India has a rich and varied textile heritage, where each region has its own unique native costume and traditional attire. Indian clothing is popular for its colorfulness and grace. The uniqueness of Indian culture lies in its geographical diversities, natural wealth, vast population and people`s attitude. Majority of Indian women and men wear traditional costumes, the urban population residing in cities can be found in more conventional western clothing.

Traditional costumes in India vary widely depending on the climate and natural fibers grown in a region. Usually the clothes are suitable for the particular regions climate and overall comfort. In the cold northern state of Jammu and Kashmir, people wear a thick loose shirt called a phiran to keep them warm. In the tropical warmth of south India, men wear a sarong like garment called the mundu, while women drape 5 meters of cloth around their bodies in the graceful folds of the saree, the national dress of Indian women. Sarees are also worn in different methods with respect to the age, occupation, region and religion of a woman.

In the dry regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat men wrap and twist a length of cloth in the form of a dhoti around their lower limbs and a shirt-like kurta above. Colourful turbans are also a significant feature of Rajasthani Men. Women in Rajasthan wear a form of pleated skirt known as the ghagra or lehanga. A length of fine cotton known as orhni or dupatta covers the heads.

In the northeastern regions the tribal communities such as Khasis, Nagas, Mizos, Manipuris and Arunachalis wear colorful woven sarong-like clothing and woven shawls that represent the identity of each tribal group.

In urban India, women, commonly wear the salwar kameez and the churidar kameez, and the saree is worn on formal occasions. Men wear kurtas and pajamas, or a sherwani for formal wear.

Indian attire is as varied as it`s subcultures. Just as each region has its own language, food and lifestyles, so also it has its own traditional mode of dressing. For example a half sari worn to college in the southern states would be subject to ridicule in the northern or western regions. Intermingling due to social changes and improvement in communication has managed to give India a pan-Indian look. People from all subcultures are slowly giving way to a more uniform form of dressing.

Men these days usually wear a trouser along with a shirt and women wear the sari or the salwar. Traditional clothes are still worn in traditional ceremonies or in the interior pockets of the country. Many Indian women wear earrings, nose ornaments and brightly colored bangles. Some paint a dot of color or apply a readymade Bindi, on their foreheads. The bindi is also a fashion statement and may be matching to the color of the dress or to the personality (large, small etc).

Six yards of cloth, that is all there is to the saree. Yet, this dress worn by millions of Indian women is, by far, the most elegant. It is not merely an outfit but an ornament, lending both grace and glamour to the wearer. More important, the saree epitomizes the continuity of an age-old tradition that has withstood the onslaught of many different cultures, to emerge today as a visible symbol of the resiliency, continuity and timelessness of the Indian way of life.

Each region displays a different style of draping it. This is shaped by the lifestyle and the religious inclination. The urban Indian style is by far the most common. Stiff tangails, flowing silks, elegant chiffons and heavy brocades - all of them can be easily maneuvered into this style. Tied around the waist, the saree forms a skirt with the pleats positioned in front thus allowing for free movement. The pallav or the part draped over the left shoulder is either pleated and pinned up the convenience, or is left flowing loose for glamour.

The ladies generally use the dupatta or the pallav (edge) of the saree to cover their heads. The men use turbans and caps of various types. The Muslims use a different cap (topi) from those in the northeast and the Sikh turban forms an essential part of his identity and is very different from the ones worn by others on festive occasions.

Indian men look to live comfortable in villages. Generally famous mens traditional attire are kurtas, lungis, dhotis and pyjamas. A sherwani is generally wear for special occasions. Usually the lungi is worn in many parts of India like south India, but depending on the social practices of the region it may be restricted to indoor-wear.

Traditional Kurta Pajama
Kurta is a loose collarless shirt worn by both men and women. Generally, it`s worn with pajamas, a salwar, or churidars. This ensemble also includes a bandi (short jacket or waistcoat) and a dupatta. Kurta is a long comfortable garment, worn with Pyjamas, usually accompanied by embroidery. It is an informal dress in India, but can be make formal depending on the design.

Traditional Sherwani
Sherwani is a typical Punjabi dress worn for weddings. Sherwani is long coat, buttoned up to the collars. The Sherwani falls well below the knees and looks graceful especially for the tall groom. Sherwani gives a perfect look for the special occasions that make you different than others.

Indian Costume Accessories
It is very important to adorn and enhance one`s personality and one can do it with proper clothes and a few accessories to go along with it. Costume accessories and costume jewellery are items that are used to complement fashion. Accessories help highlight a dress or apparel. They can also help to hide a weakness of a dress. Nowadays, there is a lot of importance of the Accessories for men as well as for the women, since it adds a lot of oomph and style to the clothes as well as the personality of an individual. However, it also depends on the individual to carry himself/herself well in all the accessories, or else it won`t suit their persona.

Indian Costume Jewellery
Costume jewellery has assumed a very special significance in the lives of modern women. For aesthetic appeal in everyday lives, most women turn to costume jewellery in India and across the world. Although the term might be a new one, all generations have had the equivalent of costume, or cosmetic, jewellery, which can be used to describe any ornament that is not made of expensive materials and has no resale value.

Costumes for Men & Women
India is a land, which has a lot of diversities and the same is reflected in clothing styles. The variety of costumes is simply superb, since the ethnic styles make up a thorough Indian woman. Even for the men, it is important to attire smart clothing and also maintain a nice personality. And this is only possible when their costumes and accessories are up to date.

Costumes for Children
Baby costumes are also made for special purposes. They are available in varied styles and sizes. The baby costumes are wonderful and complement with the personality of a child. Baby costumes available are even made for special occasions like a fancy dress competition depending on the nature of perfomance.There are also a few costumes for Girls as well as for the Boys. Because the baby costumes are available in different colours they are simply adorable. The different baby costumes are animal baby costumes, baby food costumes, baby disney costumes, baby TV costumes, baby bug costumes, career baby costumes and classic baby costumes. The baby costumes are hip, cool and wild.

However Statewise costumes are different from state to state. Here is a detail information on statewise costumes:

Costume of KeralaThe people of Kerala are very simple. They are very moderately dressed. The costumes are guided by the geographical conditions of the region. The traditional dress forms are the `mundu and neriathu`, which is worn by both men and women. The `mundum-neryathum is the extant form of the ancient saree.

Costumes of Kashmir
What makes Jammu and Kashmir`s costumes and attires different from the rest of India is because of the blend of three distinct cultural backgrounds. Filled with greener pastures the dressing in the region of Kashmir becomes more colourful with exquisite embroidered work that accompanies their clothes, especially the shawls and Pherans, which are embroidered with intricate patterns of multihued threadwork.

Costumes of Punjab
The rich agricultural states of Punjab is famous for the `phulkari (flower-work) shawls that, worn with a tight-fitting choli and gaghra. Phulkari forms the traditional costume of rural women of this region. It was a costume both spectacular and eminently practical. Phulkaris were made for everyday wear.

Costumes of RajasthanRajasthan is colorful because of what its people wear. The dull-colored monotone of the sands and hills look cheery with the vibrant spirits of the people who wear bright colors to make up for the absence of blossoming flowers. Interesting costumes and jewellery of these desert people are not mere ornaments for them.