India has been known to have wonderful dresses and costumes. Indian dressing styles are marked by many variations, both regional and religious. One is likely to witness a plethora of colors, texture and styles in Indian clothing. To a foreigner, the powerful attraction is the colorful attire of the people in India. With globalization, dresses are also getting westernized. Though the majority of the Indian women wear traditional costumes, the men seem to be more comfortable in western clothing. Men from all classes and regions of India wear shirts and trousers.
Indian clothing for Women:
Sari
Salwar kameez
Ghagra choli
Fashion accessories for women
Indian clothing for Men:
Lungi
Dhoti
Sherwani
Traditional Kurta-Pyjama
Bridal Kurta salwar or churidar
Indian clothing for Children
Sari:
Indian sari is the most graceful ethnic outfit that is primarily worn by Indian women. Indian saree is an unstitched long piece of cloth usually five to six
yards sometimes as long as nine yard. Saree is wrapped around the body with one end tied around the waist and the other end called "pallu" neatly
draped over the shoulder. Sarees can be draped in a variety of styles, with each style having its own uniqueness. The basic difference lies in the manner
in which the pallu is wrapped.
Pallu is meant for show and thus is decorated beautifully. Sari is worn over blouse (also known as a choli). Underneath the sari one wears a Petticoat: - a waist-to-floor length skirt, tied tightly at the waist by a drawstring. Blouse saree are usually are in silk, cotton and velvet fabric. There can be different styles of blouse cuts like boat necked, square necked, blouses with straps. Since time immemorial, Sari has been the most popular costume. Though ideally it is a clothing of North Indian women but preferred by all because of the elegance and comfort it offers.
Sari fashion highlights the beauty of women in the most graceful and natural manner. Indian saris maintains the very essence of our Indian culture. Indian sarees come up in a variety of sari fabric, exquisite styles, beautiful prints, exclusive embroideries like Zari, Resham, beadwork and studded stones with a palette of rainbow colors. Designer saree is very in. Sari is a dress for all seasons and virtually all occasions. Indian Wedding saris is a super hit among brides. It is considered to be the most perfect dress for the wedding day. When worn with proper fashion accessories and jewelry, Saris can do wonders to the charm of the bride. Sari is for all-purpose - party wear, daily wear, bridal sarees and so on.
Varieties of Indian Sari
Every region of India has developed its own unique sari style, which differs in terms of fabric and weaving style. The reservoir of sari
is simply superb encompassing embroidered sari, classy silk saree and special bridal designer sarees. The exclusive range of Indian Saris includes:
Bandhani saree-
Bandhani sari is classic style of Rajasthan and Gujarat. This sari is made by hand, that involves tying and dying of cloth. The sari is tied and died
in such a manner that it produces elaborate patterns and designs on the fabric.
Rajasthan is a city of beauty and variety.
Banarsi saree -
Banarsi sari is the invention of Banaras City. The saree is popular among women and is widely appreciated an as exclusive silk sari. Banarsi silk sari's
designs exhibit Mughal patterns. Banarasi sari in itself contains diverse styles like pure silk (katan), organza with zari work, georgette and shattir.
Banarsi sari is ideal as a wedding sari.
Kanjeevaram silk saree -
Kanjeevaram Indian saree is one of the finest and most popular forms of silk in Tamilnadu. It uses a combination of colored threads and also has lot of
zari work. Its major attractions are the beautiful tribal designs. Now focus is also on contemporary patterns. The saree has heavy gauge and is a long
lasting.
Cotton printed saris -
The sheer varieties available in cotton sarees are just fabulous. They include batik work, bandhni style, block printing and hand made drawings. These saris
are printed in large metropolitan cities like Bombay and Calcutta. These cities have many sari store.
Cotton handlooms -
Cotton handlooms provide us with distinctive varieties primarily - Tant, Jamdani and Baluchari Bengal Handloom sarees. These styles are known for their lightness
and are very comfortable. The saree's borders exhibit works of delicate silk threadworks. Designs are simple but artistic and unique. Peacocks, floral
designs, architectural drawings are major attractions of these handlooms.
Printed chiffon
sarees -
Chiffon is a very durable easy to wash fabric. Chiffon sarees comes with very colorful prints in various combinations. Very comfortable
to wear and maintain.
Southern saree styles -
Southern weaves include Pochampalli, Venkatgiri, Gadwal, Guntur, Mangalpuri sarees of Andhra Pradesh, Coimbatore and Chettinad styles of Tamilnadu, Bangalore
silk sari, Mysore silk sari of Karnataka. Mysore silk is one of the most popular and finest and purest forms of silk. It is undergoing a makeover with
new kasuti embroidery, bandhini designs and with a palette of exciting vibrant colors. Bangalore silk is a synthetic silk sari.
Embroidered saris -
Embroidered saris
are designer saris, made using different types of fabrics and designs to make this ethnic Indian attire gorgeous. The material used for the Embroidered
saris is flowing and graceful. Georgette, crepe, chiffon and silks form the basis for most of their creations. Designers work on the embroidery designer
Indian sari and the most suitable color combinations and materials like kundan, zari, kori, and stones are used for the embroidery.
The age old Sari has kept sari fashion popular throughout the centuries because of its total simplicity and practical comfort combined with the sense of luxury and sense of sexuality a woman experiences. The Indian sari has an ageless charm since it is not cut or tailored for a particular size.
Accessories needed to be worn with a sari:
· Blouse or a choli
· Petticoat
Choli:
Choli, the tightly fitted, short blouse is worn under a sari. 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. Bodices of this type are still common in the state of Rajasthan. The choli is a tight fitting item of clothing,
and adds a fashion statement to the sari. The sleeve length travels from full sleeves to half sleeves to sleeveless over a period of time. Cholis are often
made of cotton or silk cloth and may or may not include a collar and sleeves. They are generally more tailored than simple knit tops, and may contain "feminine"
details such as ruffles or embroidered decorations.
A choli reveals more than it conceals. Its cut, color and the way it is worn would tell you about whether the woman is casual, carefree, bold, reticent
or orthodox. It is a dead giveaway of a woman's attitude and personality.
Petticoat:
There is a petticoat, or a slip, which is worn under the sari that holds the
sari in place. A petticoat is a skirt that is essentially worn under the sari.Petticoat
is a waist to floor garment very similar to a lehenga or skirt, which is tied
with the help of string or naada at the waist. A sari is wrapped over a petticoat.
Petticoats are often made of cotton or polyester cloth. Usually a petticoat
is of the matching color with sari. The sari is incomplete without a petticoat.
The petticoat can be many in different varieties. They MUST have a firm waistband.
Elastic will not do. One step on the petticoat and down comes the sari. The
modern Indian petticoat is reminiscent to a skirt made up of many A-line panels.
This has the advantage of giving a slim silhouette and using less fabric.
The other petticoat is 4 yards of 45 wide fabric gathered onto a 3-inch wide
waistband. This is the one which can be used for hot weather or when you need
to walk a lot. This gives a greater movement and more air movement.