Clothing, Traditional—India
Archaeological finds four millennia old mark the beginning of information on Indian dress, though sufficient information to develop a costume history is only available from the Mauryan dynasty, beginning 324 BCE. Study of Indian dress is further complicated by the high degree of social stratification, cultural diversity, and climate variation within the subcontinent. Similar garments, too, have different names by region. Moreover, India has always provided textiles and other components of dress to the world through trade, thereby influencing and being influenced by the dress of other societies as its industries negotiated the aesthetic requirements of its world markets. Thus Indian dress has never been a closed, unified, or rigid cultural tradition.
Wrapped Garments
Of all the countries in the world, India is most closely associated with wrapped cloth garments, the ephemeral form of folds, pleats, tucks, rolls, and knots which disappears as soon as the garment is taken off. The woman's sari; wrapped forms of men's dress such as the dhoti and lungi; and the unisex veshti of south-western India are the primary garments worn by the adult population. They vary slightly in width but generally cover the distance between ankle and waist and range from 2 1/2 to 11 yards in length.
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