Clothes

Traditional clothing in India greatly varies across different parts of the country and is influenced by local culture, geography, climate and rural/urban settings. 

Popular styles of dress include draped garments such as sari for women and dhoti or lungi or panche (in Kannada) for men. 

Stitched clothes are also popular such as churidar or salwar-kameez for women, with dupatta (long scarf) thrown over shoulder completing the outfit. 

Salwar is often loose fitting, while churidar is a tighter cut. For men, stitched versions include kurta-pyjama and 

European-style trousers and shirts for men. In urban centers, people can often be seen in jeans, trousers, shirts, suits, kurta and variety of other fashions.

In public and religious places, Indian dress etiquette discourages exposure of skin and wearing transparent or tight clothes. Most Indian clothes are made from cotton which is ideal for the region's hot weather.

Since India's weather is mostly hot and rainy, majority of Indians wear sandals.

India's clothing styles have continuously evolved over the course of the country's history. The 11th-century BC Rig-veda mentions dyed and embroidered garments (known as paridhan and pesas respectively) and thus highlights the development of sophisticated garment manufacturing techniques during this period. 

 By the 2nd century AD, muslins manufactured in southern India were imported by the Roman Empire and silk cloth was one of the major exports of ancient India along with Indian spices. Stitched clothing in India was developed before the 10th century AD and was further popularized in the 15th century by Muslim empires in India.Draped clothing styles remained popular with India's Hindu population while the Muslims increasingly adopted tailored garments.