If there is one ethnic garment that any Indian woman can
turn to for casual wear, work over daily chores out of the home, it is the
quintessential designer kurti. This garment which is a contemporary
interpretation of the kameez or the kurta in a more fitted silhouette and
shorter length is the ideal fusion of ethnic and contemporary fashion
sensibilities. Today the kurti is fast replacing the saree or the salwar kameez
as the most widely worn ethnic garment preferred by the new-age Indian women.
There has been huge socio-economic change for women in India. Today more and
more women are stepping out of their home to work or study and this brings
about a need for ethnic garments that are easy to wear on a daily bases. Many
working women especially the younger generation find the salwar kameez or
salwar to be too cumbersome to wear on a daily basis and western casual dresses
like denims and tees preferable. The kurti is now considered a good replacement
for the t-shirt as it can be easily worn with bottoms of any kind. The kurti is
also preferred over the t-shirt for its ethnic motifs, prints, design and
embroidery. Read further to know more about the many reasons why the kurti is
so popular.
Comfort Oriented
Fabrics
The kurti was originally designed bearing in mind the
comfort of working women which is why the kurti is often stitched in comfort
oriented lightweight fabrics of which cotton is the most popular. Other fabrics
used to manufacture kurtis are chiffon, silk, Khadi and linen. While kurtis are
mostly for casual wear, some silk kurtis generally worn with Patiala salwar are
embellished and embroidered for special occasions.
Embroidery and
Embellishments
Most kurtis are embellished and embroidered for accentuated
appeal. Common embroidery techniques used to beautify kurtis are zari, resham
and zardosi while embellishments that are genrally used are lace, patch work,
Swarovski crystals and semi precious stones. Cut glass and shimmer are also
popular embellishments for kurtis.
Printed Kurtis
Kurtis in certain fabrics like georgette, crepe and chiffon
are often printed to accentuate their appeal. The common prints used are floral
and foliage motifs, ethnic motifs, geometric prints and even abstract brush
stroke like prints. These kurtis are the most commonly worn kind and are
preferred for every day work wear and casual wear.
Kurti Trends
There are a wide range of trends that dictate how to wear a
kurti. Read further to know more.
Kurti with Churidar
Bottoms
The Kurti is often worn with churidar bottoms for that
essentially ethnic look minus the hassle of carrying around a dupatta as is the
case when wearing salwar kameez.
Kurtis with Denims
Many women prefer to wear the kurtis with denims. This is
mostly common among a younger generation of college going women.
Kurtis and Palazzo
Trousers
The Kurti with Palazzo pants combination is very popular
amongst a younger generation of women and girls and is currently trending in a
big way.
