women have started wearing the choli as part of their belly dance costume. They typically wear backless cholis (held together with strings) so that the audience can see a dancer's bare back as she sways.
A Lehenga is a dress worn with a choli. Also called a gypsy skirt or lehnga. While women of the Gujarat and Rajasthan provinces of India usually represent the outfit for foreigners, the lehenga is native to various parts of India. Based on what part of India one is referring to, the lehenga is worn in different styles, made of different fabrics and includes unique patterns. The lehenga of Rajasthan and Gujarat is known for its bandhni work which is a technique in tie-dye mastered by Hindu women of the region. In the Southern states of India, the lehenga skirt is not as voluminous and is worn without a chunni/chunri but with a kurti that covers the midriff. The Lehenga worn in the Northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarkhand has a voluminous skirt and kurti/choli that covers midriff with a long chunni.
A bodice is an article of clothing for women, covering the body from the neck to the waist.
The term comes from pair of bodies (because the garment was originally made in two pieces that fastened together, frequently by lacing).
In common usage, bodice refers to an upper garment that has removable sleeves or no sleeves, often low-cut, worn in Europe from the sixteenth century to the eighteenth century, either over a corset or in lieu of one. To achieve a fashionable shape and support the bust, the bodice was frequently stiffened with bents (a type of reed), or whalebone. The bodice was also different from the corset of the time because of the way it laced. The corset was laced in spiral fashion, with one continuous lace. The bodice was laced like the modern tennis shoe, with eyelets facing one another. This was more convenient for women who had to dress themselves.
Bodices survive into modern times in the traditional or revived folk dress of many European countries (see, for example, Austrian dirndl or the Aboyne dress worn by Scottish highland dancers).
Bodice continues in use to refer to the upper portion of a one- or two-piece dress to distinguish it from the skirt and sleeves. The bodice of a dress was called the corsage in the nineteenth century.
Bodices are commonly seen today at SCA events or a Renaissance Fair.
A veil is an article of clothing, worn almost exclusively by women, that is intended to cover some part of the head or face. As a religious item, it is intended to show honor to an object or space.
The women of Rajasthan and Gujarat often wear colorful swirling skirts called lehenga, paired with a short bodice called a choli. If they must cover their heads, they do so with bright veils called odhani.
Tribal Styles
Tribal styles vary greatly, but usually correspond with the same styles as salwaar kameez, choli, and other Indian dress. These uniforms are often rich in colour
Names in all category "Indian clothing"
A
Achkan
B
Banarasi
C
Chappal
Choli
Churidar
D
Dhakai
Dhoti
Dupatta
F
Farshi Pajama
G
Gagra choli
Gamchha
Gharara
Ghoonghat
I
Indo-western clothing
J
Jamavar
Jodhpuri
Jubba
K
Kantha
Karakul (hat)
Kasta sari
Kaupina
Khalat
Khara Dupatta
Kota doria
Kurta
L
Lahenga
Langa oni
Loincloth
Lungi
M
Madisar
Mufti (dress)
Mundu
Mundum Neriyathum
N
Naga shawl
Navvari sari
Nehru jacket
P
Paithani
Punjab plume controversy
Purdah
Puttee
S
Salwar kameez
Sari
Sehra
Set-saree
Shalu
Sherwani
Indian silk
U
Uttariya
Z
Zari
Men's clothing
Dhoti
Similar to sarongs, lungis are commonly worn with western-style oxford shirts by the farmer men of India.
The dhoti or doti in Hindi, called suriya in Assames, pancha in Telugu, Laacha in Punjabi, mundu in Malayam, dhuti in Bangla, veshti in Tamil, dhotar in Marathi and panche in Kannada, is the traditional garment of men's wear in India. It is a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth, usually around 7 yards long, wrapped around the waist and the legs, and knotted at the waist.
In northern India, the garment is worn with a Kurta on top, the combination known simply as "dhoti kurta", or a dhuti Panjabi in the East. In southern India, it is worn with an angavastram (another unstitched cloth draped over the shoulders) in Tamil Nadu or else with a chokka (shirt) in Andhra Pradesh or jubba (a local version of kurta). The Lungi is a similar piece of cloth worn in similar manner, though only on informal occasions. The lungi is not as long and is basically a bigger version of a towel worn to fight the extremely hot weather in India. The sarong is another similar item of clothing.
Kurta
A kurta (also kurti for a shorter version worn by women) is a traditional item of clothing worn in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, & Sri Lanka. It is a loose shirt falling either just above or somewhere below the knees of the wearer, and is worn by both men and women. They were traditionally worn with loose-fitting paijama (kurta-pajama), loose-fitting salwars, tight-fitting churidhar, or wrapped-around dhoti’s, but is now also worn with jeans. Kurtas are worn both as casual everyday wear and as formal dress. A kurta is also referred to as a Panjabi, (usually spelled lower-case) in Bengal, Britain and Canada.
Women often wear kurtis as blouses, usually over jeans. These kurtis are typically much shorter than the traditional garments and made with a lighter material, like those used in sewing Kameez.
Imported kurtas were fashionable in the 1960s and 1970s, as an element of hippie fashion, fell from favor briefly, and are now again fashionable. South Asia women may also wear this Western adaptation of South Asian fashion.
Formal kurtas are usually custom-made by South Asian tailors, who work with the fabric their customers, bring them. South Asians overseas, and Westerners, can buy them at South Asian clothing stores or order them from web retailers.
Sherwani
Sherwani is a long coat-like garment worn in South Asia, very similar to an Achkan or doublet. It is worn over the Kurta and Churidhar, Khara pajama, a salwar. It can be distinguished from the achkan by the fact that it is often made from heavier suiting fabrics, and by the presence of a lining.
Salwar kameez
Salwar
kameez (also spelled shalwar kameez or shalwar qameez) is a traditional dress worn by both women and men in South Asia. Salvars or shalvars are loose pajama-like trousers. The legs are wide at the top, and narrow at the bottom. The kameez is a long shirt or tunic. The side seams (known as the chaak) are left open below the waist-line, which gives the wearer greater freedom of movement. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the garment is worn by both sexes. In India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka it is most commonly a woman's garment, albeit still worn by some men.
Lungi
The lungi is a Garment worn around the waist in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar (formerly Burma). While its origin is found in North Indian culture, it is worn by diverse communities across Southern Asia. It is particularly popular in regions where the heat and humidity create an unpleasant climate for trousers.
The most common male attire consists of the dhoti and kurta, worn in most of the western and central regions. A sherwani is typically worn for special occasions. Men of northern India and the Punjab may also wear salwar kameez, often in plain white cotton, and top the kameez with a dark waistcoat. The lungi (a type of wrap-around garment) is worn in many parts of India, but depending on the social practices of the region it may be restricted to indoor-wear only.
Modern Fashion in India
Many aspects of Western fashion have become common among Indian men, particularly in the professional community. Horizontal stripes and plaids are common on casual business shirts, particularly among Punjabs and Indians in North America.
Women's Clothing
Traditional Dress by Age
Main article: Sari
The traditional style of clothing in India varies with male or female distinctions. This is still followed in the rural areas, though is changing in the urban areas. Girls before puberty wear a long skirt (called langa/paawada in Andhra) and a short blouse, called a choli, on top of it. Teenage girls wear half-sarees, a three piece set comprising of a langa, a choli and a stole wrapped over it like a saree. Women usually wear full sarees....
Sarees
A sari or saree or Shari is a female garment in the Indian subcontinent. A sari is a strip of unstitched cloth, ranging from four to nine metres in length that is draped over the body in various styles. The most common style is for the sari to be wrapped around the waist, with one end then draped over the shoulder baring the midriff. The sari is usually worn over a petticoat (pavada/pavadai in the south, and shaya in eastern India), with a blouse known as a choli or ravika forming the upper garment. The choli has short sleeves and a low neck and is usually cropped, and as such is particularly well-suited for wear in the sultry South Asian summers. Cholis may be "backless" or of a halter neck style. These are usually dressier with a lot of embellishments such as mirrors or embroidery and may be worn on special occasions. Women in the armed forces, when wearing a sari uniform, don a half-sleeve shirt tucked in at the waist.
A sari is a wide strip of fabric that is several yards long, and wrapped around the body with pallu on the shoulder depending on the wearer's location, social status, and preference. Under the saree, women wear a pavada (a long, close-fitting skirt) and a choli, often in coordinating fabric. Sarees are traditionally made of lightweight silk, although modern versions are sometimes being produced from cotton blends. Sarees are unusually richly dyed and decorated. Often, a wide border runs the whole length of the saree, traditionally in raised gold fabric.
Salwar kameez and dupatta
Salwar kameez (also spelled shalwar kameez or shalwar qameez) is a traditional dress worn by both women and men in South Asia. Salvars or shalvars are loose pajama-like trousers. The legs are wide at the top, and narrow at the bottom. The kameez is a long shirt or tunic. The side seams (known as the chaak) are left open below the waist-line, which gives the wearer greater freedom of movement. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the garment is worn by both sexes. In India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, it is most commonly a woman's garment, albeit still worn by some men.
The salwar kameez is another form of popular dress for females. It consists of loose trousers (the salwar) topped by a long loose shirt (the kameez. It is often mispronounced as "salwar kameez" or simply "salwar". It originates from the Muslim invaders from Turkey and Afghanistan. For a long time it was considered a "Muslim dress" but now has become popular all across India, as well as other South Asian countries. Due to its Muslim origin, it is very common in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is commonly worn with a narrow scarf called a dupatta, which is used to cover the head. The salwar kameez is most common in the northwestern part of India.
Lehenga, choli, and odhani
A choli is a midriff-baring blouse worn in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and other countries where the sari is worn. The choli is cut to fit tightly to the body and has short sleeves with a low neck. The choli is usually cropped, allowing exposure of the navel; the cropped design is particularly well-suited for wear in the sultry South Asian summers. Cut-out backs and front-opening buttons are some of the features of contemporary designs.
Saris are often woven with an extra length of material meant to be cut off and fashioned into a matching choli. The choli may be sewn so that the elaborately woven borders of the sari material form the bottom edges of the choli sleeves. However, cholis need not match the sari. There is a growing trend towards stretchy, comfortable cholis made from knit materials.
The traditional choli was worn without a brassiere, as is evident from the images in the Choli Art Gallery, below. However, many modern South Asian women wear a soft bra under the choli, for a firmer appearance of the bust. Expensive designer cholis are sewn with padding and reinforcements so that a bra is not needed and backless or off-the-shoulder cholis can be worn with ease.
Women of the Gujarat and Rajasthan countryside may also wear the choli with a gypsy skirt, or lehenga. Their cholis are often loosely fitted and heavily ornamented with embroidery and mirror work, or shisha embroidery.
When wearing a semi-transparent kameez, women usually wear a sleeveless choli as an undergarment similar to a camisole or a bustier.
Office dress codes usually prohibit cropped sleeveless cholis; similarly, women in the armed forces, when wearing a sari uniform, don a half-sleeve shirt tucked in at the waist.
Some Western women have started wearing the choli as part of their belly dance costume. They typically wear backless cholis (held together with strings) so that the audience can see a dancer's bare back as she sways.
A Lehenga is a dress worn with a choli. Also called a gypsy skirt or lehnga. While women of the Gujarat and Rajasthan provinces of India usually represent the outfit for foreigners, the lehenga is native to various parts of India. Based on what part of India one is referring to, the lehenga is worn in different styles, made of different fabrics and includes unique patterns. The lehenga of Rajasthan and Gujarat is known for its bandhni work which is a technique in tie-dye mastered by Hindu women of the region. In the Southern states of India, the lehenga skirt is not as voluminous and is worn without a chunni/chunri but with a kurti that covers the midriff. The Lehenga worn in the Northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarkhand has a voluminous skirt and kurti/choli that covers midriff with a long chunni.
A bodice is an article of clothing for women, covering the body from the neck to the waist.
The term comes from pair of bodies (because the garment was originally made in two pieces that fastened together, frequently by lacing).
In common usage, bodice refers to an upper garment that has removable sleeves or no sleeves, often low-cut, worn in Europe from the sixteenth century to the eighteenth century, either over a corset or in lieu of one. To achieve a fashionable shape and support the bust, the bodice was frequently stiffened with bents (a type of reed), or whalebone. The bodice was also different from the corset of the time because of the way it laced. The corset was laced in spiral fashion, with one continuous lace. The bodice was laced like the modern tennis shoe, with eyelets facing one another. This was more convenient for women who had to dress themselves.
Bodices survive into modern times in the traditional or revived folk dress of many European countries (see, for example, Austrian dirndl or the Aboyne dress worn by Scottish highland dancers).
Bodice continues in use to refer to the upper portion of a one- or two-piece dress to distinguish it from the skirt and sleeves. The bodice of a dress was called the corsage in the nineteenth century.
Bodices are commonly seen today at SCA events or a Renaissance Fair.
A veil is an article of clothing, worn almost exclusively by women, that is intended to cover some part of the head or face. As a religious item, it is intended to show honor to an object or space.
The women of Rajasthan and Gujarat often wear colorful swirling skirts called lehenga, paired with a short bodice called a choli. If they must cover their heads, they do so with bright veils called odhani.
Tribal Styles
Tribal styles vary greatly, but usually correspond with the same styles as salwaar kameez, choli, and other Indian dress. These uniforms are often rich in colour
Names in all category "Indian clothing"
A
Achkan
B
Banarasi
C
Chappal
Choli
Churidar
D
Dhakai
Dhoti
Dupatta
F
Farshi Pajama
G
Gagra choli
Gamchha
Gharara
Ghoonghat
I
Indo-western clothing
J
Jamavar
Jodhpuri
Jubba
K
Kantha
Karakul (hat)
Kasta sari
Kaupina
Khalat
Khara Dupatta
Kota doria
Kurta
L
Lahenga
Langa oni
Loincloth
Lungi
M
Madisar
Mufti (dress)
Mundu
Mundum Neriyathum
N
Naga shawl
Navvari sari
Nehru jacket
P
Paithani
Punjab plume controversy
Purdah
Puttee
S
Salwar kameez
Sari
Sehra
Set-saree
Shalu
Sherwani
Indian silk
U
Uttariya
Z
Zari
