Fashion in India

Ancient Indian Fashion Facts
It may be surprising to some, but garments were not really stitched together during the ancient days in India. Keeping these interesting facts about ancient Indian fashion in mind, those trends are still being used today, albeit in a modified way.

India has a rich culture and tradition which is reflected in the clothing as well. Indian fashion has seen a metamorphosis since the ancient days. Although, the basics of Indian clothing are the same, we can find a lot of western influences and modern designs that have been incorporated into the basic structure of any Indian outfit. So, what was ancient Indian fashion actually like? It was the time when there were no designers displaying their haute couture to pamper a luxurious line of clientele. Ancient India had its own kind of customs and traditions that were to be followed by generations and we can see its presence felt even today. Need to know some facts about ancient Indian fashion and clothing? Read on to know more about the glorious days in ancient India.

The Indian sari has always been a very elegant piece of garment Cotton clothing was predominantly used in India during the olden days. This was as early as the Harappan civilization. During the Aryan period, women started wearing the Sari; this is a long piece of cloth that can be wrapped in different ways over the body. Saris were also made in silk apart from the regular cotton ones. (Wealthy women only wore silk in the ancient days.) Saris were generally having the length of five yards or even nine yards, at times. The sari was worn as a skirt with the upper half thrown above the shoulder and sometimes worn over the head as a kind of a veil. Sometimes, the sari was even tucked between the legs to form a pattern of a pant. Even today, the tradition way of wearing a sari is still followed; sometimes with some modifications as well, which would depend upon the latest trends.

The Indian sari has always been a very elegant piece of garment, which was always worn with a choli or a blouse. The choli is a tight fitting blouse that is worn under the sari. This pattern evolved around the tenth century and some of the first designs covered only the front area, with the back being bare in this case. During the ancient days, such blouses were not stitched at all; in fact this garment was simply fastened at the back with a knot. Today, the basic choli is worn in various styles from halters to tube tops and although such designs are considered ‘modern’, the basics of these can be traced in ancient India.

A startling fact about ancient Indian fashion was that the clothes were not stitched together at all. The ancient Indian fashion did not really have garments that were sewed together! This was because most of the clothing was ready-to-wea, as soon as they left the loom. Examples of these would be the dhoti, the sari, the turban and the scarf. Men wear the dhoti even today; though this is definitely not worn by the average working man; it is still visible on the fashion runways and design houses as well. The dhoti covers the legs and has one end of it that is passed between the legs, which is then tucked behind. Dhotis were generally worn short and did not have the part that covered the chest and the shoulder area. Men combined these dhotis with turbans; these were also wrapped around the head in a particular fashion.

Gold was popular since the ancient days in India. This was always worn on the skin at all times. It was always believed that gold, as a metal, has the power to purify anything that it comes in contact with it. Gold was used since the days of the ancient Mohenjodaro and Harappa civilizations. Apart from such ornamental decorations, one also saw the use of flowers worn in the hair and eye makeup that always included kajal for the eyes. Ancient Indian fashion could never be complete without these elements.

Although the saris and the dhotis have never gone out of fashion, with the Persian influences in Indian fashion, women and men wore long tunics that went down to the knees with trousers that were known as churidars. Ancient Indian attire also includes the very popular, versatile, comfortable and stylish salwar-kameez. The salwar is a loose trouser whose basic design has been modified since ancient days. The tunics were worn with churidars or the loose salwars. Ancient Indian fashion facts can never be complete without the mention of the bindi. The basic form was a dot, which was worn on the forehead as a symbol of marriage. Today, even unmarried women in India wear the bindi, which is designed in various forms and shapes, colors as well as textures.

Brightly mirrored cholis and colorful lehangas Indian costumes like the silk saris, brightly mirrored cholis, colorful lehangas and the traditional salwar-kameez have fascinated many a traveller over the centuries. Although sari is only one of the many traditional garments worn by women, yet it has become the national dress of Indian women. The tightly fitted, short blouse worn under a sari is a choli, which evolved as a form of clothing in 10th century AD. Apart from the choli, women in Rajasthan wear a form of pleated skirt known as the ghagra or lehanga. Though the majority of Indian women wear traditional costumes, the men in India can be found in more conventional western clothing. Shirts and trousers are worn by men from all the regions of India. However, men in villages wear traditional attires like kurtas, lungis, dhotis and pyjamas.

Indian dressing styles are marked by many variations, both religious and regional and one is likely to witness a plethora of colors, textures and styles in garments worn by the Indians. Apart from this, the rich tradition of Indian embroidery has long been made use of by fashion designers from other countries. India prides in works like Zardozi, Dabka, brocades, Pashmina, Jamawar and bandhni.

When the century dawned, fashion was an exclusive enterprise, the pursuit of the wealth. The lower tiers of the society settled for garments that were more often than not entirely family hand-made-downs or stitched at home. With time, however, networks of neighbourhood tailors began to evolve into a retail history and the boom followed by boutique selling. Today, garments are laser cut by computers and sourced from all over the world and can easily be bought sitting in the comfort of one's home via the internet.

Fashion became more feminine in keeping with conservative ideas The '30s heralded the idea of socialism, communism and fascism and women's fashion became more and more feminine in keeping with conservative ideas. The establishment of the Indian cinema also proved to be the strongest influence on the fashion in the decade. Due to the western influence, the use of angarkhas, choghas and jamas diminished considerably by this time, although the ceremonial pagri, safa and topi were widespread as ever.

In the '40s,it was Christian Dior who turned fashion upside down with a new shape, with the bosom pushed up and out, a pinched waist and hips emphasised with short fluted jackets.

The '50s saw the dawn of art colleges and schools, which became places of rebel, and hence in silhouette, narrow waist and balloon skirts with bouncing patterns were in vogue. Also due to the freedom struggle and the espousal of khadi by Gandhiji, khadi garments became a rage giving a boost to the sagging handloom industry.

Tight kurtas and churidars and high coiffers

The '60s, one of the most shock-filled decades of the century, saw sweeping fashion and lifestyle changes that reflected the mercurial passions of the times. Tight kurtas and churidars and high coiffers competed with the mini-skirts abroad and at the same time, designers understood the need of the moment to launch cheaper, ready-to-wear lines.

In the '70s fashion became another form of self-expression and bold colours with flower prints were adapted in tunics, with shirts and bell-bottoms. As drug culture became a mass phenomenon, psychedelic colours were garish, the shoes were tall and hazardous and silhouettes were extreme and the dressing of the '50s was definitely out. Synthetics became popular and the disco culture had a profound influence on fashion and the clothes became as flashy as the mirrored ball that spins over the dancers.

In the '80s the big money ruled. It was the era of self consciousness and American designers like Calvin Klein became household names. In India too, silhouettes became more masculine and the salwar kameez was made with shoulder pads.

The '90s the last decade of the millennium, was one of the extremes. The excess of the early decade gave way to the drastic pairing down and stripping away in the hands of German designers like Helmut Lang and Jil Sander. But the decade also saw the revival of ethnicity with films too becoming more discreet and launching a "back to ethnic" look. While on the one hand the new drive for information technology popularised the corporate look, an ethno-cultural revival made people again go back to the traditional forms of art and crafts.

In the past one decade the Indian fashion industry has moved from the embryonic stage to a blossoming take-off. Fashion designers have contributed substantially to the spread of fashion as a driving force, both among Indian consumers and select segments of Western markets. India can now boast of dozens of leading fashion designers, who can match any European fashion designer in their concepts, styles and designs.

More men and women are adopting swadeshi clothes and designs Fashion and dress-designing goes in tandem with professional ramp modeling. In India ramp modeling has come of age with a rapidly growing genre of professional ramp models, both male and female, making a mark in domestic as well as international arenas. As the best of designs, motifs, themes and skilled craftsmen are available in India and Indian fabrics and styles are best suited for the country, such efforts seem quite logical. As a result we find more and more men and women adopting the swadeshi clothes and designs. The Sherwanis, Jodhpuris, Nehru jackets, shawls and Kurta-pyjamas have all sprang back as the “latest designer-wear” among men. Similar revival is evident in women’s costumes. Several Indian designers are also launching ranges that are easy on the pocket of ordinary masses. The Indian designers are also found to take up social themes like the cause of environment in their designer wear. Today the fashion designers from India have created a lasting impression on the world market.