Indian Fashion

Traditional Fashion

There are many traditional clothing pieces in Indian fashion. Some of these include saris and wraps, salwaar kameez, dhotis, and angrakhas. Along with traditional styles of clothing, they often use colors for specific occasions based on a religious holiday or something similar. For example the Holi festival in India is also known as the Festival of Colors. The festival signifies the strength of good over evil. A big part of the celebration is throwing different colored powders and dyes onto one another, so often people start the festival by wearing white to show the colors more distinctly.

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Everyday Fashion

While some may think that fashion in India is conservative at all times, that isn’t always the case. It is common to see saris but not all women are obligated to wear them. It is also becoming more common for younger adults and children to dress more “westernized” because of magazines such as Vogue India and influences like the Victoria Secret Fashion show and Hollywood. Along with that, often the more wealthy kids study abroad, and bring more western-type styles and fashion home with them. While traditional clothing may be more mandatory in temples and other religious or important places, more flashy and risqué choices are perfectly fine for clubs and late-night outings.

Bollywood Fashion

If you don’t know what Bollywood is, it’s basically Hollywood in India. They create movies and Bollywood dancer groups are also popular. In Bollywood fashion, they use a lot of sequins and gold colors to attract more customers. Along with the rise of Bollywood, the “ethnic-chic” era of Indian fashion was also starting to grow. Designer Rita Kumar brought back original Indian fashion trends, starting by showcasing Zardozi Embroidery techniques. This grew to be popular for wedding dresses and high-end fashion.