Pretty Perfect Pakistani Dresses You’ll Want To Wear Now

Now, can we talk about how fabulous the Pakistani fashion scene is with all of those types of Pakistani dresses that we can’t stop drooling over? It’s amazing all of the options you get here, isn’t it? But for a country of over 200 million people, nothing less is expected.

Who needs all of those western dresses when there are beautiful Shalwar Kameez and colorful Lehengas, and more all around you (just kidding lol! You probably still need them)?

But the truth is you really have more than enough options to explore if you’re looking to stock up your wardrobe with some new traditional Pakistani attire. On that note, we’re introducing you to four (4) types of Pakistani dresses you’ll want to wear all day every day. These are;

Pakistani Shalwar Kameez
Pakistani Anarkali
Pakistani Lehenga
Pakistani Saree

1. Pakistani Shalwar Kameez

There’s a reason why the Shalwar Kameez is Pakistan’s national dress. This dress is deeply rooted in the country’s fashion scene and is more like a cultural thing.

Pakistani Shalwar suits as they are fondly called, are usually cut long and straight. These dresses are paired alongside churidar shalwar or pants often coming in different vibrant colors.

A Pakistani Shalwar Suit in Red

Pakistani women love shalwar suits

There are different variations of the Shalwar Kameez in Pakistan.

While this dress is a hot favorite among both men and women, the women tend to prefer sharara and sharara suits more over the other varieties. These sharara suits are a common dress type for Pakistani brides who love to rock them on their wedding days. The dresses often feature light to intricate embroidery from mirror work to zardozi, cutdana, and handwork, among others.

The dress has both cultural and religious connotations

Pakistani Shalwar Kameez gives room for maximum comfort and style. They’re a great fit for weddings, graduation, housewarming, family parties, get-togethers, funerals, and more.

While white is often the preferred Shalwar Kameez color for happy occasions like Eid, for instance, the people of Pakistan wear black if the occasion is a solemn one.

And aside from the simplicity and versatility of the Shalwar, the people tend to attach some level of religious sentiments to it as it’s often seen as an Islamic dress.

2. Pakistani Anarkali

There are only a few dresses as mesmerizing as a beautiful Pakistani bride in her gorgeous Anarkali bridal dress. The Anarkali suit is a favorite among women in Pakistan with origins that can be traced back to the legendary Mughal Empire era.

Normally, the Pakistani Anarkali suit is a long flowy gown that is usually worn over a pant (palazzo) and can be completed with a drape to cover the head. These dresses can be made from different kinds of fabrics, from silk to cotton, and more. They also come in different styles and designs with some of the more popular ones being the cape style Anarkali suit, gown style Anarkali suit, the jacket style Anarkali suit, layered Anarkali suits, etc.

Pakistani Anarkali Dress in Brown Color

Anarkalis are a major part of Pakistani women's fashion. They are a common attire for weddings with the Anarkali Lehengas with a long top and jacket being the most common forms of Anarkali bridal dresses in Pakistan.

Anarkali suits are also great for other special occasions, and even for religious ceremonies. The dresses are usually embroidered with or without stones as you may please. Gorgeous zardozi handwork, colorful net laces, as well as, simple to heavy embroidery work are all common themes for Anarkalis in Pakistan.

3. Pakistani Lehenga

Wondering just how much Pakistani women love Lehengas? You’ll be amazed that Lehengas are actually one of the first choices most Pakistani brides consider for their weddings.

A Pakistani Lehenga Style for Women

These dresses come in a variety of fabrics from cotton to silk, net, velvet, satin, and more. The embroidery work also ranges from zardosi to Resham and handwoven work, among others. Depending on the different styles and patterns, you could wear a Pakistani Lehenga to weddings, graduations, etc. Some Lehenga also covers the body very well and so you could even decide to wear it to religious ceremonies, complete with the choli, light jewelry, and matching dupattas.

In choosing Lehengas, you’ll want to make sure you go for something that complements your body type.

4. Pakistani Saree

The saree has undergone several challenges and changes in Pakistan in the past decades. From being banned by General Zia in the 1970s for being “un-Islamic” to enjoying a newfound resurgence and love among the modern Pakistani women population, the Pakistani saree has been mired in politics as much as it has been in fashion.

Today, this elegant piece of dress in Pakistan is slowly winning the hearts of young women who now see it as a symbol of elegance, independence, and maturity. One wouldn’t believe that this dress was once a casual wear in Pakistan.

A Grey Saree from Pakistani with Embroidery Work

The Saree is simple, versatile but also very beautiful.

It is usually made from about 5 to 6 yards of fabric. The younger women of Pakistan prefer their Sarees made from simple French chiffon, light silk, and embellished fabric options with sleeveless blouses. The older generation, however, tends to go for banarasi and the other types of traditional silk weaves.

Sarees enjoy the most acceptance in the Southern region of Pakistan. They’re also gradually becoming more popular in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city. Regardless of the turbulent history of this dress, more women in Pakistan today are reaching out to the good old Saree to make a statement with their style and fashion choice. And it’s a beautiful sight to see!

With Saree, however, it’s one thing to like it and it’s another to know how to wear it. It’s simple and can be styled in dozens of ways. You just need to be able to style it to perfection so it looks just as great as it should be.

Conclusion

That’s it!

We’ll agree that just four types of Pakistani dresses are not enough to showcase all of the beauty and variety of the Pakistani fashion scene. But we feel like these four are a great start for anyone looking to explore ethnic Pakistani fashion without missing out on the best.

From Shalwar Suits to Sarees, Lehenga Cholis, Anarkalis, and more, the Pakistani fashion scene offers different styles and varieties that will make any woman look even more beautiful. If this sounds like anything you’ll want to be, you can’t go wrong with any of the four dresses discussed up here!