Some Very Classy Ways to Wear Cotton Salwar Kameez

Cotton salwar kameez are among the most popular and well-loved Indian garments, worn by many young girls and women in their daily life. Cotton salwar suits are light-weight, breezy and comfortable and offer a great deal of flexibility and mobility which makes them perfect for day to day wear. They are highly versatile and come in many beautiful varieties that can be worn for special occasions like festivals, ceremonies or parties.

Breezy cotton fabric

Cotton is a widely used fabric across the world, being one of the cheapest and most adaptable raw materials available. Raw cotton can easily be twisted into yarn as well as treated to create different types of fabrics. Thus even within the fabric itself, a lot of variety is available, depending on the origin of the cotton crop and techniques used to treat it.

Even in the Indian context the importance of cotton cannot be denied. It is very strong as well as being highly absorbent and washable; moreover, it can easily be dyed with different colors. This makes it a great fabric for the colorful Indian palette and perfect for casual wear wardrobe items which need to be used over and over again without expensive maintenance.

1. Style the silhouettes right

Cotton salwar kameez are composed of three essential pieces; the salwar or pants, the kameez or long shirt and the scarf or dupattas. Occasionally, one of the three parts many be made of a different fabric such as a crepe dupattas or a silk kameez.

There are many different cotton salwar kameez designs available today. The classic straight cut design will always have a loyal audience. But trendier varieties like cotton anarkali salwar kameez, abaya style salwar suits and Pakistani salwar kameez are also being embraced. These offer variations in length, sleeve-style, silhouette and cut and even though they are traditionally associated with special occasions, the cotton varieties tone down the rich designs and make these graceful cuts suitable for casual wear.

2. Play with patiala salwar

The cotton salwar itself is becoming a popular stand-alone item; it is highly comfortable and can be paired up with all types of tops besides the kameez. This versatility makes all the different styles, from the classic white cotton salwars to the more modern printed or bright colored cotton salwar designs, highly popular today.

3. Pretty in prints

They are often hand stitched, hand printed or hand embroidered using artisanal ethnic techniques to give the cotton garment a more unique and lavish finish. From eye-catching prints like Warli, Batik, Block, Screen, Paisley and Ikat to intricate Resham, zari, zardosi, appliqué, bead and stone work, the variety of Indian designs incorporated in cotton designer salwar kameez is amazing. You’ll even find combinations with expensive fabrics like silk, net or velvet.

The most frequently seen designs on cotton salwar kameez match the cool and relaxed vibe of this outfit. Floral prints, abstract designs and geometric shapes look attractive against the thin cotton fabric, while patch border work, sequins designs, lace embroidery and stone embellishments can add a lot of glamour to a party salwar kameez.

4. Jewel effects

A cool new trend frequently seen amongst young girls and working women is to pair up plain but colorful kameez with printed cotton salwars. These will often be printed with bold patterns like stripes, dots, floral patterns or even scenes from rural life or the religious epics.

These add a certain edgy appeal to the humble salwar and when paired with a kameez in a bold contrasting color (like orange with black or white with blue) it creates a trendy look perfect for casual dates or parties.

Adding a colorful juti and an embroidered Indian handbag will complete the ethnic look. Another great styling tip is to match the cotton salwar kameez design to the type of jewelry of used. Thus embroidery of flowers can be matched with a flower shaped pendant or earrings with a flower motif or the color can be paired with similarly colored Meenakari jewelry.

On the other hand when an outfit is made of a fully printed cloth, too much color in the jewelry section might seem over-the-top; in such cases, a simple pearl necklace or metallic set of necklace, bangles and earrings might be more appropriate. The latter will also go well with the iconic white cotton salwar kameez and colorful dupatta look popularized in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. You can opt to personalize the look with funky jewelry like oxidized necklaces.