A kurta is a loose collarless shirt or tunic worn in many regions of South Asia, and now also worn around the world. Tracing its roots to Central Asian nomadic tunics, or upper body garments, of the late-ancient- or early-medieval era, the kurta has evolved stylistically over the centuries, especially in South Asia, as a garment for everyday wear as well as for formal occasions.
The Punjabis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group associated with the Punjab region, comprising areas of northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. They generally speak Standard Punjabi or various Punjabi dialects on both sides.
Folk costume, traditional dress, traditional attire or folk attire, is clothing associated with a particular ethnic group, nation or region, and is an expression of cultural, religious or national identity. If the clothing is that of an ethnic group, it may also be called ethnic clothing or ethnic dress. Traditional clothing often has two forms: everyday wear, and formal wear. The word "costume" in this context is sometimes considered pejorative, as the word has more than one meaning, and thus "clothing", "dress", "attire" or "regalia" can be substituted without offense.
Clothing in India varies with the different ethnicities, geography, climate, and cultural traditions of the people of each region of India. Historically, clothing has evolved from simple garments like kaupina, langota, achkan, lungi, sari, to perform rituals and dances. In urban areas, western clothing is common and uniformly worn by people of all social levels. India also has a great diversity in terms of weaves, fibers, colors, and the material of clothing. Sometimes, color codes are followed in clothing based on the religion and ritual concerned. The clothing in India also encompasses a wide variety of Indian embroidery, prints, handwork, embellishments, and styles of wearing clothes. A wide mix of Indian traditional clothing and western styles can be seen in India.
Indo-Western clothing is the fusion of Western and South Asian fashion.
The dupattā, also called chunni, chunari,chundari, lugda, rao/rawo, gandhi, pothi, orna, and odhni is a long shawl-like scarf traditionally worn by women in the Indian subcontinent. Traditionally, in India, the dupatta is part of the women's lehenga or ghagra/chaniya choli. A lehenga is a three-piece outfit which is made up of a skirt, called a ghagra or chaniya; a blouse, called a choli, and a dupatta. The dupatta is worn over one shoulder, and traditionally, married women would also wear the dupatta over the head in temples or in front of elders.
Anarkali is a legendary lady said to be loved by the 16th-century Mughal Prince Salim, who later became Emperor Jahangir. According to some accounts, Anarkali was the nickname of the courtesan (tawaif) Sharf-un-Nisa, though scholars hold varying opinions.
A Patiala salwar is a type of female trousers which has its roots in Patiala City in the Northern region of Punjab state in India. The King of Patiala in earlier times wore a Patiala salwar as his royal suit. The Patiala Salwar has a close resemblance to the Pathani suit, which has loose layers similar to those of a salwar, and a long, knee-length top known as a kameez. The garment is no longer customarily worn by men, but has classically transformed itself with new cuts and styling into a women's garment.
Punjabi culture grew out of the settlements along the five rivers which served as an important route to the Near East as early as the ancient Indus Valley civilization, dating back to 3000 BCE. Agriculture has been the major economic feature of the Punjab and has therefore formed the foundation of Punjabi culture, with one's social status being determined by landownership. The Punjab emerged as an important agricultural region, especially following the Green Revolution during the mid-1960's to the mid-1970's, has been described as the "breadbasket of both India and Pakistan". Besides being known for agriculture and trade, the Punjab is also a region that over the centuries has experienced many foreign invasions and consequently has a long-standing history of warfare, as the Punjab is situated on the principal route of invasions through the northwestern frontier of the Indian subcontinent, which promoted to adopt a lifestyle that entailed engaging in warfare to protect the land. Warrior culture typically elevates the value of the community's honour (izzat), which is highly esteemed by Punjabis.
Pakaian is the term for clothing in Malaysia's national language. It is referring to things to wear such as shirts, pants, shoes etc. Since Malaysia is a multicultural nation: Malay, Chinese, Indian and hundreds of other indigenous groups of Malay Peninsula and Borneo, each has its own traditional and religious articles of clothing all of which are gender-specific and may be adapted to local influences and conditions. Previously, traditional clothes were worn daily. However, by excluding Baju Melayu, Baju Kurung many are now only worn on special occasions such as marriage ceremonies and cultural events.
Anarkali was a legendary slave girl and courtesan from the Mughal period.
Pakistani clothing refers to the ethnic clothing that is typically worn by people in the country of Pakistan and by Pakistanis. Pakistani clothes express the culture of Pakistan, the demographics of Pakistan, and cultures from Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir regions of the country. The clothing in each region and culture of Pakistan reflect weather conditions, way of living, the textiles and embroidery used and its distinctive style which gives it a unique identity among all cultures.
A pencil suit is a variety of salwar kameez. The suit follows the principles of a pencil skirt and merges it with the traditional salwar kameez.
Shalwar kameez is a traditional combination dress worn by men and women in South Asia, and Central Asia.
Salwar or shalwar is cloth worn from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately. It is the lower-garment of the shalwar kameez suit which is widely-worn in South Asia. It is known for its lively hues, rich fabrics, and embroidery. The outfit has been a part of Punjabi tradition of India and Pakistan for centuries. It is also the national dress of Pakistan, and since the later 1960s, the salwar is being used in government offices in Pakistan. Salwar can be distinguished from the Punjabi suthan which is shorter than the salwar.
The clothing style and fashion sense of the Philippines in the modern-day era have been influenced by the indigenous peoples, Chinese waves of immigration, the Spaniards, and the Americans, as evidenced by the chronology of events that occurred in Philippine history. At present, Filipinos conform their way of dressing based on classic fashion or prevailing fashion trends.
In the Punjab region, people wore cotton clothing. Both men and women wore knee-length tops. A scarf was worn over the tops which would be draped over the left shoulder and under the right. A large sheet would be further draped over one shoulder which would hang loose towards the knees. Both male and female wore a dhoti around the waist. Modern Punjabi dress has retained the dhoti, but over its long history has added other forms of dress.
Pheran or Phiran is the traditional outfit for both males and females in Kashmir.
Turkish şalvar, Turkish trousers or dimiye are traditional baggy trousers gathered in tightly at the ankle. They are part of Turkish folk dress.
There are two types of Saraiki shalwar suits which originate in the southern area of Punjab, Pakistan. These are the Bahawalpuri shalwar suit and the Multani shalwar suit. The two main suits from that area.
