North India Fashion

April 05, 2017

Punjabi Dress For Women: Phulkari, Salwar Kameez


Punjab and Haryana are the rich agricultural states of India. The traditional dresses of women in Punjab are extremely colorful and beautiful to look at. Punjabi dress for women are a clear indication of the vibrant culture of the people. Punjab is well known for the use of "phulkari" emboidery in its costumes.

Phulkari is a popular Indian form of embroidery where there is flower work embroidery in multiple colors. This is seen in the shawls, which are worn over a tight-fitting choli and ghagra. Phulkari is the rural traditional Punjabi dress for women of this region. The women of Punjab are responsible for the state's most famous item of handicraft - the phulkari. It is a custom in Punjab to make a phulkari known as "bagh" (garden) on every ceremonial purpose. It is made in such a way that the entire cloth is covered with embroidery that the base cloth cannot be seen at all. The salwar kameez is the most common Punjabi dress for women. A dupatta or a chudni about 2.5 metres long generally completes the ensemble. Its a matter of pride fro every Punjabi women to have a good collection of woolen shawls.


Haryana: Damaan, Kurti and Chunder


Like Punjab, the costumes of Haryana are also very vibrant and colorful. The simplicity of the people of Haryana and their spirited enthusiasm for life is visible in their way of dressing up. The women of this state have a special affection towads colors. The basic traditional dress of Haryani women is the Damaan, Kurti and Chunder. The Daaman is the ankle length, flairy long skirt, available in bright colors. Kurti is a waist length shirt or blouse, usually in light colours. Chunder is the actually the long, coloured piece of cloth like the chudni. The highlight of the chunder is usually the shiny laces all anong the border and is used to cover the head and is drawn in the front like the 'pallav' of the saree. 


Jammu and Kashmir: Phiran



The most popular attire of women in Jammu and Kashmir is the phiran. Kashmiri phiran are long, loose gowns that cover their physique but do not reduce the appearance or the physical appeal of the women. These gowns are decorated with colorful floral motifs and designs. Whereas a Muslim woman wears a pheran that is knee-length, loose and embroidered in front and on the ends, a Hindu woman's wear their pherans long, stretching up to their feet with narrowed down sleeves. Phirans are tied at the waist with folded material called lhungi. The Hindu women wear a "taranga", a headdress, stitched to a suspended cap and it narrows down at the back, towards the heels. On the other hand, Muslim Kashmiri women wear a red headgear known as the "kasaba". The kasaba is stitched in the form of a turban and is pinned together by brooches. A pin-scarf suspended from the kasaba descends towards the shoulder. Elaborate embroideries or floral patterns are a prominent feature of a Kashmiri woman's pheran. Today phirans are worn by women of other parts of Indian as well. 

Rajasthan: Ghaghra choli




The otherwise dull colored monotone of the sands Rajasthan becomes cheery, colorful with the vibrant spirits of the people who wear attractive and colors to make up for the absence of blooming flowers. Everything from head-to-toe, the dress, jewellery and even the footwear establishes the identity, the religion and the social and economic status of a Rajathani women. The traditional dress of a Rajasthani woman is the ghagra-choli and odhani. It is said that the width and the number of pleats in the "Ghagra" or the long ankle length skirt symbolize one's prosperity. The dress is available in many colors and styles. Rajasthan is famous for tie and dye prints or bandhani prints. The traditional dresses of Rajasthani women display a colorful look with their colorful motis and prints in tie dye. Rajasthan traditional dresses of women are vibrant and extremely well-suited to the climatic conditions of the desert region. Though the modern influence and urbanization is also reflected in the changing attire of the state, the traditional dress continues to exist in perfect harmony with modern ways of dressing.


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