Salwar Kameez

www.thedressart.com dressart.vstore.ca Dress is the identity of any nation. It is the thing which tells you the nationality of a person without even asking. Every country has its own traditional dress. So is the case with Pakistan. Our traditional dress is the shalwar kameez. This is good for all men, women and children of Pakistan. It is worn and is equally popular in all the provinces, cities and villages of Pakistan. The shalwar kameez holds equal importance in both ceremonial wear and casual wear. Women like to dress up in shalwar kameez most of the time and also during different ceremonies. Same holds true for men and children of the country. Shalwar is like a loose pajama and is similar to the trousers. It is wide near the thighs and the waist. Near the bottom it is tapering. The kameez is a shirt and the seams of the shirt are kept open. The seams are open normally below waist line. This dress gives you great freedom of movement and is also very easy and simple to wear. Then another important dress is the achkan. It has been the dress of nobles for long and is now worn extensively in Pakistan on different occasions, mostly ceremonial. It can be referred to as a long jacket. The jacket reaches the knees and there are buttons in the front of the jacket. In some cases it may even go lower than the knees. It also has long sleeves. This dress has been long associated with aristocracy. It is now worn by most desert dwellers in Pakistan.Kurta is also an important traditional dress item. It is similar to a shirt but is quite loose in fitting. The length of the kurta goes up to the knees of the wearer. It can be worn with either jeans or a shalwar. The Kurta is also worn by women in many western countries. In Pakistan, kurta holds importance amongst both men and women. Different materials can be used to make a kurta and normally it is up to the wishes of the user that what style and material one wants to be used in one’s kurta. Men also love to wear waist coats with the kurta and also with shalwar kameez. It gives a very tidy look to the dress. The Pakistani culture is very rich as far as clothing is concerned. These clothes are famous not only in Pakistan but also in Afghanistan, India and Bangladesh. 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.

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