Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Indian Jewelry



Any attire is incomplete without the perfect combination of jewelry. It not only adds beauty to the attire but also completes the graceful look. A trend that started almost 5000 years ago has been going strong till date. Even before metals were discovered, ancient men and women adorned themselves with wooden ornaments and other materials that were available naturally. With time, jewellery was refined and was given a traditional look. Today we have different forms of jewelry in India like traditional jewelry, ethnic jewelry, fashion, jewelry, gold and silver jewelry, etc.

Youngsters, be it guys or girls love to experiment with different attires. For them, assembling their attire with the right kind of jewelry is a child's play. These days, the market is flooded with jewelry that is a hot favorite among the current generation. It looks very chic and contemporary and suits the attitudes and apparels of the youngsters. At the same time, traditional Indian jewelry sells like hot cakes and almost every household in India will have a good collection of traditional jewelry reserved for special occasions like marriages, birthdays, festivals, etc.

Indian jewelry is available in a vast variety that suits the taste and the budget of people. People can choose from gold jewelry, silver, jewelry, designer wear, jewelry with stones, carved jewelry, etc. Every state in India is renowned for its own exclusive style of jewelry. The south is famous for elaborate temple jewelry, the west is famous for mirror and stones jewelry, the east is famous for beaded jewelry and the north is famous for its carvings and designing. With so much variety to offer, who can possibly resist buying those glittering pieces of exclusive Indian jewelry!



Indian Bride


Wedding, be it in India, America or Brazil, marks the most important event in the life of a person, when he/she leaves behind his/her single life and gets ready to share his/her each and every thing with another person. However, the style in which it is conducted differs in each of these places. Talking about India, a wedding here is a much grander and opulent affair than most of the other countries of the world. One look at the Indian bride and you will come across the most noticeable difference in the weddings of India and abroad. She will also serve as the perfect example of the opulence that characterizes an Indian wedding.

On her wedding day, an Indian bride comes across as a picture of beauty and grace. While all the guests appreciate the way she is looking, hardly a few of them are aware of how much preparation goes into 'being an Indian bride'. Right from trying a thousand outfits (to select the best one for the wedding), to finding matching jewelry to taking care of the skin and buying just the right 'matching' accessories, she has to undertake a lot of efforts, to look her very best. In case you are a going to have an Indian wedding soon enough and are apprehensive about the preparations, the bridal tips given in this section will prove to be quite handy.

Indian Sari



A long strip of colorful multi-patterned cloth, sensuously wrapped around the body, and teemed with a blouse! Is this not how sari, the traditional clothing of the womenfolk in India, is often described to people newly exposed to our culture? Saree is, indeed, a very long strip of unstitched cloth, which is worn over a similar colored petticoat. Its length ranges from four to nine meters, depending on how an individual wants to wear the sari. The blouse worn with it is also known as Choli or Ravika.

The most common style of wearing a sari is by draping its one end around the waist and neatly arranging the other over the shoulder baring the midriff. However, there are many variations in how women wear this dress in different states of India. There can also be a lot of variation in the designs of the choli i.e. the blouse of the saree. For instance, for daily wear, the blouse can be a normal one with quarter or short sleeves. Sleeveless or embroidered blouses are worn to give a dressy feel.

Similarly, for occasions like wedding and parties, some Indian women also wear backless or halter-neck blouses with their sari. Though you will see women wearing such blouses with their sari only at select upmarket places, it gives a very glammed up Indo-western look. Women in the armed forces don the sari with a half-sleeved shirt tucked in at the waist. Occasion is the main criterion that decides the style in which you wish to wear your sari.

Saree is a very popular form of clothing in India. So, one will find various type of the clothing being sold in the market. Infact, every state of India excels in manufacturing a certain type of sari. Thus, you will find plain or patterned georgette saris, heavily golden-zari embroidered zardozi saris, silk sarees with heavy pallu, and so on. The prices of the saris also vary greatly. While the normal saris can cost as less as 500 rupees, the really expensive ones, especially those made by the Indian designers, could cost lakhs of rupees.


Churidar Salwar Kameez


Desire gives birth to new things. Similarly Churidar Salwar Kameez is a result of a desire. Desire changed or modified the traditional salwar kameez into churidar to look sexy and slim trim. Churidar Salwar Kameez is not exactly like a traditional salwar kameez. To give a different look and feel to salwar, the churidar was designed by the traditional designers which became popular in the modern age. A churidar is similar to the salwar but is tighter fitting at the hips, thighs and ankles more like leggings.

The churidar is actually pants made in such a way that it is tight from the knee down and loose and comfortable from the knee up. It is tied at the waist with draw strings. It is worn very similar to draw string pants but the legs are tapered. The basic difference between salwar and a churidar is that salwar is a loose pajama-like trousers while the churidar is a tight-fitting trouser which gathers at the ankles. What is special about them is that they are longer than the legs. Their extremes are crinkled and crumpled to fit. Creases thus developed resemble 'churis' or bangles, hence the name churidar kameez.

Churidar kurta sets are stitched in different types of fabric: silk, cotton, chiffon, georgette and so on.

The upper portion “Kameez is same as traditional kameez. Normally it is long upto knee with long or short sleeves as desired. There are long side slits and bottom curve may be round and straight as per desire. Churidar comes under the basic design category.

A few phrases in respect of bridal salwar kameez material that are very famous in India:
1. Pure Silk
2. Raw Silk
3. Poly Silk
4. Crape Silk
5. Pashmina

Indian Galz

What makes the Indian couture so unique is the fact that you will find each and every state of the country having its own distinct traditional clothing for men and women. For instance, the salwaar kameez is the ethnic attire of women in Punjab; the Mekhala Chadar is worn by Assamese women, and so on. However, all types of Indian clothing look very elegant and Indians wear them with a lot of pride. The festivities and other special occasions are the time when you can see maximum Indians donning their ethnic garb, be it sari, kurta pajama or dhoti.

A sari is long strip of colorful multi-patterned cloth seductively wrapped around the body, teemed with a blouse! It's the traditional dress for the women folk in India and there are many styles in which you can drape it. The blouse worn with sari is also called the choli or ravika. The salwaar kameez, on the other hand, is the most ubiquitous of all traditional women attires in India. Due to its popularity in the Punjab region, it is sometimes also called the Punjabi suit.

The Indian men's traditional attire consists of the kurta and pajama, dhoti, lungi and other dresses. Worn on both formal and informal occasions, kurta and pajama are quite popular dress of Indian men. The kurta is like a loose long shirt almost reaching the knees, whereas the Pyjama is a lightweight drawstring trouser. The men's dhoti is a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth about five yards long, wrapped about the waist and the legs and knotted at the waist. It is known by different names like Laacha in Punjabi, Mundu in Malayalam, Dhuti in Bangla, etc.

Why is Indian Clothing so popular?

Beautiful designs, luxurious fabrics and attention to detail makes our Indian clothing ideally suited for any occasion, be it an important social engagement or just simply relaxing at home in style and comfort.

Our Indian clothes are Popular with all age groups, they have been well accepted not only in the Indian market but also internationally and our designs are created keeping in mind the trends fabrics and colures of the season.

Our Indian clothes go well with regular western wear, ideal for a great unique look. They come in various lengths, sizes designs and fabrics which are suitable for all sizes.



You can be sure that Ethnic Fashions selection of Indian clothing are taken from the latest trend in Indian fashion, Some are embellished with intricate embroidered work in pleasing designs, they manage to look smart enough to be worn for casual family gatherings in the lounge, or even for an that afternoon tea session with friends in the garden.

Salwar Kurta

Salwar Kurta is the most popular, comfortable, convenient and widely worn dress in India. It is popular among women in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and often worn in Afghanistan. Some versions are sometimes called a Punjabi suit, after the Indus valley area called the Punjab. In India, this was traditionally the dress worn in Punjab, but is now worn almost everywhere by all Indian women. Punjabi suits or salwar kurta define the latest trend in Indian fashion garment.


A salwar kurta has 3 parts in its creations:

    * Salwar: Salwars are loose pajama-like trousers. The legs are wide at the top, and narrow at the bottom. The legs are pleated or gathered into a waistband with a drawstring. In salwars, the legs are wide which tapers slightly towards the ankles. Traditional Salwar is very comfortable to wear and has lot of space for legs movement.

    * Kurta: The kameez or the kurta is a knee-length flowing shirt or tunic worn over a salwar or churidar. The side seams are left open below the navel, which gives the wearer greater freedom of movement. The tailor's taste and skill are usually displayed in the shape of the neckline and the decoration of the kurta. Traditionally, the kurtas were knee length. But today, short kurtas are also available.

    * Dupatta: A dupatta generally completes the ensemble. When women wear the salwar kameez, they usually wear a long scarf or shawl called a dupatta around the head or neck. In ancient time women used to put cloth on their heads for cultural, religious and practical reasons. Gradually this became a part of fashion as well. Today, the dupatta is a stylish accessory that can be worn over one shoulder or draped around the chest and over both shoulders.

Salwar Kameez



Salwar Kameez is the most popular traditional attire worn by the women in India. Due to its popularity in the Punjab region, it is sometimes called the Punjabi suit also. The shalwar is a baggy pajama type of trouser, which has legs wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. The kameez is a long shirt or tunic, which often reaches upto the knees. The length of the kameez can vary depending on the latest salwar suit style in fashion.

The salwar is stitched very differently. It has pleats at the waist and is held up by a drawstring or an elastic belt. The middle portion of a salwaar is very wide and baggy, but it gradually tapers down around the ankle. Another variation in salwaar is the churidar style which is a somewhat like a tight trouser, but with its fabric ending in various small folds around the ankles. Usually, Indian women also wear a dupatta across their shoulders, over the salwaar or churidar kameez, as a symbol of modesty

A shalwar kameez can be stitched in almost fabric, like chiffon, georgette, denim, silk, cotton, satin, and so on. It can be simple or heavily embellished, with artificial gem stones and embroidery, depending upon one's personal choice. Though both salwar kameez and sari are traditional Indian dresses for females, you will find more women wearing the former, especially in metros. This is because it is more comfortable and requires, comparatively, less maintenance.

One can choose to wear the salwar kameez in a number of styles. Apart from the traditional ones, one can also buy the ones with a plunging neckline or a halter neck back for a chic look. If confused, you can even ask the tailor to suggest you the latest necklines in fashion. The side seams of the kameez may be split high up to the waistline. When women wear semi-transparent kameez, they wear a choli or a cropped camisole underneath it.

Indian Fashion at its Best







 

Kids Indian Clothes for Girls


Girls are always fashion conscious from the very young age. They always want themselves to look pretty, tidy and beautiful. And kids are the one whom you easily cant convince. They are very choosy and inflexible some time. We have a solution for this, along with boy kids wear we also provide girl kids wear. Once you have a look at it and you want to purchase it. Girls collection includes cute colourfull salwaar kameez, churidar sets, soft and silky lovely evening dresses. Your girl child will look like a princess clad in the most beautiful and elegant dress.


Soft White Lehenga CholiSoft white halter neck lehenga choli for your little miss princess, smocked top embellished with silver bead, zardhosi and kundan work ensemble with tired skirt with emphatic waist yoke featuring the same work, more enhanced with fancy sequin lace border and sequin work on all over the skirt part. Comes with a matching dupatta and chemise. Fabric used is Faux Chiffon. Might not be as shown in the image. DESIGNS, COLORS AND PATTERNS ON THE ACTUAL PRODUCT MAY SLIGHTLY VARY FROM DESIGNS SHOWN IN THE IMAGE. IMAGES ARE ONLY REPRESENTATIVE











Kids Indian Clothes for boys

Who says boys' clothes have to be boring? Our boys' apparel (Kurta Pajamas, Sherwanis, Dhoti Kurtas) comes in a wide range of colors. Alongside the elegant creams and whites, you will find rich maroons and bright blues. The skill of Indian crafters shines through in the elaborate hand embroidery, some of them taking as long as a week to complete. The garments are made of cotton, silk and tissue

Indian kurtas


Kurti is a type of long shirt worn by both males and females in India, with its length falling either somewhere above or below the knees of the wearer. The Kurta can be categorized as a traditional clothing item and people generally pair it up with loose salwar, churidar pants or trousers. Such Kurti tops can be worn both on a casual everyday basis as well as a formal wear. Indians usually get them stitched by tailors or buy readymade ones from the market.

The make of a Kurta is such that it provides maximum comfort to the wearer. Keeping this aspect in mind, usually very light fabric like cotton and silk are used to make the Kurtis. A typical kurta is simple and made up of rectangular fabric pieces with perhaps a few gusset inserts. The sleeves of a traditional kurta fall straight to the wrist and do not narrow down. One can, however, also choose to get the Kurta embroidered for wearing it during party and other special occasions.

The neck of the traditional Indian kurta is normally round and does not have a collar. However, certain newer variations of the Kurtis flaunt a stand up collar. The Kurta dress is worn by people during the summer season. Those worn during winters are made up of thicker materials like wool as in the state of Kashmir or thick coarse handspun silk that may be mixed with other fabrics. At the sides of the Kurta, the side seams are often left open for 6-12 inches above the hem to give the wearer some ease of movement.

The Kurtas donned on important occasions may feature decorative metal buttons. These may not be stitched to the fabric, but like cufflinks, fastened into the cloth at the time of wearing it. Sometimes, these buttons are decorated with artificial jewels and other similar embellishments. This form of clothing is equally popular with people of both the younger and older generations in India. They wear it with a lot of pride and dignity.


Dupatta

A dupatta is a long rectangular, scarf-like cloth, worn over the shoulders by the women in India. Generally teemed with the traditional salwaar-kamez, dupatta stands as a symbol of modesty in the Indian society. It is known by various names like Odhni, Chunari, Chunni and even just Unni (called by people of the Gujarati community). Duppata is manufactured in different fabrics, like cotton, silk, georgette, chiffon, and so on. Normally, it is worn keeping in mind the color combination of the salwar-kameez it one is wearing.

There are ample ways you can don the dupatta. It is normally worn across the shoulders and women drape one end of it over their head, when in front of elders, as a sign of respect. Otherwise, when worn over a salwar suit you can wrap it around your neck like a muffler also. Another style of wearing dupatta is to simply let it hang from one side of the shoulder. In the current fashion, it is frequently draped over one shoulder, with the other end balanced in the crook of the other arm.

A duppata may be plain in a single hue, shaded, multi-hued or patterned. In some cases, when the dress is very simple, women glam it up by wearing a heavily embroidered dupatta over it. This is particularly done in case of a bridal dress. The dupatta of the bride is often very heavily embellished. In certain Indian states, like that of Bengal and Rajasthan, special type of tie and dye duppatas are available. The price ranges of these duppatas vary from 100 rupees to 1000 rupees.

Gamchha

Gamchha is a traditional Indian towel made up of thin coarse cotton fabric. Although it is normally used for drying one's body after bathing, gamcha serves other purposes also. It forms an important item of men's clothing, especially of those belonging to the lower sections of the Indian society. For instance, one often sees physical laborers, like coolies, construction workers and farmers, carrying a gamcha on their shoulders.

Gamcha is more popular among people from states like Bengal, Assam, Orissa, and so on. The term 'Gamchha' originates from the Bangla language and it means 'Wiping the Body'. You may also hear it being pronounced as gamchi by people of the Bihari community. The gamocha is used by the wearer in many ways. For instance, the coolies make a bun out of the traditional gamcha, which they keep on their head to carry the railway passenger's luggage.

Farmers keep the gamchha on their shoulders to wipe away the sweat while toiling in the scorching sun, the whole day long. Sometimes, they also spread it out on the ground like a mat and take a nap on it. In ancient India, travelers used the gamocha to carry food in it while journeying. It also forms one of the essential items offered to Indian deities during religious ceremonies. Perhaps, the best thing about a gamchha is that being thin, it does not take long to dry and thus can be used many times during a day.

A mix of checks and stripes in red, orange and green is the most common print of the Indian gamcha, though a white gamchha is also not uncommon. Plain white gamchhas with colored, embroidered or printed borders are very popular in the states of Orissa and Assam. Here, they are made by the local weavers on the handlooms. Despite the availability of branded fancy towels in the market, the gamcha still remains a very popular item of a man's personal use.

Turban

Indian turban is a headdress consisting of long scarf-like single piece of cloth, wound around the head. It is worn by a certain section of men in India and is very much a part of the country's culture and tradition. The mention of turban in the sacred Indian scriptures, like the Vedas, proves that it was a crucial part of Indian men's costume, even during Vedic times. Though the popularity of the head turban has somewhat waned with the modernization of man, yet even today, whenever it's donned, it's done so with a lot of dignity and honor.

In the colorful Indian state of Rajasthan, the people of the Rajput community wear very prominent, majestic-looking, turbans. In the Hindi language, a turban is called a Pagri or Safa and you will find many designs and styles of the Pagdi being worn by the Rajasthanis. These two factors are important because they signify the social status of the turban wearer. For instance, the turban of a person belonging from the aristocratic class may be made of silk cloth, whereas a peasant may simply tie his towel around his head as turban.

The wearing of the turban costume in India has many connotations. In old days, the long strip of the turban cloth was soaked in water at a well and then wrapped around the head. The layers of wet cloth provided the much-needed relief from the scorching sun outside. Also, it was very handy in fending off the desert sand and keeping the hair neat and tidy. Most importantly, a pagri is a symbol of dignity in present times. In India, people of different community may wear their turban differently.

It is closely associated with the Sikh faith in India. Men of this community undergo a type of baptism to join the Khalsa and are, thus, debarred from cutting their hair the whole life. The Sikh men are, thus, required to wear a turban to manage their long hair. The turban cloth is usually five meters, or less, in length and the turban wearers wind it anew every time they don the headdress. Though Sikh women joining the Khalsa are not really required to wear the turban, yet some of them do so. The Punjabi name for turban is Dastar.

Lungi

Perhaps no other Indian attire is as simple, or less cumbersome, as the lungi, which is a garment worn around the waist. The origin of the traditional lungi can be traced to South India, though the dress is now popular among several other communities of Asia also. Lungi is generally woven from cotton and is available in many designs, patterns and colors. However, the most commonly worn are those with checks or the ones in a single dark hue.

No matter what the color and design of the lungi, there is always a thin line or stripe running horizontally at the top and bottom of this garment. A lungi is different from a dhoti that is a linear-like sheet, because it is sewn into a circle like a skirt. Though it is normally worn by men in India, at some places, you will find the women folk wearing it too. Depending upon the occasion, a lungi is tied or fastened in different styles.

For everyday wear, people simply tie a double knot on their lungi as it is least likely to come undone. Lungi is a popular form of garment in south India, where the severe heat and humidity makes donning trousers unsuitable. In Kerala, it is worn as a casual dress by both men and women, especially by those belonging to the class of physical laborers. A lungi in plain white hue is called a Mundu. For ceremonial occasions like weddings, Mundus often bear golden embroidery, known as kasavu.

Ghagra choli

Ghagra choli is a traditional dress worn by girls of North India. It is a two piece clothing comprising a choli and a lahenga.

Its usually a celebration dress and is worn by unwed girls on festivals, pujas, or weddings. It is often seen as an ethnic Hindu dress.


Ghagra cholis are simple long skirts worn with a blouse and a roll over chunari is seen aplenty in the interiors of India. It also has significance in the royal wardrobe. Mostly considered as the traditional wear with Punjabis, Muslims and in northern India it is now a common sight at wedding receptions irrespective of religion.
Evolution has further developed this attire into a niche wear for special occasions. Be it an engagement ceremony, or a friends marriage, ghagra choli makes it presence obviously. Offering better textures in various fabrics like silk, satin crepe, net and georgette you can choose the colours from dull gold, rust and refreshing blue. Zardosi or hand embroidery the ghagra choli maintains the tradition. Teamed with the right jewellery this is a perfect dress to exude your confidence.
Cholis make the major statement. Backless or tied up with threads cholis complement the ghagra. The chunari can be worn over the head or pinned artistically over shoulders. Gagras also change fashion like A-line, fish tail or flowing umbrella designs.
The layers add to volume and contrasting fabrics layered in net and satin is appealing. The real grace can be seen as it twirls around during a dance or a graceful walk.

Girls wearing Ghagra choli

Monday, February 14, 2011

Each region displays a different style of draping it. This is shaped by the lifestyle and the religious inclination. The urban Indian style is by far the most common. Stiff tangails, flowing silks, elegant chiffons and heavy brocades - all of them can be easily maneuvered into this style. Tied around the waist, the saree forms a skirt with the pleats positioned in front thus allowing for free movement. The pallav or the part draped over the left shoulder is either pleated and pinned up the convenience, or is left flowing loose for glamour.

This seemingly cumbersome garment is in reality an extremely versatile, meaningful and adaptable one. It suits every possible occasion, every possible activity. Washing and cleaning, carrying firewood back from the forest in the anchal (pallav) or walking long distances, can all be easily executed in a saree.The saree is worn with a short blouse or a choli, covering the upper body. The blouse is also worn with a skirt called a lehenga or ghagra. A long scarf called a duppatta (aka orna, orni, etc.) is commonly found to be part of various dresses including the salwar- Kameej and Ghagra - Choli or the Half saree. Headgear is a prominent part of the Indian attire.