Indian clothing from

ancient to modern

Presented byI.RAAJHASHREE M.Tech

• Clothing in India varies depending on the different ethnicity,

geography, climate and cultural traditions of the people of each

region of India

• India also has a great diversity in terms of weaves, fibers, colours

and material of clothing.

• Colour codes are followed in clothing based on the religion and

ritual concerned.

History•India's recorded history of clothing goes back to the 5th millennium BC in the Indus Valley civilization where cotton was spun, woven and dyed. •Bone needles and wooden spindles have been used as tools.•] The cotton industry in ancient India was well developed.•These images show dancers and goddesses wearing what appears to be a dhoti wrap, a predecessor to the modern sari.•The upper castes dressed themselves in fine muslin and wore gold ornaments

INDUS VALLEY CIVILISATION PERIOD

• Men wore a long cloth wrapped

over their waist and fastened it at

the back (just like a close clinging

dhoti). Turban was also in custom.

• Women at that time was a very

scanty skirt up to knee length

leaving the waist bare. Cotton made

head dresses were also worn by the

women.

• Fibre - cotton, flax, silk, wool,

linen, leather, etc.

• Ornaments- necklaces,

bracelets, earrings, anklet, rings,

bangles, pectorals, etc.

• Made of gold, silver, copper,

stones like lapis lazuli, turquoise,

amazonite, quartz, etc.

• Hair styles- the hair woven

into a bun, hair coiled in a ring

on the top of the head, beards

were usually trimmed.

Pectorals

Lapis Lazuli

Turquoise

Amazonite

Quartz

VEDIC PERIOD• Vedic age-1500 and 500 BC

• The garments -a single cloth wrapped around the

whole body and draped over the shoulder.

• People used to wear the lower garment called

paridhana which was pleated in front and used to

tie with a belt called mekhala and an upper

garment called uttariya (covered like a shawl)

which they used to remove during summers.

• There was another garment called pravara that

they used to wear in cold.

PARIDHANA

MEKHALA

PRAVARA

• Sari - main costume for women , used to wrap it

around their waist, pleated in front over the belly

and drape it over their shoulder covering their

bust area and fastened it with a pin at the

shoulder.

• ‘Choli’ or blouse, as an upper garment was

introduced in the later Vedic period with sleeves

and a neck.

• New version of sari, little smaller than sari,

called dupatta, was also incorporated later and it

was used to wear along with ghaghara

(frilled skirt up to feet).

• Men in those times were dhoti and lungi. Dhoti

is basically a single cloth wrapped around the

waist and by partitioning at the center, is

fastened at the back. A dhoti is from four to six

feet long white or colour strip of cotton.

• In those times, no upper garment was worn and

Dhoti was the only single clothing that men

used to drape it over their bodies.

• Wool, linen, diaphanous silks and muslin were

the main fibres used for making cloth and

patterns with grey strips and checks were made

over clothes.

MAURYAN PERIOD• Mauryan dynasty (322-185 BC)• Antariya, which they used to wear as a

lower garment.• A cloth was covered in lehnga style

around the hips to form a tubular skirt. • Made of cotton, linen or muslin and

decorated with gemstone.• It is fastened at the centre of the waist

tied in a looped knot.• An embellished long piece of cloth,

hanging at the front, wrapped around the waist is pleated into the antariya is called patka.

• Ladies often used to wear an

embroidered fabric waistband with

drum headed knots at the ends.

• As an upper garment, was uttariya,

a long scarf.

• The difference existed only in the

manner of wearing.

• Sometimes, its one end is thrown

over one shoulder and sometimes it

is draped over both the shoulders.

• Ornaments - Some of the jewelleries had their specific names also.

Satlari

Chaulari,

Paklari

were some of the necklace

Paklari

Chaulari

Satlari

GUPTA PERIOD

• The golden age of India -320 AD to 550 AD

• Stitched garments- the sign of royalty, became

very popular in this period

• But antariya, uttariya, and other clothes still were

in use.

• Men-A long sleeved brocaded tunic became the

main costume

• Costume for the king was most often a blue

closely woven silk antariya with a block printed

pattern.

• Women used to wear only the lower garment in those times,

leaving the bust part bare.

• Later on, various kinds of blouses (Cholis) evolved. They had

strings attached leaving the back open while others was used

to tie from front side, exposing the midriff.

• Women sometimes wore antariya in saree style, throwing one

end of it over the shoulder.

• The antariya worn by the women turned into gagri, which has

many swirling effects exalted by its many folds- dancers.

• Ornaments- gold, ivory

• Men used to have long hair along with

beautiful curls and this style was

popularly known as gurna kuntala style.

• They decorate their hair- put headgear, a

band of fabric around their hairs.

• Women used to decorate their hair with

luxuriant ringlets or a jewelled band or a

chaplet of flowers.

• They make a bun on the top of head or

sometimes low on the neck, surrounded

by flowers.

MUGHAL PERIOD

• 16th, 17th , 18th centuries

• Luxury clothes

• Both men and women were

fond of jewellery

• Fibres -generally muslins ,

the other fibres were silks,

velvets and brocades.

Men

• Jama: The main royal garb of

Mughal emperors. A tight fitting

frock coat with flared skirt up to

knee length fastened on the right

side of the body.

• Patka: Used to keep the jewelled

sword around the waist of jama.

The patka is a type of girdle (belt)

made of a fine fiber which is

hand painted, printed or

embroidered. Jama

Patka

•Chogha : These are embroidered, long sleeved coats generally worn

over jamas, and other garments. It is generally up to knee length and is

open from the front.

•Pagri or turban: This was common attire of Mughals and their

subjects, as it proclaimed their status. To give a turban to somebody

means you are relinquishing your powers to them. On the other hand,

the forcible removal of a turban was considered a mortifying disgrace.

Women

• Mughal women wore a large variety of ornaments from head to toe.

• Their costumes generally included Peshwaj, Yalek, Pa-jama,

Churidar, Shalwar, Dhilija, Garara and the Farshi , they all included

head ornaments, anklets, and necklaces.

• Head dresses were often worn by Mughal women and were in various

styles.

• Embroidered footwear, with ornamented leather were worn.

Peshwaj Yalek Pa-jama,

Farshi Dhilija Garara

RAJPUT PERIOD• 7th , 8th century Men• Rajput's main costumes -the aristocratic dresses (court-dress)

which includes angarkhi, pagdi, chudidar pyjama and a cummerbund (belt).

• Angarkhi (short jacket) is long upper part of garments which they used to wear over a sleeveless close fitting cloth.

• Nobles of Rajputs -the Jama, Shervani as an upper garment and Salvar, Churidar-Pyjama (a pair of shaped trousers) as lower garments.

• The Dhoti was also in tradition in that time but styles were different to wear it.

• Tevata style of dhoti was prominent in Desert region and Tilangi style in the other regions.

Angarkhi PagdiCummerbund (belt).

Jama Shervani Churidar-Pyjama

Tevata style of dhoti Tilangi style

Women

• women wear transparent fabrics draped around their bodies.

• The Sari (wrapped over whole body and one of the end thrown on the

right shoulder) or Lengha related with the Rajasthani traditional dress.

• On the occasion -Angia.

• After marriage - Kanchli, Kurti, and angia were the main garb of

women.

• The young girls -the Puthia as an upper garment made of pure cotton

fabric and the Sulhanki as lower garments (loose pyjama).

• Widows and unmarried women - Polka (half sleeved which ends at

the waist) and Ghaghra as a voluminous gored skirt made of line

satin, organza or silk.

Angia Kanchli Lengha

PuthiaSulhankiPolka

Ghaghra Kurti

• Jewellery called Rakhdi (head ornament), Machi-suliya (ears) and

Tevata, Pattia, and the aad (all is necklace).

• Rakhdi, nath and chuda shows the married woman's status.

• The footwear is same for men and women and named Juti made of

leather.

Tevata Necklace

Pattia Necklace

Aad Necklace

Rakhdi

Nath

Chuda

Footwear

THE BEGINNINGS OF EASTERN FASHION 1945–60

• The traditional Sherwani was adapted into the Nehru collar

business suit while women frequently wore sarees in the

workplace.

• "Drip-dry" nylon, orlon and dacron, which could retain heat-

set pleats after washing, became immensely popular.

• Acrylic, polyester, triacetate and spandex were all introduced

in the 1950

Orlon

Dacron

"Drip-dry"nylon

Acrylic Polyester

Triacetate

Spandex

1960s• The 1960s featured a number of diverse trends.

• It was a decade that broke many fashion traditions, mirroring

social movements during the time.

• Designers were producing clothing more suitable for young

adults, which led to an increase in interest and sales

• Men imitated Western fashions such as the business suit.

• This was adapted to India's hot tropical climate as the Nehru suit,

a garment made from khadi that typically had a mandarin collar

and patch pockets.

Mandarin collar

Business suit

Khadi

• Women maintained traditional dress such as the gagra choli,

saree, and churidar.

• Ceylonese women began to incorporate modernist Western

trends.

• One particularly infamous fad combined the miniskirt with the

traditional saree, prompting a moral panic where conservatives

denounced the so-called "hipster saree“.

Gagra choli Churidar Saree

1970s• Men

Dhoti

Kurta

Sherwani

Turban- 5m long,

Keep head cool from

sun . Soaked in cold

water at night and

tied in morning

• Accessories for men were

homemade, with necklaces,

headbands, and bracelets

being made from all-natural

materials such as wood,

hemp, flowers, leather, shells,

stones, and Indian beads.

• Headbands, floppy hats, and

flowing scarves were also

used.

• Blue or beige safari jackets

suit became popular.

Safari jackets

THE INFLUENCE OF BOLLYWOOD FOR MEN

• Cloth jacket, leather jackets, butterfly collar shirts, cloth

trousers with flares

• 3 piece suit started to become popular.

Cloth jacket Leather jackets Butterfly collar shirts

Cloth trousers with flares 3 piece suit

• Women Salwar kameez- Salwar looks

like pajama bottoms .Kamees is the long shirt.can be used with a dupatta

Churidar-Tighter version of the salwar kameez, emphasis the ankel and knees.

Ghagra-Choli –skirt(Ghagra) & blouse(Choli)

Salwar kameez ChuridarGhagra-Choli

THE INFLUENCE OF BOLLYWOOD FOR WOMEN

• Bollywood has an influence on the fashion trends of common

indians.

• The 70s was the most influential

• It is considered as a turning point for both female

empowerment and clothing.

• Saree blouse designs, accessories,all of

them became bolder

• Therewere two main styles-Retro,disco

• Synthetic transparent sarees –with low

neck blouse with lace work

• Patterned cotton sarees

• Silk sarees with heavy jewelry

• Chiffon sarees with halter neck,high neck,

noodle strip blouse

• 5 yard saress with small pallu (patterned

end) 5 yard saress with small pallu

Synthetic transparent sarees Low neck blouse Patterned

cotton sarees

Silk sarees with heavy jewelry

Chiffon sarees

Halter neck blouse

High neck blouse

Noodle strip blouse

1980S• Apparel tended to be very bright and vivid in appearance.

Men

• Strappy sandles, fitted pants or denim.

• White pants & shoes

Women

• Plain colored saress

• Women expressed an image of wealth and success through

shiny costume jewelry, such as large faux-gold earrings, pearl

necklaces, and clothing covered with sequins and diamonds.

Strappy sandles

Fitted pants & denim.

White pants & shoes

Plain colored saress

1990SMen

Waistcoats, baggy pants, print ties, dungarees, colorful denim, t-shirt,

oversized shirt.

DungareesDenim Oversized shirt

Waistcoats Baggy pants Print ties

T-shirt

Women

Colour full bandhni saress, shoulder pads, scarves, chunky

jewelery, ankle high boots, tight fitted skirts, hair bands, big

decoratives bindis.

Bandhni sarees Scarves

Jewelery Bindis

Ankle high boot

Tight fitted skirts Hair bands

2000sMen

Fitted shirts, fitted

pants ,jeans

Women

Vintage(classy),

designer clothing,

short dress