History of Indian fashion
18-01-2005
The Indian dress of men consists of garments that use no stitching. The Dhoti, the Scarf or Uttariya, and the Turban, have never really disappeared from any part of India.
For Indian women, the Dhoti or the Sari, which is the lower garment, combined with a Stanapatta or breast-band for covering the breasts, forms a basic ensemble. Once again this garment is not stitched and the breast-garment being simply fastened in a knot at the back.
The Dhoti or the Sari is worn covering both legs or alternatively it can be passed between the legs and tucked at the back in a fashion that is still prevalent in a large area of India today.
The veil that women still use extensively in India is similar to the dupatta or odhani of modern times, as it has its early prototype in the Vedic period. Though there have been minor differences and modifications to this style of dress, it has remained standard for a long period of time. This is because Indian women’s dresses are still conservative, but also because these garments together belong to the timeless costume of India.
Although the Sari is the predominant form of dress for Indian women, it is not the only one. Other Indian garments include the following:
Choli which is worn with a sari is a tight-fitting top with a bare midriff and an open back. It has a rounded neckline, with some having ties at the back and across the shoulder blades and originally served as a bust support.
Ghagra is a pleated or gathered skirt reaching to mid-shin/ankle length and can contain 20-30 yards of fabric. This is traditionally worn with a choli or kameez.
Salwar are very long trousers which have a band at the ankle. The Salwar was designed to conceal the shape of the woman’s legs. It is worn with a Kameez, which is a long tunic and is slightly flared at the hip and has slits at the sides, which reaches the knees.
Orhna This is a long scarf worn over the kameez and can be used to cover the head or face.
Dhoti This is worn by men in Northern India and consists of a long unstitched white cloth which wraps them from their waist down their legs.
When it comes to head wear, there are many names used, including
- Usbnisba
- Kirita
- Patta
- Veshtana
- Vesbtanapatta
- Sbirovesbtana
The range of turban-styles seen is due to many styles used in the 19th century, as each style had a specific name. History shows there were close-fitting caps that could be found on soldiers and seen to be worn foreigners in Indian sculptures and paintings. It was exceptionally how every head was covered by a turban.
Rachel Costa