Costume of Punjab| Punjabi dress| Traditional dress of Punjab

 Punjabi style

A popular, comfortable and convenient dress worn by the women of Punjab is the Churidar Kurta. This was traditionally the dress worn in Punjab, but is now worn almost everywhere, particularly among the younger generations. Punjabi girls and women also wear Salwar Kameez`s with bright coloured Dupattas. A Salwar Kameez has two pieces of clothes- the Kameez, or shirt that is the top piece; and the Salwar, (pants) or bottom piece. A Duppatta is a piece of colourful cloth that women wear around their necks like a scarf. Salwar Kameez`s and Dupattas come in a variety of colours and designs. The women can also be seen wearing shawls adorned with the beautiful Phulkari shawls. The shawl is completely covered in thick silk embroidery and folk motifs done in jewel-tones on an ochre background.

 The traditional costume of the men of Punjab comprises a Kurta Pyjama. The Kurta is a kind of loose shirt which is long and straight-cut. The Pyjamas are loose, baggy pants which are tied at the waist. Some men also wear the Kurta with the Lungi or Tehmat, which is a kind of sarong. During winters they can be seen wearing bright colourful sweaters. Some of the boys and even the grown up men can be seen wearing loose pants or slacks with a collared shirt or t-shirt. The Sikhs among the Punjabis can be distinctly identified by their attire as they are obliged by religion to wear turbans, known as Pugg or Pagri.

 Punjabi women, as well as men, can be seen bedecked in gold. They adorn themselves with necklaces, bangles, rings, nose rings, ear rings, toe-rings, anklets and other ornaments to pin up the hair with. Sikh women and men are seen wearing the Kada, a steel bangle, at all times. After adolescence, and almost certainly after marriage, women are expected to wear traditional Indian clothing. But this trend is rapidly changing and women can be seen wearing a variety of western wear. Jeans, Jackets, Trousers, Skirts and other form of western outfits are worn by the modern women of Punjab.

Traditional Punjabi shoes, called Juttis, are extremely popular with men in both the rural and urban areas. They are very comfortable and also look very elegant. During the winter months, both the Punjabi men and women adorn a woollen shawl or a small blanket, over their chest and necks. The shawls, usually made by female members of the family, are rather colourful and intricately designed.