India is a truly marvelous fashion destination. Not only is it a treasure trove of beautiful and traditional textiles, handicrafts, embroidery styles and designs, it also has a thriving, high fashion industry that is constantly experimenting with new and innovative ethnic clothing.

One of the most under-rated categories in Indian fashion is men’s wear. The category of Indian men’s clothing is actually full of some truly amazing designs and styles that are sure to make any man look absolutely resplendent.

As a category of fashion, it is quite vast since it includes not just the traditional clothes that have been worn in India for many centuries but also the indo western innovations of the last century. It also encapsulates the Indian versions of western outfits that have been created by Indian designers.

Traditional Indian men’s clothing includes a number of different garments from different parts of the country. The Indian subcontinent is a vast region comprising of many different communities that have their own style of dressing up. Some of these have become universally popular.

Kurta Pajama

This is the classic north Indian men’s dress but has today become popular across India and the world. It consists of a long tunic called the kurta and a loose pair of pants called the pyjama.

Sherwanis

Sherwanis are also one of those Indian men’s dresses that have specific, regional origins but have universally popular today. These are extremely regal and elegant looking garments that entail a very attractive, well fitted cut and opulent look.

Sherwanis resemble the kurta in their basic structure but are quite different in their over-all look because of their flattering cut and imposing, coat like fit. They almost contain long sleeves and are usually made with thick, finely embroidered materials such as brocade, velvet or woven silks.

Dhotis & Lungis

The classic Indian men’s clothes in south India are the dhotis and lungis. Both are essentially pieces of specially cut cloth that are wrapped around the waist but differ in their drape and look. Dhotis have a very trouser like fit which is created by draping the cloth around each leg and then tucking it in at the waist.

Lungis are worn only in south India, but dhotis are worn across India. In south India, they are either worn with a long shirt or with an angavasthram, a special silk shawl with zari borders reserved for special occasions. The dhoti-kurta and dhoti-sherwani look has also becoming immensely popular in Indian fashion today.

Typically, the kurta and sherwani is coordinated with the dhoti to create an aesthetically pleasing look. An Indian men’s shawl can also be worn to add an extra touch of regality to the look. Indian men’s ethnic wear also has many modern, innovative garments that combine the traditional silhouettes or aesthetics with western style designs.

Also Read: Traditional Dhoti Kurta

Nehru Jackets

It combines the close button suit look with the typical Indian bandh gala or closed neck high collar. They have become popular across the world and can be worn with both Indian and western ensembles.

Various types of embroidered jackets, embellished blazers and suits are also available that combine all the beauty of Indian fashion with western styles. When it comes to Indian men’s dress wear, there is a tremendous variety of fabrics and designs to choose from.

Formal and fancy clothing is often made using finely woven silks, embroidered textiles, rich brocades, velvet and pure georgette. While the casual wear clothes utilize comfortable and affordable fabrics such as cotton, linen, khadi, jute, cotton silk and rayon.

In terms of designs, all the traditional Indian techniques such as zari, Zardozi, Resham, Kasuti, Kashida, ek taar and dubka work are frequently used to give Indian men’s clothes such as sherwanis a more opulent and formal look.

For wedding wear, designers may even use stones, sequins and crystals work. With casual clothing, machine prints as well as block prints are most frequently used to create subtle yet distinctly ethnic designs.

Accessories

Indian men’s clothing has to be complemented with the right types of shoes, bags and accessories to create the right look. With casual kurtas and shirts, men can opt for faux leather jutis, beads necklaces and leather waistbands to create a cool bohemian look.

Alternatively, men can just wear them with jeans for a casual indo-western look. When it comes to formal Indian clothing for special occasions like weddings, men usually choose to accessorize using traditional men’s wear wedding accessories like men’s wear dupattas, kilangis and pink turbans.

Also Read: Designer Wear for Men