Indian dress

Hi, I would like to buy some typical Indian clothes while in india but I noticed that they come under different names. What are typical Indian outfits for women (casual) and what should I ask for when purchasing?

Depending on your budget I am recoing some shops too. They are all in Delhi as I assume u are visiting Delhi? For casual cotton outfits u can go to fabIndia - their largest branch is in Greater Kailash I M block market. U can buy eitehr a salwar kameez (the Indian tunic type top with the loose pants) or a churidar kurta (same top, tight pants wth gathers in them). The advantage of Fabindia is u can mix and match i.e. they price the tops, bottoms and stoles (called dupattas) separately. Mostly they ahve block printed cottons so beware, colours do run. They also have some silks. In the same market as fabindia is another shop, Cottons. They ahve great crinkle cotton skirts and tops all in Jaipur prints. Very trendy. Another good shop is Anokhi - their largest outlet is in Khan market near the Taj mansingh Hotel. Again mix and match. If u are up to buying something expensive the shop Princess Di shopped at in London before her pak visit Ritus is excellent. They also have an outlet in Greater kailash I in the Archana cinema arcade not far from the other shops I mentioned. If u want a saree suggest u go to Nallis in Soth extension Part I. With the saree you will also need a petticoat and blouse.

I would also recommend the Janpath market near Connaught Place in New Delhi. Its a street market - fun and cheap

i had two made from a tailor when i first arrived.....if you arent into crazy, busy patterns or super bright colours, this may be a good option for you. you can buy ready made garmets as well. if you go into a shop, ask for a ready made salawar kameez....they will start bringing them out in the hundreds!!!

one thing i found helpful, was to mention no bright colours, or i want to look at only dark colours....the colours DO run, so be careful....

also, salwar kameez come in long styles, short styles, many different styles.....there so comfortable....india really was like the biggest pajama party!!!!

i even had some made to keep for the day i eventually have a baby....i thought they would make the best maternity outfits!!!

i really believe you will get a different reaction from people (a better one!) if you dress in indian clothes....i cant believe some of the outifts i saw women wearing....BUT THAT IS ANOTHER THREAD!!

I purchased outfits from ebay before I went and was comfortable before I left for India.........I have far more outfits than I would need......It was good to be familiar with the clothes before landing.

I too want to buy one of the tunic/pants outfits, but am 5'9". Since most Indian women are much shorter, will I have a hard time? I remember trying to buy shoes in Costa Rica and Italy (I wear a 10 medium) and jeans in Mediterranean countries--very difficult in the land of the short.

(older thread discussing types of Indian clothes and accessories - http://www.indiamike.com/india/showthread.php?t=5036)


I like salwar kameez but I think the pants look funny with my hiking boots/thongs (flip flops..) so I wear kurta tops with jeans instead. Fab India or Cottons are both nice places to buy readymade clothes which are fairly hardwearing, they seem to be made of thicker cloth and are sewn better than the clothes you would get at the markets. The markets are way more fun though


The jeans/pants from home and kurtas trick might work for you too, Sharonov, otherwise you could have the pants made up for you. Most places that sell the non-readymade salwar suits seem to know someone that can stitch them up for you, so they should be able to make the pants the right length too.

I personally havent bought anything from this web site yet but they have some nice tailored to your fit kurtis and salwars kameezes. They even have sarees and seem to have reasonable pricing for USA. They only ship in the US.

http://www.eshakti.com

You can try Dilli haat for casual Salwar tops,you can mix and match with your Jeans. Janpath is also nice place.
If you wana really nice price then i suggest Sarojini nagar market.

Sharonov at FabIndia u should find outfits in your size or in the same shop go down to the men's section and buy from there. The men's outfits are also on the same mix and match concept and you can buy a kurta with either a loose pair of pants i.e. a pyjama or the tighter fitting ones i.e. churidar. As the stole (dupatta) does not have a size associated with it that you can get from the womens. Belive you me some of my tall ind friends do this as well!

Thanks for all your help everybody. I will definitely have a good time shopping around - and for a change I will get to wear clothes that sound really comfortable and not too tight so I can indulge in plenty of good food and not worry if I pile on a few kilos while I am there!
Also can anybody tell me if there is an outlet of fab India at Connaught place Delhi, and if Connaught place is a good place to shop?

No FabIndia in Connaught Place I'm sorry. In CP there is a boutique called The Shop next to the Park Hotel which u may enjoy - bit pricey tho. The stalls at Janpath are always a fun place to shop. Cottage Industries has a clothes section which sometimes has int stuff.

Sharanov

I am 5'10 and found several shalwar kameez in a shop in Janpath (can't remember the name, but it was up some steep stairs!). The nice thing about shalwars is that the drawstring allows you to wear them on your hips rather than your waist if they seem too short. I was really surprised at how easy it was to find clothes for tall women!

I love the way women dress in India! Women in the US really need to take some lessons--color, comfort, and modesty (OK...you can tell I'm over 40 and work with teenagers all day, huh?)

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i really believe you will get a different reaction from people (a better one!) if you dress in indian clothes....i cant believe some of the outifts i saw women wearing....BUT THAT IS ANOTHER THREAD!![/QUOTE]


What sort of reaction have non-Indian females had when wearing salwar kameez etc in India ?? I presume it would be good, but wondered if there was any ridicule or what ?? Thanks, any info appreciated, as I would like to try wearing the salwar kameez while travelling...

I've never had a bad response to my wearing salwar kameez or sarees. It's nearly always mentioned: "Oh, I see you are wearing Indian dress" but never criticized.

Back in the days when I wore sarees, the ladies were always amazed when they found out I'd wrapped it myself (it just takes practice). But then, these are women who believe that plaiting or braiding long hair originated in India, and so my wearing one long braid down the back (as they do) means I am also wearing "Indian hairstyle." Well, they were always friendly about it!