Salwar Kameez Information | Types of Salwar Kameez

Indian dressing styles are marked by many variations, both religious and regional and one is likely to witness a plethora of colors, textures and styles in garments worn by the Indians. Apart from this, the rich tradition of Indian embroidery has long been made use of by fashion designers from other countries.

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.

Salwar kameez is made of a long tunic called a khameez and pyjama-like trousers drawn tightly in at the waist called salwar. Salwar kameez originated in northern India, but soon spread across the country.

Today the salwar kameez stands as the second most popular women’s dress in most parts of India. The popularity and comfort of the salwar kameez has reached such stupendous heights that most of the new breed designers have started channelizing a major portion of their creative abilities to give this ensemble a new look. Varying from the ethnic touch to the cocktail look, the salwar kameez has come to suit all occasions and what could be better and more creative than adaptation of embroideries of various countries on salwar kameez.

Salwar kameez has many different names. Call it Kurta churidar or Punjabi suit

A churidar is similar to the salwar but is tighter fitting at the hips, thighs and ankles more like leggings. Over this, one might wear a collarless or mandarin-collar dress called a kurta.

India has been known to have wonderful dresses and costumes specially Salwar Kameez. Though the majority of Indian women wear traditional costumes, the men in India can be found in more conventional western clothing. Tailored clothing is very common in India, as women's blouses have to be made-to-fit. Clothing for both men and women has evolved and is keeping designers busy. The shalwar khameez can be richly decorated or simple for everyday use. Other styles are closely fitted and almost like leggings. The tunic can also vary: long and flared or short and straight. Women today often wear some version of the salwar kameez when relaxing at home, since the costume is very comfortable and practical for daily use.

When women wear the salwar kameez, they usually wear a long scarf or shawl called a dupatta around the head or neck. For Muslim women, the dupatta is a less stringent alternative to the chador or burqa. For Hindu women (especially those from northern India, where the salwar kameez is most popular), the dupatta is useful when the head must be covered, as in a temple or the presence of elders. For other women, the dupatta is simply a stylish accessory that can be worn over one shoulder or draped around the chest and over both shoulders.


Salwar Kameez helps keep cool on those hot sweltering days, as it doesn't cling to the body.

In the 1960s, the most sensational fashion discovery of all times hit the West - the mini. The skirt went an inch above the knee and then higher and higher till there was nothing left to the imagination. The Indian woman was not as daring, but the kameez did sneak up quite a few inches above the knee.

The salwar kameez adapted to fashion changes in the West in terms of cut, length and hemlines. It was a long journey for this peasant attire from the fields of Punjab to the fashion capital of India, Mumbai.

The kurta by now had reached just below the hips. Other innovations that followed the churidar kurta were the lungi kurta and ghagra choli. Sometimes the kurta was worn with bell-bottoms or denim pants. All these innovations that revolved around the kurta made it the most versatile garment of the 1960s and 1970s. By the end of the 1970s the salwar kameez and churidar kurta learnt to co-exist with variations.

Indo-western salwar kameez:

The fusion of styles in Indian clothing and western clothing resulted in Indo western salwar kameez. These lady’s salwar kameez suits are specially designed to give western look with Indian tradition. An Indo western salwar kameez suit may have a sleeveless top and a salwar. Indo western salwar kameez suits also come in spaghetti straps instead of sleeves.

Designers have pioneered the concept of blending ethnic ethos and international trends to give a modern and trendy look to contemporary Indian women

The cliché that dressing is done to please others has become passé. Today's generation wears clothes to please themselves. Even designers belonging to the younger breed carry the same chip on their shoulder. "Designer inspiration varies with attitude and the 'in thing.' Detailing is important. Today's generation wants to show off their body without appearing obscene," says NIFT graduate Gunjan Karmakar.

Miss Universe 2000 Lara Dutta won the award for the most outstanding evening gown designed by Ritu Kumar. Author of a well-received book Costumes and Textiles of Royal India, she is considered a pioneer in Indian fashion. Her Indo-Western fusion wear has trappings of block prints, embroidery and craft inputs.

Casual wear salwar kameez:

The casual salwar kameez are wonderfully comfortable, ideal for the long hot Indian summer. Available in designs ranging from ethnic chic to traditional, to modern prints, in a wide range of fabrics. Many kurtas are free size, and with their flowing lines, are wonderfully flattering for the fuller figure. Women of all sizes can wear these outfits with confidence, knowing they will turn heads everywhere they go.

Cotton is the best salwar kameez as casual wear. They are cool, flowing and elegant. Fancy shalwar kameez are suitable for any occasion, casual or formal.

Traditional salwar kameez are the ideal dress for going to temples, birthday parties, and eveningwear, while working at home or office.

Party wear salwar kameez:

Party wear salwar kameez are made up of a silk, satin, crepe and georgette fabrics, can be worn on festivals or other celebrations. Feminine and graceful, the Indian Party wear salwar kameez is decorated with embroidery and mirror work. The dupatta is also in festive colors and has gorgeous embroidery.

Indian Party wear salwar kameez suits come in many different styles. People prefer Party wear salwar kameez in silk, satin, crepe and georgette fabric embroidered with as many as eighty panels with ornate embroidery and mirror work. Many could afford more intricate brocade, tanchoi and heavy satins even with real gold and silver embroidery, studded with precious stones.

Embroidery beautifies salwar kameez. Embroidery, like every other art form, needs to be understood to be fully appreciated and enjoyed. Insight of the principles not only creates the urge to "paint" with needle and thread but also gives one the knowledge that enables a more keen perception of the old masterpieces as well as modern day pieces. There are no fix shapes and sizes of embroidery. It may vary from inches to feet.

Printed salwar kameez:

Indian salwar kameez suit is one of the most successful evergreen attire of Indian sub-continent. Indian salwar kameez suits are available in many types. One of the famous types is Printed salwar kameez. Different type of printing is done on fabrics like cotton, crepe and chiffon. These fabrics are very comfortable for daily use.

Printed salwar kameez looks very pretty. It is not necessary that both salwar and kameez have to be printed. Most time it is the kameez, which is printed, and the salwar is in contrast color.

Generally printed salwar kameez are available in sets. The sets consist of kameez, salwar and dupatta.

Kurta churidar:

A churidar is similar to the salwar but is tighter fitting at the hips, thighs and ankles more like leggings. Over this, one might wear a collarless or mandarin collar dress called a kurta. The churidar is longer than the legs. Their extremes are crinkled and crumpled to fit. Creases thus developed resemble 'churis' or bangles, hence the name churidar kurta. Kurta churidar is very popular in the north especially Punjab hence is it also know as Punjabi suit.

Short kurta pant:

The next innovation to salwar kameez after churidar was the short kurta pant. With westernization the salwar kameez adapted to fashion changes in the West in terms of cut, length and hemlines. The kurta did sneak up quite a few inches above the knee. And instead of the salwar, pants were worn, making it ideal for office and formal wear.

The short kurtas came in different styles, some embroidered some plain. The pants came in parallel, capris and bell-bottom styles.

Short kurtas are also called as kurtis.

The salwar kameez seems to offer limitless design possibilities.

Designer salwar kameez:
Designer salwar kameez are designed by professionals keeping in mind the changing trends. Fashion savvy people always keep themselves updated on the latest designer salwar kameezs.

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There’s history hiding in the crimps of saris, churidars

Today churidar-kurta has become universal. It is a favoured dress for young college-going girls. Known by various names, predominant being “Punjabi dress”, it can be seen displayed tantalisingly at shops in different parts of India.

Clothing has been a source of information regarding social customs and practices of all nations. Though India’s political boundaries changed from time to time, the country has always been home to people of various ethnic origins and cultures.

Before even considering influences from various cultures and peoples on attire, the one important determinant is the climate. The demand of clothing for hot weather is entirely at variance with the demands of clothing to suit a cold winter. And northern regions of India experience cold winter that require body-hugging clothes with more material to keep the body warm as against to light and airy clothes suited to a warm and hot climate.

In addition, Dravidians, Aryans, influences of the Greeks, Persians, Arabs, Mughals, Turks and the English, have left a rich heritage of clothing and designs.

In the chequered history of India, many thoughts and beliefs have been propounded regarding clothes worn by different groups. Some of the most common notions that are going around are that the dhoti style of wear was common for both men and women in ancient Hindu India; That kurta-pyjama was unknown to ancient Hindu or Buddhist India and that this apparel was brought by the Muslim invaders during the medieval period of Indian history; that the sari, as we know today, came about as a result of gradual evolution of the ghagra-choli in late medieval period.

These beliefs indicate that the art of sewing was unknown in ancient India. Scriptures and texts of ancient India, however, indicate the knowledge of the art of sewing. This is evident from the following verses.

The Rigvedic verse “seevyatvapah soochya achhidyamanaya” mentions the needle, i.e., soochya, for joining together two pieces, while verse II.32.4 from Aitareya Brahmana clearly mentions two pieces of cloth being joined together by a needle. Further, a tailor has been mentioned in the Amarkosha, again an indication towards sewn clothes.

The observation of Itsing, the Chinese traveller, reveals the popularity of shirts and trousers in 7th century AD in Kashmir and Punjab. The Buddhist and Jain clothing for the nuns permitted samghati for the lower part, antarvasaka for the upper part and uttarsang as a covering garment. The young nuns could also wear kanchuki (a kind of bodice).

Even a cursory glance at existing sculptural finds from 3rd century BC and 5th century AD reveal the presence of a variety of costumes popular among Indians ranging from tight pants (pre-cursor of churidar) with a flared frock (precursor of the angarkha), to kurta-pyjama, including a “Lucknavi-cut kurta”, the lehenga-choli-odhni and the dhoti.

A Maurya period sculpture, popularly known as the “pirouetting Nati”, is housed in Patna Museum, while the Deogarh sculptures from the Gupta period can be admired at the National Museum, Delhi.

Comments recorded by the chroniclers accompanying invaders in 10-11th century AD also record the culture and costume of people of ancient India.

Al-Beruni, who accompanied Mahmud of Ghazni, while describing the costumes of Hindu-India throws light on the kurta (called “kurtaka” by him), the chadar (called “sidar” by him) and on the dhoti and the salwar (or is it the lehenga?) amongst others.

On the kurta, Al-Beruni says that “the lappets of the ‘kurtakas’ (short shirts with sleeves, a female dress) have slashes both on the right and left sides”.

Here the description plus the appearance of the term “kurtakas” suggests that the shirts worn by the Hindus those days is exactly similar to the kurtas worn today, for the present-day kurtas too have slashes both on the right and left sides. It could also be indicating the short blouses worn by women of Haryana and Rajasthan which have slits on both sides. These too are called kurtas.

Even before Al-Beruni’s time, the Gupta period provides a number of interesting sculptures that bear out the observations of Al-Beruni.

The sculptures from Deogarh indicate the presence of three types of clothing, namely the “tight pyjama-kurta”, the lungi or sarong, as well as the dhoti. Even the term angarkha is a Sanskrit derivative — from anga-rakshaka! Another sculpture from 5th century AD Bikaner clearly shows a farmer couple with the woman clad in a lehenga-choli and a dupatta over her head. The man wears a short dhoti and sports a turban on his head.

So the question is, what contributed to the popular notions that the kurta-pyjama and angarkha-churidar costumes came to us during the Mughal period? One is unable to comprehend, especially when sculptural evidences speak otherwise.

Contacts and exchanges between India and the West were not unknown. Exchange of ambassadors during the Maurya rule between Greece and the Mauryan Empire also led to interactions between the two countries. Did such exchange influence the clothing? Some may argue that the face of the “pirouetting Nati” is not very Indian, but the dancer in the lehenga-choli holding a damaru is clearly Indian. It is equally indisputable that the dancers in churidar-kurta, including the one in a “Lucknavi-cut kurta” from the Gupta period, have Indian faces.

Delving further into ancient India, the genesis of the sari is clearly visible. Yakshi of Didarganj (3rd century BC, Mauryan period), found near Patna, seems to be wearing a dress that is reminiscent of the sari without the pallav draped over the upper part of the body.

However, it is the statue of a female figure in red terracotta, found at Ter (Tagara, Maharashtra) from the Kushan period, that is of great interest for here the lady is clearly shown draped in a sari as worn today. Similarly, the 5th-6th century AD statue of Skandamata from Tanesara-Mahadava in Rajasthan shows her wearing a sari and holding a child in her arms.

To counter Aurangzeb, the Marathas became a strong warrior force. Women rulers faced all odds bravely, even on battlefields.

Perhaps, the need for horseback riding led to the development of the sakachha style of wearing the sari, i.e. between the legs, like a dhoti.

The spread of Maratha rule over Tamilkam (the regions of present day Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala) in 17th and 18th centuries saw many Maratha practices influencing local customs, including adoption of the Maratha-sakachha style of wearing the sari.

Only a few sculptural evidences have been discussed here for it would be next to impossible to discuss the whole lot of them. These examples as well as Al-Beruni’s comments clearly indicate that even at the start of the medieval period in Indian history, ancient India was wearing not only the dhoti but also the salwar-kurta-dupatta, the churidar-kurta, the lehenga-kurta-dupatta and the sari. In few areas all these varieties co-existed while in few areas there was a predominance of one or two of these.

In the field of dance, sculptures indicate the practice of co-existence of all. Like its philosophy, in the realm of costumes too, India has always indicated its belief in “plurality”!

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