Glossary of Indian clothing

A - J

Aari work (patched)

Gujarati art where patches of hand-embroidered cotton cloth are stitched together. The embroidery is hand done by skilled specialized artisans.

Aba

A loose cloak, possibly of Arabian origin. Related to the jama in men's wear, and to the abbo (q.v.) in women's.

Abho

A loose shirt-like garment, worn by women mostly in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The garment was generally worn with short, wide sleeves, open at the neck, loose-fitting on the upper part and really flared in its skirt. Often decorated with embroidery and mirror-glass work.

Achkan

A men's long-sleeved coat-like garment, worn close to the body, reaching down to the knees or even lower, and buttoned in front-middle.

Angarakfia

A long, full-sleeved outerwear for men; literally 'that which protects or covers the limbs'. Closely related to the jama (q.v.), but possibly of native, Indian origin. Generally open at the chest and tied in front, with an inner flap or parda covering the chest. Full-skirted and of varying lengths.

Angiaiangika

Short, tight-fitting bodice worn by women in India from very early times. Literally, 'covering for the body'.

Asharfi Buti

A popular textile design consisting of small floral discs or circles, sometimes with small patterns within the circle.

Atansaw

A wide, commodious chogha (q.v.)like garment for wrapping around the body.

Badla work

Delicate needle-work done with flattened gold or silver wire.

Baghal Bandi

A kind of tunic or jacket, worn shorts and fastened under the armpits.

Balabar

An outer garment, worn by men, related in shape to the coat-like ashcan

Bandhani

A process of patterning cloth by tie-dyeing in which the design is reserved on the undyed cloth by tying small spots very tightly with thread to protect them from the dye. Especially popular in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Bandhej

Bandhni dyeing techniques are used to create traditional Indian patterns on cloth..

Bare Pychon ka Paijama

A payjama (q. v) with wide, flared legs.

Batique

Traditional Gujrati dyeing technique where warm wax is poured over cloth in a motif or design before dyeing the cloth in cold water. The wax is later peeled off to reveal the required silhouette on the cloth.

Boho (Bohemian)

A fashion look with fringing, patchwork, homespun and raw-edged fabrics, paisley and floral prints, embroidery, tassels, studding, tooled leather, layering and ornate jewellery.

Buta

Literally, "a plant". A floral motif, derived generally from Persian sources, much used in Indian textile design, and traditionally rendered as a flowering plant with a curling bud at the top. The motif is also sometimes reduced to a floral pattern designed within the form of the plant.

BUTI

A diminutive of buta (q.v.), very commonly used in Indian textile design.

Centre Front

It is the portion of the pattern or the garment which is suppose to come in the exact front.

Chand-Tara

Literally, "moon and star", a pattern often-used in Indian textile.

Chaubandi Chola

A short tunic or shirt fastened with tie-cords worn by children.

Chaugoshia (topi)

A four-cornered cap.

Chauri

A flywhisk made generally from a yak's tail. Important as a symbol of royalty or divinity.

Chikan Kari

Embroidery in white cotton thread upon fine white cotton fabric, like, muslin. Several techniques in chikan-kar are known; Lucknow was a famous center of fine workmanship.

Chogaichoga

A loose, sleeved coat-like garment worn over an inner garment like the angarakha (q.v.), generally sumptuous and appropriate for ceremonial occasions. Of Turkish origin, the chogha was also known as a chugha, chuha orjuha; in Russia as shuba or sbubka.

Choli

A short, bodice-like breast garment of wide popularity among women in India, from early times. Related to the classic cholaka mentioned in Sanskrit literature. The garment is worn in many styles; thus, with back covering or without, fastened with strings or extended cloth-pieces, with shaped breast-pieces or flat, etc.

Cholu

A loose, shirt-like garment.

Chunnri / Chunni

see Dupatta

Churidar

With bangle-like gathers or wrinkles, as in a churidar payan.

Crepe (Crepe de Chine)

Woven fabric. Usually in silk. Soft in touch and lustrous in look. It is fairly sheer and has a slight rippled texture.

Dabka

Embroidery done by sowing on fine gold wire springs, used to create motifs and various designs.

Dhila

Loose or baggy. Thus, a dhila payjama, wide and roomy all over.

Dhoti

The traditional Indian dress for the lower part of the body, consisting of a piece of unstitched cloth draped over the hips and legs. Worn in various ways in different parts of the country, alike by men and women.

Doru

Long rope with which the thick woolen coat worn by the Gaddis is secured around the waist.

Draping

Draping means to hang or to adorn the body form with loose fabric, and to obtain a body fitted garment by using adequate sewing techniques.

Dupaluidupallari Top

Small, close-fitting cap made generally of muslin, and consisting of two identical pieces cut slightly rounded and curved towards the top.

Dupatta

Veil-cloth worn by women, draped loosely around the upper part of the body.

Fad

Short lived fashion are called fad's; They seldom have any lasting Impact on future fashion. They are briefly and suddenly seen everywhere and just as suddenly they vanish.

Fargul

A kind of jacket.

Farji

A kind of jacket. Defined by the dictionaries as simply 'a kind of garment', the faiji was possibly a long over-garment without sleeves, or with very short sleeves, open in front and worn like a coat over pyjama (q.v.) or angarakha (q.v.).

Farshi Paijama

Wide-legged payjama (q. v) that trails on the ground, sometimes completely covering the feet; worn often with a kurta (q.v.) or angarakha (q.v.).

Fatuhi

A 'jacket without sleeves'. Generally understood as a vest lightly padded with cotton wool, and quilted.

Faz-Vi

A 'jacket without sleeves'. Possibly the same kind of garment as fatuhi (q.v.).

Gamla Buti

A popular motif in textile design in India, consisting of flowers of different kinds growing in a flowerpot, neatly arranged.

Ghagho

A woman's dress, closely related to the abbo (q.v.). The skirt part of the abagho was often more flared than that of an abbo, the ample gathers at either side of the waist lending it peculiar gracefulness when the wearer moved.

Ghaghra

Skirt, usually with a great deal of flare. The simple ghaghras have only one vertical seam, which turns the cloth or ghaghra-pata into a tube, fastened with a drawstring passing through a long, narrow slot at the waist. Flared ghaghras are made up of, several triangular gored pieces stitched together.

Gherdar

Flared with an ample skirt, as in a gherdarjama.

Ghundi

Loop; generally used to hold the little button-like boss called the tukma.

Ghutanna

A short paoan (q. v.), worn by men, tight and ending just below the knees. Much favoured in 19th century Sikh Punjab.

Gota

Narrow ribbon made of 'gold' or 'silver' thread.

Gota Patti

Gota handwork in small shapes (leaf-like).

Izar

A kind of payjama (q. v.).

Izarband

Drawstring at the waist for a garment like the payjama (q.v.). Literally, 'fastening of the izar'

Jaal

An all over pattern in print or embroidered fabric.

Jama

Full-sleeved outerwear for men, greatly popular at the Mughal and Rajput courts and worn well into the 19th century. Literally, "a garment, robe, vest, gown, coat

Jameval

Traditional Kashmiri woven or embroidered shawls or fabric.

Jamdani

Fine cotton muslin with a floral pattern brocaded in thick soft cotton. Dacca was a famous center for the production of finejamdani work.

Janghia

Short drawers, worn by men and boys. From Sanskrit

Jar

See ZARI.

Jhabba

Loose, tunic-like garment.

Jhoomar

Jewelled hair ornament worn on side of the head.

Jhula

A kind of blouse for children.

Jhumb

A covering for the head and body made simply by tying a sheet or blanket at one end and draped over the head.