Indian dress

Indian dress varies widely throughout India.

Women's Clothing

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Traditional Dress by Age

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 under the age of 5-7 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 is a wide strip of fabric that is several yards long, and draped 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 unsually richly dyed and decorated. Often, a wide border runs the whole length of the saree, traditionally in raised gold fabric.

Shalwar kameez and dupatta

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 Afganistan. 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

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

Men's clothing

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.