Summer dresses in India this year witnessed a stylish blend of traditional and contemporary designs, creating some of the finest easy-to-wear fashion clothing for global women.
India’s traditional-contemporary style got its rich colors and textures from country’s diverse culture, which provides the best context for such designs, making it fit for the traditional as well as global market.
Patiala salwar (stitched trousers with pleats) derives its name from a historical town of Patiala in the northern state of Punjab. The salwar’s typical royal look carved a special place for the dress in the kingly wardrobes back in the ancient times. A salwar with extensive pleats is called a Patiala “Shahi” (the royal—the design alternate preferred by the kings. These traditional trousers are usually worn with knee length top called “Kameez,” making a comfortable summer dress combo.
“A Patiala salwar is comfortable and looks traditional. A Patiala salwar with a short chicken work kurta (embroidery from the north Indian town of Lucknow) would blend in beautifully,” said Anisha Devnani, a fashion designer who owns her own brand in Bangalore.
According to Devnani, there are other varieties of Indian trousers, which can be worn with tee-shirts and other western tops. “If you are looking for something that would best suit a short tee-shirt, Jodhpuri pants would be a must try, as they are usually loose on the top and tighter towards the bottom,” she said.
Jodhpuri pants got their name from a city called Jodhpur in Rajasthan state in the west of India. Traditionally, Jodhpuri pants were worn with a vest or closed-neck coat called “Bandgala” in India. This blend of traditional-western assemblage was very popular with the local royals.
Devnani suggested Palazzo pants for youngsters, saying that the palazzo pant in a bright neon color like pink, yellow or orange, best in sheer material, would look trendy with a short t-shirt.
Palazzo pants are long women’s trousers cut with a loose, extremely wide leg that flares out from the waist. Palazzo pants for women first became a popular trend in the late 1960s and early 1970s.The style was reminiscent of the wide-legged cuffed trousers worn by some women.
On the other Devnani, mentions that if one is looking for a mix of traditional Indian design and something to wear on a short–top a “harem pant” would seem rather suitable. Harem pants or harem trousers, are baggy, long pants tapered at the ankle, with side flaps on the hip that button at the waist area. Harem pants, which originated in India, are like a cross between a skirt and a pair of skinny jeans. Traditional harem pants can be extremely large and baggy, with a wide and full fit elastic in the waist and at the ankles.
These alternative summer dresses are available for online shopping. Today’s youngsters, who like to create their own fashion statement, can find number of ways to mix-n-match their wardrobe collection with these traditional yet modern Indian dresses.
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