5 Types of Indian Dresses That Every Girl Needed

Ethnic wear in India is timeless and evergreen. Over the years, it has evolved hugely, offering women in India a wide variety of ethnic dresses to choose from. It has been a spectacular display of innovation and ingenuity from the fashion designers. Indian traditional clothing was initially restricted to sarees and salwar suits, but now there are dhoti pants, designer stoles, straight pyjamas, ethnic shrugs, and so on.

This is the list of Indian dresses that every girl needs in her wardrobe.

1. Saree

Have you ever wrapped your mom's dupatta like a saree? Yes, I have as well. Saree is a wrap and round costume of India that originates from the Indus Valley civilization. It is one of the most famous types of Indian dresses. Instead of just one style of drapery saree, there are 80 variations across the subcontinent. There is a pleatless Bengali style, the Odi style, the Kodagu style, and the Malayali style.

Traditionally, the saree is paired with a blouse and underskirt. Sarees were traditionally drapery garments. However, one can now wear stitched and pre-stitched sarees like gowns, which do not require draping efforts just like shown in the picture.

Over the past few decades, not only the draping styles but also the blouse designs have changed significantly. Western-inspired styles include one-shoulder, off-the-shoulder, feather, ruffles, capes, and more. However, the concept of saree remains omnipresent in leading fashion shows and Indian fashion collections from luxury to affordable.

2. Salwar Suit

Among all the types of Indian dresses, the salwar kameez is the most comfortable. The outfit consists of salwar, kameez, and dupatta. Salwars resemble a loose, pleated pyjama, are fitted at the waist and taper at the ankles. An upper part called kameez is worn above a salwar and is either knee-length or much longer nowadays. The manner in which Kurtis and dupattas are styled are changing, but the essence remains the same.

3. Anarkali Suit

The Anarkali consists of a long flared kurta with tightly fitting churidar pants. Anarkali dresses are fitted until just above the waist and then flare out to the knees. The Anarkali is one of those types of Indian clothing that has recently returned to popularity after decades. It has a floor-length silhouette and gown-like looks. In addition to looking royal and very classy, it also feels comfortable. Styles of modern Anarkali suits include jackets, capes, tiered, floor-length, and gowns. This is among the most trendy Anarkali I ever wanted to own.

4. Ghagra Choli

In addition to the lehenga choli, this ensemble also includes a cropped choli, scarf, or dupatta. Women still wear it today as one of their favourite garments that originates from the Mughal era. It is one of the most popular types of Indian wear, other than the saree, which can be worn for formal occasions such as weddings. A  choli remains intact along with a long skirt (also known as lehenga) and dupatta. However, over the past few years, cholis, dupattas, and skirts have changed in terms of style, silhouette, and surface work.

 Currently, my favourite style of lehenga is the cape lehenga that replaces the dupatta. You can have a look at the picture below.. Choli designs have evolved in terms of length, with both shorter and longer versions keeping rotation in style. Another recent trend is pairing lehenga skirts with crop tops, button-ups, and more.

5. Kurta and Churidar

Besides frock style Kurtis, churidars can also be paired with other Kurtis, such as A-line, front cut, short and long length ones. As churidar trousers are longer than the legs, the excess length folds at the ankles and appears as bangles (churi), therefore they are called churidar trousers. An ensemble like this was worn by Pakistani Punjabi women before partition. It originated in the Mughal era. The ensemble is now worn throughout India and Pakistan.

Conclusion

So it’s high time to update your wardrobe and buy those dresses which you have been missing for a long.