Shalwar Kameez: A Guide To The Ultimate Pakistani Dress

Not many dresses can boast of the level of prominence and acceptance that the Shalwar Kameez enjoys among women and men in Pakistan. For the country, the Shalwar Kameez is more than just fashion. It is a symbol of cultural identity and an agelong heritage, among other things for this iconic dress that has become the national dress of Pakistan.

There is a cultural and emotional attachment to the Shalwar Kameez in Pakistan.

The women here love to wear it almost every day for just about everything from weddings and celebrations to religious gatherings like Milaad, breaking of fast, Friday prayers, and even funerals. That said, this post shines the spotlight on the Pakistani Shalwar Kameez dress, and how it’s worn the heart of women across Pak nation.

Shalwar Kameez: The Whole 10 Yards!

You’ll need anything from 8 to 10 yards of fabric for your Shalwar Kameez.

The entire dress is a three-piece attire made up of the kameez top, a shalwar bottom, and a scarf to cover the head. The kameez part is the top, which could be a shirt or tunic. The bottom shalwar is designed to look like pajama trousers and the dress is complete by a dupatta scarf that can be draped over the shoulder or the head.

Embroidered Pakistani Shalwar Kameez in Red Color

Shalwar Kameez dresses were introduced during the Mughal Empire era, having originated from Central Asia. While the first Shalwar suits were made from cotton fabric and remained so for centuries, this dress is now made from diverse fabric types today from silk to linen, crepe, chiffon, georgette, etc. The Pakistani Shalwar Kameez also tends to feature different kinds of embroidery and embellishments often serving as a canvas for craftsmen to display their creativity.

Shalwar Kameez Styling & Shopping Tips

How you look in your Shalwar Kameez clothing outfit will depend on several variables from your body type to the colors, patterns, and the design theme of the particular Shalwar Kameez.

Some of the different variations of Shalwar Kameez styles and designs available include;

Anarkali suits
Gharara suits
Palazzo suits
Fusion style shalwar suits with touches of both western and eastern styles
Conventional shalwar suits with shalwars of different styles from Patiala to churidar, dhoti, tulip, cigarette pants, etc.

On accessories, you can pair almost any type of jewelry with your shalwar kameez so long as you don’t go overboard with it. Anything from necklaces to chokers, and more would work fine. Many women love to pair their dresses with Kundan, zirconia, and pearl jewelry, among others. If you would be doing gold, they’re best paired with silk shalwar suits, many of which frequently feature gold designs elements such as in their borders and elsewhere.

Famous Designer Pakistani Shalwar Kameez

What if you want to buy Shalwar Kameez online?

The good thing is there are now reputable retailers online offering high-quality and meticulously-designed Shalwar suits. But while you’ll still want to be careful that the vendor you’re patronizing is quite authentic, you also need to be sure the dress is the right size for you. Many retailers and design outlets offer made-to-measure dresses as a workaround to ensure fit. Once you tick all of these boxes at the right places, you can also begin to rock your Shalwar Kameez to just about anywhere you would want to. The dress is simple, versatile, elegant, and we understand why our women just can’t seem to get enough of it!