Indian Womenswear: Meaning and Types

In the last few decades, the number of working women has increased substantially, which eventually has increased women's disposable income. As a result of this, it has driven the womenswear market segment. Fast fashion and globalisation have made people more aware of current fashion trends. According to projections, the market for women's clothing is currently valued at about Rs 1,02,358 crore, and it would increase by 11% by 2025. It would not only be constrained by the size of the market, but it would also result in a paradigm change from non-branded to branded and from ethnic clothing to western wear. In India, it is anticipated that between 2025 and 2030, the market for women's clothing may surpass that for men's clothing.

Different Styles of Indian Womenswear

Indian women's wear can be classified into various styles.

Sarree

The Indus Valley culture is where the classic wrap-and-round attire known as the saree began. It's one of the most well-known Indian clothing styles. There are 80 different types of classical drapery sarees available throughout the subcontinent, not just one, such as the Malayali style, Odi styles, Kodagu styles, and Bengali outfits without pleats, etc.

Choli Ghagra

This outfit, also known as a lehenga choli, comprises of a long pleated skirt, a typically cropped choli, and a scarf or dupatta. It is still one of the most popular outfits for women.

Lancha

Another variation of the lehenga choli is the lancha. The skirts and choli styles are what differentiate them. The choli typically extends past the lehenga's waistline when worn with the lancha outfit. Given that the waist is covered by the lancha, it is a more modest outfit. Lanchas were traditionally worn by Mughal royalty, and they continue to play a significant role in wedding, bridal, and festive attire today.

Kurta Dhoti

Dhotis are the traditional men's garb in the Indian subcontinent. A historically male-only item of clothing has now undergone a modern makeover and gained enormous popularity as a choice for women's clothing. Many Indian men prefer the stitched type of dhoti over the earlier draping version because it is more comfortable to wear during the day or at night. Dhoti has continued to appear on runways in recent years, further solidifying its position as a key element of Indian women's clothing.

Suit Salwar

Among all the several styles of Indian clothing, the salwar kameez is the most comfortable. Salwar, kameez, and dupatta are worn together. A salwar has an ankle-tapering shape and clings closely around the waist like a loose, pleated pyjama. The upper portion of the dress, known as the kameez, is worn over the salwar and is typically knee-length or longer these days.

Suit Anarkali

The anarkali outfit consists of a long, flared kurta with fitted churidar pants. Anarkali dresses are fitted up to just above the waist and then flare out to the knees. One of those styles of Indian clothing that has recently made a resurgence after decades is the anarkali. The contemporary styles are floor-length gowns. In addition to being comfy, it typically has a royal and elegant appearance. Anarkali suits come in a variety of contemporary styles, such as jacket, cape, tiered, floor-length, and gown.

Kurta-Churidar

The churidar can be worn with frock-style kurtis as well as other kurtis, including A-line, front-cut, short, and long-length kurtis. Churidars are trousers that are longer than the length of the legs; the excess length folds at the ankles and resembles bangles (churi), hence the name. This is yet another Mughal-era outfit that Pakistani Punjabi ladies frequently wore before the division. Today, it is worn all over Pakistan and India.

Women’s Sherwani

A sherwani was invented during the Mughal Empire and was worn by royalty and noblemen. However, sherwanis have also been fashionable for women in recent years. Silk, cotton, cotton silk, chanderi, net, chiffon, georgette, tussar, velvet, and a variety of other fabrics are available for sherwani outfits. This outfit is a must-try for you if you want to dress differently than in a suit or saree. One of the more recent styles of Indian clothing,

Indo-Western Suits

There are many other styles of Indian clothing that are popular nowadays, such as palazzos and pantsuits, which combine Indian and western fashion. Kurtis worn with loose-fitting pleated pants are known as palazzo outfits. The latest kurti fashions come in a variety of cuts, including A-line, long, short, off-the-shoulder, and more. Fitted pants or trousers worn with various kurtis are referred to as pantsuits. In addition to these, cropped pants, boot-cut pants, and cigarette pants are also popular. Typically, a dupatta is not worn with Indo-Western outfits.

Indian Gowns

Another outfit with western influences is the Indian gown, which is typically worn with a dupatta and is adorned with Indian surface work. These days, you can get gowns in a variety of styles, and over the past ten years, gowns have grown in popularity as a form of Indian clothing. For instance, dresses with off-the-shoulder, one-shoulder, bell sleeves, saree-inspired designs, and more.

Suits by Sharara and Garara

We frequently mix shararas and ghararas due to their similar appearances. Both have Mughal roots. They originate from Lucknow, where the majority of the wearers were Muslim women. These garments are also commonly worn as bridal attire by Pakistani brides. The gharara and sharara outfits are made up of flared pants known as the gharara or sharara and a dupatta. Kurtis can be long, mid-length, or short.

Conclusion

India's market for women's clothing is quickly becoming one with significant growth potential. It is predicted that it will expand faster than menswear in the nation. E-commerce is becoming a significant buying option due to the growing popularity of the Internet, the growing spending power of women, great brand awareness, and strong fashion sense. The emergence of branded and expensive inner wear is mostly due to the online market. Women are now willing to take fashion risks. In addition to considering value, they are also considering brand when considering options. As a result, it is accurate to predict that the Indian women's clothing market will see some significant changes soon.