In spite of Western influences on the modern Fashion Industry, the ethnic
element and the traditional touch to any Indian Costume is still alive. The
traditional look of any garment will never change whatever the fashion is.
Today, in the Indian market, we have different varieties of lehenga choli or
ghagras starting from heavy embroidered to designer look to fancy choli to
ghagra choli exclusive for brides and weddings. Inspite of the emergence of
such varieties, the traditional ghagra choli is still popular. Indian
lehenga choli helps you to retain the exotic look of the Indian woman.
As is well known, the traditional dress of women in Rajasthan and Gujarat
is still the ghagra choli. While the tribal and rural women preferred the
embroidered lehenga choli made up of cotton fabric decorated with embroidery
and mirror work, women belonging to royal families afford more intricate
brocade, tanchoi and heavy satins even with real gold and silver embroidery,
studded with precious stones. The length of tribal embroidered lehenga
varied between knee to ankle, whereas that of richer people was always long
enough to touch the floor as they moved.
Wearing of this traditional dress at occasions is the latest trend.
Traditional lehenga choli is worn during wedding, festivals like Navratri,
Eid, Dusshera. In wedding seasons this traditional dress has its own
significance. The Indian ghagra choli can be worn at main occasions like
mehendi, dandiya/sangeet, the wedding ceremony and the reception. The Indian
lehenga choli brings out the essence of feminism. Since, the lehenga choli
is representative of the traditional Rajasthan/Gujarat style of dressing,
when we talk of traditional, nothing is more traditional than the bandhani
printed--the tie and dye ghagra cholis. This is immencely popular all
throughout. This is mainly of pure cotton. Other fabrics like silk and other
man made fabrics are also available. Generally, the blouses have elaborate
mirror-work and patch-work on them and are very colorful. Other designs that
give a traditional look in a ghagra choli are kalamkari, mangalgiri,
maheshwari, ikat and so on. Hand embroidered ghagra choli are also
traditional.