Pajamas (US) or pyjamas (Commonwealth), sometimes shortened to PJs, jammies, or jam-jams, are several related types of clothing originating from South Asia. Adopted in the Western world, pajamas are soft, warm, and traditionally loose garments derived from the Indian and Persian bottom-wear, the pyjamas. They are worn for sleeping, working from home, and lounging.
A kurta is a loose collarless shirt 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.
Clothing in India is dependent upon the different ethnicity, geography, climate, and cultural traditions of the people of each region of India. Historically, male and female clothing has evolved from simple garments like kaupina, langota, achkan, lungi, sari, gamcha, and loincloths to cover the body into elaborate costumes not only used in daily wear, but also on festive occasions, as well as rituals and dance performances. 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, colours, and material of clothing. Sometimes, color codes are followed in clothing based on the religion and ritual concerned. The clothing in India also encompasses the wide variety of Indian embroidery, prints, handwork, embellishment, styles of wearing clothes. A wide mix of Indian traditional clothing and western styles can be seen in India.
Machilipatnam, also known as Bandar, is a city in Krishna district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Krishna district. It is also the mandal headquarters of Machilipatnam mandal in Machilipatnam revenue division of the district. The ancient port town served as the settlement of European traders from the 16th century, and it was a major trading port for the Portuguese, British, Dutch and French in the 17th century.
Adoni is a city in the Kurnool district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipality and the headquarters of Adoni mandal, administered under the Adoni Revenue Division. In the 2011 census of India, Adoni had a population of 166,344, making it the 16th most populous town in the state with an urban agglomeration population of 184,625.
Sherwani is a long-sleeved outer coat worn by men in South Asia. Like the Western frock coat it is fitted, with some waist suppression; it falls to below the knees and is buttoned down the front It can be collarless, have a shirt-style collar, or a stand-up collar in the style of the Mandarin collar. It evolved in India in the 19th-century as a result of the outer garment of the late Mughal period, the angarkha, being given a western style. It can be distinguished from the Indian achkan by its greater length and heavier fabric.
A choli is a blouse or a bodice-like upper garment that is commonly cut short leaving the midriff bare, it is worn along with a sari in the Indian subcontinent. The choli is also part of the ghagra choli costume in the Indian subcontinent.
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. It is also the national dress of Pakistan, and since the later 1960s with the salwar being used in government offices in Pakistan. The outfit has been a part of Punjabi tradition for centuries. Salwar can be distinguished to the Punjabi suthan which is shorter than the salwar. Salwar originated in Central Asia and its use spread to South Asia.
Punjabi Kurta and Tamba are traditional costume for men of Punjab.
In the ancient Punjab region, people wore cotton clothing. The tops lied till knees for both the genders. 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 sexes wore a dhoti around the waist. Modern Punjabi dress has retained this outfit but over its long history has added other forms of dress.
History of clothing in the Indian subcontinent can be traced to the Indus Valley Civilization or earlier. Indians have mainly worn clothing made up of locally grown cotton. India was one of the first places where cotton was cultivated and used even as early as 2500 BCE during the Harappan era. The remnants of the ancient Indian clothing can be found in the figurines discovered from the sites near the Indus Valley Civilisation, the rock-cut sculptures, the cave paintings, and human art forms found in temples and monuments. These scriptures view the figures of human wearing clothes which can be wrapped around the body. Taking the instances of the sari to that of turban and the dhoti, the traditional Indian wears were mostly tied around the body in various ways.
Mughal clothing refers to clothing developed by the Mughals in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries throughout the extent of their empire in the Indian subcontinent. It was characterized by luxurious styles and was made with muslin, silk, velvet and brocade. Elaborate patterns including dots, checks, and waves were used with colors from various dyes including cochineal, sulfate of iron, sulfate of copper and sulfate of antimony were used.
Angarkha is an outer robe with long sleeves which was worn by men in South Asia. By the 19th-century it had become the generally accepted attire of an educated man in public. It had evolved from the Persian cape balaba or chapkan as a result of being given a more Indian form in the late medieval or early modern era.
The term jama refers to a long coat which was popular in South Asia during the Mughal period.
Katzeb was an article of dress encircling the body, at the waist with ends hanging in the front. It was a kind of sash also called Patka.
Peshwaj was a ladies outfit similar to a gown or jama coat with front open, tied around the waist, having full sleeves, and the length was full neck to heels. Peshwaj was one of the magnificent costumes of the mughal court ladies. The material was used to be sheer and fine muslins with decorated borders of zari and lacework.
Qaba is a long coat with sleeves and buttons, similar to a cassock, open at the front. Qaba is similar to a wadded coat. The Mughal emperors wear ankle-length garment. The outfits during the reign of Babur and Humayun are more or less the same i.e. qaba, Jama, pirahan, jilucha, jiba and kasaba. Unlike jama which was a four pointed long-coat the Qaba and takauchia were of a broad girth at the bottom. There are mentions about Qaba in the Baburnama. At present, Qaba is one of the essential parts of the dress of the Islamic clerics or mosque leaders.
Terlig, also known as tieli or bianxianao or Yaoxianao[zi] in Chinese, or commonly referred as Mongol dress or plait-line robe, is an archetypal type of Mongolian clothing for men.
Tubada was an outer garment for men in India. It was a coat, part of a Hindu's costume in the early 19th century. John Forbes Watson mentions it as a ''wide great coat'' in his book The Textile Manufactures and the Costumes of the People of India, London, 1866.
Chiltah was a Mughal period outer garment. It resembled a quilted coat. Chiltah was a royal garment. Jahangir, the fourth Mughal Emperor, wore a nadiri garment with a chiltah.
