Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Indian Clothing

India is truly a nation which symbolizes ‘unity in diversity’ phenomenon. Just as it many so many states, languages, religions, it has its different yet peculiar clothing. Indian clothing or dresses represents its culture and tradition. Indian clothes will change with different states and cities.

Clothing in India is usually bright and colorful especially for women. One might see a huge difference in terms of clothing as one travels from the urban areas to the rural ones. Urban Indian clothing has changes in the past few decades and has become more contemporary at par with the global fashion. In rural areas, people still wear traditional dresses according to their cultures.Indian clothing for women is something that allures almost everyone’s attention. It is one of the most sensuous yet serene clothing throughout the globe. The sari that is worn by Indian women is considered to be one of the most elegant and beautiful dresses in the world. A sari is a long piece of cloth that is wrapped by in different styles. The salwar kameez is also another dress form popular for females. It consists of a loose trouser and a long loose shirt with a dupataa around it. The clothing from India especially the Indian drapes and folds have captured the glamorous platform of global fashion with its enchanting detailing and concepts in recent years.

The women in parts of Rajasthan and Gujrat wear traditional dresses known as the ‘lehenga choli’. A ‘lehenga’ is a colorful long skirt while a ‘choli’ is like a short top. These women also cover their heads with a cloth known as the ‘odhani’ which is quite similar to the ‘dupataa’. Tribal women in India wear unique costumes, which are woven, styled and colored in their own traditional style. India women’s clothing might change with changing states however; its essence and its beauty will be seen all across the country. Indian women are also known for their heavy ornamentation.

Like men across the globe, most Indian men wear pants and shirts. Rural men may be found in something called as a ‘dhoti’ which is a cloth draped around the legs. A long loose shirt which is known as a ‘kurta’ is also wore by some Indian men. Indian wedding dresses are famous for their dazzling beauty and embroidery all over the world. One can see a typical Indian bride in an ornamented ‘Ghaghara’ (skirt) worn with a beautiful ‘choli’ and an ‘odhani’ on her wedding day. This is usually accompanied with heavy gold jewelry studded with colored stones. Bridal attire also varies with caste and class in Indian society. Some brides are required to wear and drape saris woven in their community traditions on their wedding. Men traditionally wear what is known as a ‘sherwani’ with a scarf and a bright turban on their wedding day.With every Indian city that one goes to, one will find a fresh tinge of color in its clothing and yet the core or the essence will always remain same throughout the country.