Salwar Kameez - The Best Dress For the Bride's And Groom's Sisters and Friends

Usually the bride and groom sisters, bride's close friends and cousins become really excited about it. They start deciding about the dresses they would be wearing on their friend's special day and also the make up they would wear on the day. For all of them, salwar kameez is the best dress. As with changing trends, different ideas are suggested by the bride and from family to make the wedding different, one trend is the theme trend. The theme means that the bride's and groom's sister's, female friends and cousins would wear dress in the same color with slightly different kameez designs or dupattas. This really looks nice and different and attractive as well. It also makes them different from rest of the crowd.

Buy Indian Sarees Online

On Internet there are now many online boutiques of Indian designers where you can get all of your choice, your age and your occasion type Indian sarees and dresses. It is now easy to order for your choice product through Internet by surfing in different online shops and you can get them at good range of prices. Many women love handmade work and many like the machinery work, with the expanding market of Indian dresses these works have also attained a high attention.

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Indian Fashion

Indian fashion has remarkably made a high progress at an international level. Indian fabric designs and designers are known well throughout the world. Indian saree being the national dress is liked by the foreigners and a range of new collection of Indian dresses and sarees is found everywhere. It’s now easily possible for you to get your choice of Indian dress in the market at the right price as the Indian fashion is understood and expanding very vastly throughout the nation.

According to the seasons and the occasions, the designers make a collection of dresses including sarees, salwar kameez, lehnga and gowns in different appealing new colors out of which you will obviously get your kind. A designer can well tell you about the selection and guide you according to your physic, your skin tone and of course according to the occasion telling you how you want and you should represent yourself in the occasion.

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.

Salwar Kameez and Churidar Kurta

Popularly known as the Indian suit or Pakistani Suit, a set of Salwar Kameez normally constitutes of a tunic called Kameez, a baggy trousers called Salwar and normally a matching stole called Dupatta.

Kameez varies in length from thigh line to knee line. Embezzled with delicate patterns and stone works, a Kameez is the main piece of the set. A Salwar is usually gathered at the hip either with a drawstring or elastic. Dupatta is often weaved in sheer fabrics and add brilliance to the Salwar Kameez.

Churidar Kurta or Churidar Pyjamas, on the other hand, are tightly fitting trousers and are often referred to as Moghul Breeches. While stitching these are cut wide at the top and they narrow down as they reach ankle. This style is preferred more because it emphasis the contours of the leg. Churidar are usually cut longer than the length of the leg and finished with buttoned cuff tightly fitted at the ankle. The excess length then falls loosely over the leg in ripples or folds and often resemble the bangles, hence the name "Churi-dar"

While Salwar is a pajama like trouser drawn at the hipline either by drawstring or elastic, Churidar is tighter, fitting at the hips, thighs and ankles and look more like leggings. The latter one is longer than the legs and their extremes are crinkled and crumpled to fit.

Both Salwar Kameez and Churidar Kurtas are made from variety of fabrics including cotton, silk, satin, and crepe, georgette, brocade, tanchoi and heavy satins even with real gold and silver embroidery, studded with precious stones. Elaborate patterns are done with Phulkari, Chikankari, Meenakari embroidery works or Kundan, Resham, Zari and Zardosi patterns. Other patterns include Bandhej, beaded sequins, mirror work, Leharia and block cum handprints.

Cbazaar.com is one of the most popular online shopping website for Indian Clothing that includes Sarees, Salwar Kameez, Anarkali suits, Bollywood Fashion, Costume and Fashion Jewelry. South Asians such as Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans living in USA, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Europe, South Africa and other parts of the world love to buy their designer clothing online at Cbazaar.com because of the wide range of designer sarees, traditional sarees, bridal sarees, Punjabi Salwar suits, Kurti, Handbags and other fashion accessories.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katrina_Cathy

Pakistani and Indian Salwar Kameez

The Salwar Kameez is a womens garment unique to the South Asian region of the world; it is also sometimes referred to by some as Shalwar Kameez.

The Salwar is the trouser component of the garment. It can be tailored loose or tight fit and made from a vast array of fabrics including silk or cotton. The Salwar is always tied at the womens waist by means of drawstring.

The Kameez is the shirt component of the outfit. The Kameez can be tailored short or long dependant upon the individuals preferance. The modern day Kameez tends to be a lot less modest than the traditional designs which were introduced to South Asia by the Muslim invaders of the time.

To complete the outfit women wear a dupatta around the neck this is essentially a long scarf. The dupatta is usually heavily embroidered and matches in colour.The dupatta in South Asian culture is a essential component of the outfit as it allows the individual to cover their head in the presence of elders and when entering places of worship. This practice of covering heads by women is commonplace throughout South Asia.

The Salwar Kameez is favoured all across South Asia by women due to its adaptability. By varying the garments embroidery, fabric colour and quality of fabric the Salwar Kameez is an outfit for all occasions whether formal or casual. As it is tailored from many fabrics the Salwar Kameez can be worn in varying climates.

In western countries the Salwar Kameez is becoming a common sighting on the streets as established immigrant communities are bringing this style of clothing into the mainstream with a fusion of western and eastern design styles and fabrics.

To view examples of the modern day salwar kameez as a fusion of western and eastern design style visit the following website a supporter and retailer of cutting edge Indian design. http://www.indianbride.co.uk/fashion_accessories.asp?cat1=2

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Indian 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.

Types of salwar kameez

Indo-western salwar kameez

Casual wear salwar kameez

Party wear salwar kameez

Printed salwar kameez

Kurta churidar

Short kurta pant

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.

Salwar Kameez

Salwar Kameez is the most popular traditional attire worn by the women in India. It is called the Punjabi Suit or Salwar Suit also. This popular Indian Dress evolved as a comfortable and respectable garment for women in India, but is now immensely popular in all over the world. There are many reasons wear Salwar Kameez such as it is modest, great value, elegant, graceful and the bottom line is that it is comfortable. Salwar Kameez gives decent yet stylish look to a teenager as well as a woman. Designer Salwar Kameez or Churidar look smart for casual family gatherings or even for a wedding ceremony.

The Salwar is a baggy pajama type of trouser, which has legs wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. The Kameez is a long top or tunic, which often reaches up to the knees. The length of the Kameez can vary depending on the latest fashion in style. The Salwar is stitched very differently. It has pleats at the waist and is held up by a drawstring or an elastic belt. The middle portion of a Salwar is very wide and baggy, but it gradually tapers down around the ankle. Another variation in Salwar is the Churidar style which is a somewhat like a tight trouser, but with its fabric ending in various small folds around the ankles. Usually Indian women also wear a dupatta across their shoulders, over the Salwar or Churidar Kameez as a symbol of modesty.

Indian Dresses

Every country has its history to relate. And in a colossal country like India, its every dimension has an epic of its own. Even our clothes reflect a particular culture. And this can be pre-dominantly observed in the villages of this country. The Indian dress differs from North to South. From South to South West. In the North, mens fashion consist of full-length kurtas and pyjamas that are loosely woven. Self-colours with white, as an all time favourite is the male prerogative. The Punjabi male also winds a self-colour turban around his long hair. A religious tradition followed by generations.

The female counterparts too wear salwar kameez similar looking to that of the men. Except that they are more fitting and colourful. Bright prints matched with a variety of styles like the patiala or the chuddidar are indulged to bring out a pleasing garb. A fine cloth synchronizing with the shades of the outfit is hung between the shoulders. This is the dupatta. It can give the entire salwar suit a different, more magnificent look.

Variations in these outfits are observed as we track lower to the centre of the country. In the west ghagra (a long colourful skirt) and a choli (a blouse) is pre-dominantly seen. Once again the dupatta exists. Colourful and extravagantly embroidered with extensive mirror work is the charm of every ghaghra choli. Heavy accessories in plastic and oxidized make the outfit perfect. The men here wear a fine muslin or cotton kurta and a dhoti. Many women wear indian sarees too.

Again a variation of the ghaghra choli is viewed down South. But the colour and extravaganza is toned down. Simple long skirts with broad borders and a matching blouse accompanied by a dupatta in contrast makes the traditional South Indian couture. Sarees too are worn. But the borders are broad. Gold in contrast to green or maroon are appreciated.

The Indian dress is found to differ from place to place, season to season and you can get a wide choice in summer dresses & winter wear. The more you understand it in depth, the more you will learn of the vast variety it inherits.