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 hough
western wear are in demand in metropolitan cities, Indians traditional
wear are all time
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popular in every nook &
corner of India- be it Sari, Kurta-Paijama, elaborate head dresses
or jewellery.
In earlier times the dress code revolved around wrapping the body with varied
lengths of cloth- cotton or silk. In those times unstitched cloth was regarded
as the symbol of purity. The tradition of unstitched cloth is still going on
in the form of Sari, Dhoti, and Lungi.
For women, the sari is,
of course, the ultimate fashion statement that never goes out of style especially if it has
traditional weaves and prints. A sari is a rectangular piece of cloth, five to
six yards in length. Almost Grecian in elegance, it could be of shimmering
silk or the finest gauzy cotton, perhaps a pastel-hued solid colour or a riot
of woven flowers, embroidered with golden |
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threads, or finished
with a richly tasseled border. It is said that a Sari rarely fails to flatter a woman. Allowing for generous
pleating and draping around the body and over the shoulder, it makes a
woman
look elegant and feel feminine. This garment can fit any
size and if worn properly can accentuate or conceal.
Sari is worn along with
Choli, a blouse that ends just below the bust. It is either long
sleeved, short sleeved or sleeveless. The choli evolved as a form of
clothing in 10th century AD and the first cholis |
were
only front covering; the back was always bare. Blouses
of this type are still common in the state of
Rajasthan. Today,
there are numerous styles of cholis inspired by the booming
Indian fashion industry.
The Ghaghra-Choli with their glittering mirror work is the most
attractive.
Ghaghra or Lahenga is a form of pleated skirt, which is
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worn along with Choli. It is designed to leave the back and midriff bare.
The heads are however covered by a length of fine cotton known as "Odhni"
or "Dupatta." This type of dresses is mainly worn by women in
Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and
Gujarat.
Another popular attire of women in India is the Salwar-Kameez, a sort of baggy
pyjamas (trousers) and long flowing-shirt, which was originally worn by women
in Kashmir and Punjab. It has now |
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become the national dress worn by women across the country, thanks to its
high comfort factor. In Lucknow, the baggy
pajamas are replaced by tight and long leggings, Churidars that form many
folds at the ankles.
Though the majority of Indian women wear traditional costumes, the most
favoured dress for Indian men is western shirts and trousers. However,
traditional men's clothing is also very popular in the country. For
leisurewear, these include the traditional Kurta (a knee length collarless
shirt) and Pyjama. On formal occasions the men bring out their Sherwanis - a
long jacket with a Chinese collar, worn with Churidar pyjama.
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In rural
areas Lungi or Dhoti
(long piece of cloth wrapped around the legs) is
most popular, which is worn along with Kameez or Kurta (shirt). Another
traditional men's wear of the
Indian villages
is Turban, a symbol of prestige
and pride. Anything, which is kept over the head, holds in itself a lot of
sanctity. The colour, size, and style of a person's turban convey a lot about
his social ranking. The larger the size of the turban, the higher the social
hierarchy. And would ones' social hierarchy also derive itself from the colour
of the turban...indeed yes! |
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