Ghulam Murtaza KhanThe Mughals didn’t just bring an influx of amazing food and brilliant cooking styles, but they also brought a new wave of fashion to India. The long-standing tradition of draping hand-woven, unstitched material was the norm in ancient India and this was accompanied, by the introduction of the now evergreen, salwar suit or salwar kameez.
A salwar suit consists of three parts, a salwar, a kameez, and occasionally a dupatta. A kameez is a long shirt stitched to give the appearance of a long tunic without a collar. A salwar is a pair of pants which was a revolutionary innovation in the world of women’s fashion especially in India where women would only wear skirts, lungis, mundu, or a saree. And finally, a modest dupatta that can be wrapped around the body in an infinite number of ways for a different look every time.
Since the salwar kameez as a concept was adopted in India under the influence of the Mughal culture, the trend has been more popular in North India as compared to South India. The South Indian salwar suit culture is influenced by post-independent India and hence there are no new styles of salwar suits that originated there. Whereas, North India is a whole different story. Several different types of salwar kameez are adapted according to different regions and offer a cultural fusion elevating the overall look and feel enabling us to create a distinct look for every occasion. Let’s look at a few salwar suit styles across different regions of the country.
Salwar Kameez Adapted Across Different Regions
Punjabi Salwar Suit
This is an iconic salwar suit that stands out among all. A Punjabi salwar suit comprises a short kurti, a Patiala salwar that tapers at the ankle and a dupatta that’s always pinned on the side. The style of a salwar suit is usually made of brightly coloured, heavily embroidered, and full of prints to match the vibrancy and joy of the state.
Sindhi Salwar Suit
This style of a salwar kameez involves a mirrored fabric and intricate threadwork, the kurta is usually longer than a Punjabi salwar kameez but just as colourful and vibrant as the Punjabi suits. The dupatta is usually a sheer material with similar mirrors and threadwork as the kameez. The salwar is less bulky and thinner than the Punjabi.
Bengali Salwar Suit
Bengali salwar suits are far more subtle and focus on comfort over style with lightweight and breezy material, minimal prints and patterns, and minute embroidery. The salwar is usually a straight-cut ankle-length often matching the dupatta. This style is usually paired with cotton and silk fabrics for ultimate comfort.
Gujarati Salwar Suit
The Gujarati salwar suit is often colourful and vibrant mirroring the Gujarati culture itself. A popular print pattern seen on the kurta-pajamas is the bandhani. Bandhani prints are made by tie-dying the cloth with small circles of fabric tightly wound to create a spotted pattern. This style often houses the same pattern from top to bottom for a comprehensive look.
Kashmiri Salwar Suit
A Kashmiri salwar suit is usually made with wool or pashmina to suit the cold climate of the state. The kameez is a long straight tunic that goes beyond the knee paired with a sleek ankle-length salwar and a woollen or pashmina shawl to trap the body heat. Along with a thick base material, the fabric also consists of local motifs and embroidery styles heavily influenced by our neighbouring countries.
Rajasthani Salwar Style
This style of salwar kameez is made of super airy and lightweight fabrics like cotton and linen to beat the heat of the desert state of Rajasthan. The prints are usually bold, vibrant, and colourful matching the colourful aesthetics of the streets of Rajasthan. The Rajasthani suit also swaps the usual salwar with a full-length skirt that is more traditional to their culture.
Lucknowi Salwar Suit
This type of salwar kameez has a monochromatic suit with heavy chikankari work on the kurta. The base material is light and found in both opaque and sheer fabrics with thick embroidery working on the whole kameez. The salwar is usually a simple churidar or leggings to balance out the kurta along with a lightweight dupatta.
Final Thoughts
Even though a salwar suit was not indigenous to India, we made it our own by customising the material to make it comfortable for our climate and culture. Not just that, we have a different and unique style across regions that cater to the diverse nature of our nation. From vibrant, colourful, and heavily embroidered salwar suits from Punjab, Gujarat, and Rajasthan to light, breezy, comfortable sets in Bengal and Lucknow there is a distinct salwar suit in every region of the country. Along with Mughal influences, we adapted the quintessential salwar suit across different regions with our own print styles, embroidery, bottom wear, and colours.
Keep an eye for more news & updates on Latest Dash!
