A Bollywood Primer

[Not Afraid]

Styles of Indian Dress

Women

Sari
A long piece of flat cotton, silk or other fabric woven in different textures with different patterns. A sari is wrapped around the body in various ways depending on the age, status, religion or region of residence of the woman.
The tightly fitted, bare midriff shirt worn under a sari is called a choli




Salwar Kameez

This popular Indian dress evolved as a comfortable and respectable garment for women in Kashmir and Punjab region, but is now immensely popular in all regions of India. Salwars are pyjama-like trousers drawn tightly in at the waist and the ankles. Over the salwars, women wear a long and loose tunic known as a kameez. It is commonly worn with a narrow scarf called a Dupatta which is used to cover the head or worn wrapped around the body. 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.



Churidar
Similar to the salwar but is tighter fitting at the hips, thighs and ankles.

Over this, one might wear a collarless or mandarin-collar tunic called a Kurta.




MEN

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.

Dhoti and Kurta

The Sherwani during the period of British India in 18th century, as a fusion of the Shalwar Kameez with the British frock coat. It was gradually adopted by most of the Indian aristocracy, mostly Muslim, and later by the general population, as a more westernized form of traditional attire.

Sherwani

The lungi is a garment worn around the waist in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar (formerly Burma). While its origin is found in South Indian culture, it is worn by diverse communities across Southern Asia.