Indian Women's Attire

The rich cultural heritage of a country as diverse as India reflects in many aspects of life including clothing. Indian attires vary according to the customs, climate and gender. Indian men's clothing is radically different from those in the west, but it is the women's dresses that stand out and represent the country's heritage. Traditionally, Indian saree, salwar kameez and lehengas. In different regions of the country variations of these dresses are worn, such as Mekla in Assam, Paithani in Maharashtra, Bandhani in Gujrat and many such others.

One of the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of India is it's traditional attire- saree. The origin of a saree can be dated back to the Indus Valley Civilization and tracked down history. A typical saree is a 5 meter long cloth of designs and prints which is draped around the lower portion of a woman's body with pleats and worn like a skirt. A blouse or Choli is worn on top and the portion left after draping is called Pallav. This is used to cover the head which is an important part of Indian tradition. However each region of India displays a unique and very different style of draping. In Kerala women wear a two piece saree, while in Maharashtra the saree is usually worn like a dhoti. The Nivi style, Dravidian style and Bengali style of wearing sarees are also extremely popular.

Ideally a women's wardrobe is incomplete without one saree from each region. A Benarasi from Uttar Pradesh, Kanjivaram from Tamil Nadu, Naranyanpet from Andra Pradesh, Mysore Silk from Karnataka, Tussar Silk from Bihar, Jamdani and Dhakai Benarasi from Bangaladesh, Baluchari, Kotki and Ikkat from West Bengal are among few favorites of women who adorn almost every occasion with their sarees. These cloths of heaven are usually hand made. The weavers weave together various kinds of threads to produce a piece of work which may take a few weeks to months. Sarees may also be printed or embroidered Sarees . Printed Saris can be made of Hand block printing, roller printing, Tie & dye, Batik or by "Kalamkari". The Saris printed by hand block or screen are more prized than the ones printed in mills. There are many regional styles of embroidery in India as well. Each of these embroideries has names like "Kantha", "Chikan", "Parsi", which are all done in different ways.

Saree is truly a symbol of India. Its long and flowing shape represents the various rivers flowing across the country. The rich hues of a saree represent the colourful culture of the country it originates from. Today sarees are also worn by international celebrities. It is a beautiful garment and is easily identifiable by anyone wearing it.

Indian Saree

The indian saree is the most ancient of all Indian attires. The magnificence of the saree stems from the fact that it looks good on women of any shape, age or race. The saree is loved by all Indian women. In recent times, even women outside India have taken to wearing sarees. The heritage of the is very old and it has a long and rich history. To know more about sarees, read on:

Description:

A typical indian saree is 6-9 yards long. It has a border and is sometimes heavily decorated. The long fabric is worn with a blouse and tucked into a petticoat. It is draped around the body to fall in graceful folds. One end of the saree always stays loose and is held at the shoulder. This is known as the pallu. A pallu can be worn in many ways. The most convenient way is to pleat the pallu and pin it to the blouse at the shoulder. For parties and fancy occasions, women often give the pallu one fold only and pin it up so that the fabric flows over the hand. The Indian saree complements the figure of any woman and the versatility with which it can be worn makes it a favorite of the ladies.

Types of indian sarees:

Each region of India is known for its distinctive weave when it comes to sarees. Different parts of the country have come up with their own specialized version of the Bridal saree. Each weave is different. Some of the well known and extraordinary sarees are mentioned below:

Kanjeevaram sarees:

The kanjeevaram is a kind of silk saree made in south India. It is heavy silk and the thread is woven into colorful patterns to enhance its looks. A kanjeevaram is characterized by its broad borders and bright texture. The patterns woven into a kanjeevaram are usually of temples, palaces or paintings preveant in southern India.

Benarasi saree:

Benarasi sarees are the most expensive of all sarees. This lightweight silk saree is a must for brides in many parts of eastern and north eastern India. Benarasi sarees are hand-woven in benaras/varanasi. Traditional benarasis have flower or temple like designs woven into them. However, nowadays benarasis have contemporary designs too. The patterns in benarasi sarees are made with fine gold or silver thread which attributes to the cost factor.

Other Sarees:

Other parts of India have their own specialities too, like the bandhani or bandheja sarees of Rajasthan and Gujrat, gadhwal silks from Andhra Pradesh and paithanis of Maharashtra. Each saree is identified by the distinctive quality of the silk used and the patterns woven into the sarees.

Buying a saree:

Nowadays sarees can be bought at stores or online too. There are numerous special saree stores which cater exclusively to the wearing crowd. Any of these stores will provide you with plenty of variety in colors, designs and patterns. Online stores are recent innovations and are quickly catching up on popularity. They have sarees for all occasions at very reasonable prices. An advantage of online shopping is that it can be done within the comforts of your home and your saree will be delivered right at your doorstep.