In the world there are many national costumes that reflect the traditionality and ethnic originality of a particular nation.
Probably one of the most striking and unusual is the Indian costume. Despite the centuries-old influence of other ethnic groups and cultures, this clothing has retained all its national features. It combines all the best, it is convenient, elegant and comfortable. Even in modern India, representatives of all walks of life prefer all family celebrations, to hold any holidays and official ceremonies in national clothes.
Men's indian costume
Men's clothing in different parts of India is very different, but despite this, it follows the general principles: comfort, simplicity and convenience. Each nationality of this
multinational country has its own characteristics and traditions of wearing clothes. Most poor men wear the so-called dhoti. This skillfully draped clothing is a piece of rectangular-shaped fabric, the length of which reaches 5 meters. It can be white or other plain color. Dhoti are worn on the hips. In different parts of the country, this traditional costume has different names ("dhuti", "veshi", "laacha", "mundu"). There are several ways to drape your hips. It starts not from the edges, but from the middle of the fabric. Most often, dhotis are worn with a kurta (long shirt) or with a shoulder cloak - angavashtram. Kurt is most often knee-length, although it may be shorter. Her neckline is on the chest. Most often, it is decorated with embroidery. Many nationalities wear it with churidars - narrowed trousers or with shalvars (wide and loose trousers). In some areas of India, men wear lungs, which are a strip of fabric 2x1.5 m, sewn like a skirt. Distributed in the country and such a long frock coat, like chervans. Its length drops below the knees. Traditional clothes are sewn of silk, cotton, wool and Khadi
(mixed fabric from the above materials). They complement the national Indian costume with such headdresses as a turban (5 m long fabric elaborately wrapped around the head) and gandhi (a hat in the form of a cap).
Women's Indian costume
The most feminine clothes are known all over the world - sarees. Amazingly, this is a simple piece of fabric, having a length of 5-9 m, skillfully wrapped around the camp of the fair sex. Depending on who it belongs to, the sari can be woven from cotton or delicate silk. It can be decorated with various patterns and plain, decorated with embroidery, gold threads, sparkles, beads, sequins. Everyday and holiday sarees are produced. There are many ways to drape this garment, but the most common one is when the fabric is tied around the waist, where numerous folds are formed. The end of the sari is thrown over his shoulder, covering his chest. These clothes are worn with a tight blouse (ravik, choli) and a lower skirt. Very bright and elegant handmade wedding sarees are the most expensive. Most often, their patterns are never repeated.
The color scheme of the sari is so diverse that it makes no sense to list the shades. Representatives of many nationalities of India wear shalvars and kamiz. Shalvars are pants, very wide at the top and narrowed down. Kamiz is an elongated tunic with side cuts. This clothing is very comfortable and beautiful. On the bottom of the pants and tunic, these clothes are trimmed with hand embroidery. Cutouts are also decorated in a wide variety of ways. Complementing this traditional costume is a wide and long scarf (chunni or dupatta).
In some areas they wear the so-called lenga-choli, which is a suit of blouses (choli), skirts (lenga) and capes.
Indian costume accessories
It is almost impossible to imagine an Indian woman without elegant gold jewelry. Among the country's rich population, diamonds, rubies, pearls, emeralds and other precious stones in gold and platinum are preferred. Great attention is also paid to shoes. Many models are decorated with elaborate embroidery and even precious stones.