Most of the latest fashion trends suit only specific body types.

For instance, skinny jeans on pearshaped women would just look odd, as would bulky boyfriend jackets on top heavy women. But
that's the great thing about ethnic wear - there are styles to suit all body types. Whether you need
volume or want to look slimmer, all you have to do is pick the right ethnic wear for your body type.
But deciding between different cuts, colours, styles and fits can be difficult at times. Our guide to the
right ethnic wear for different shapes - pear, apple, square and hourglass - should help you make the
right choice.

Image courtesy: BIBA

Ethnic Wear for Apple-Shaped Women
If you have an apple-shaped body ie you are big-bosomed and/ or have a fairly large tummy, it's a
good idea not to draw too much attention to your torso.
What to wear:

Kurtas with simple A-line cuts sans gather and pleats. Also, deeper V-necks to
take away from your upper body.
Cotton fabrics that tend to fit your body well and make you look slimmer.
Skinny jeans or fitted churidaars under your kurtas that draw attention to your
slender legs.

Dark-coloured tops to look slimmer teamed with lighter-coloured bottoms.

Dupattas draped on one shoulder only to distract from your heavy torso.

What not to wear:

Bandh galas or outfits with a lot of detailing on the hem.
Yoked style kurtas that draw attention to your torso.
Patialas and loose salwars.

Tip: Avoid heavy neck accessories as they draw focus to your upper body.

Ethnic Wear for Pear-Shaped Women

A very popular shape among Indian women, the pear shape is characterised by large hips and
thighs. The key to ethnic dressing for this body type is to draw attention to your slender waist and
upper torso.
What to wear:

Kurtas with collars or ones with lots of detailing around neck and waist will
accentuate your leaner upper body.
Fit and flare styles, anarkalis and tunics as well as gleras that are gently flared
from the waist down.

Pastel colours with darker-coloured bottoms to streamline your lower body.

Patialas or wide pipe bottoms to camouflage large hips and thighs.

What not to wear:

Body-hugging fabrics.
Tight lowers that emphasise your broader lower half.

Tip: Choose longer kurtas as they add length to your body.

Ethnic Wear for Hourglass-Shaped Women

Probably the most coveted body type, it doesn't take too much to pick out the right ethnic wear for
the hourglass figure.
What to wear:

Kurtas that are narrow and defined at the waist to accentuate your curves.
Fit and flare tunics as well as classic kurtis work well.
Dress in colours that suit your skin tone as all colours will go with your body type.

What not to wear:

Loose or ill-fitted suits that make you look big and straight.
Patterned knits as they tend to make you look fat and big on the chest and
buttocks.

Tip: Experiment with 40s and 50s retro style ethnic outfits as these look good on your body shape.

Ethnic Wear for Square-Shaped Women

The square shape is devoid of any curves. So your main goal is to find ethnic wear that creates the
illusion of curves in the right places.
What to wear:

Kurtas/ tunics with wide, deep necks and flares that take the emphasis away from
the boxy/ square look.
Girly colours and patterns for that younger appearance.

What not to wear:

Tight kurtas that emphasise your body shape.
Very loose clothing that shows no curves at all.

Tip: Avoid outfits with darts at the bust and waist.

Now that you know what's right for your body type, you can pick up ethnic styles that suit you best!

(With inputs from BIBA)

TAGS :
ethnic wear,
body types,
clothes,
style,
fashion,
Indian outfits,
office wear

Ethnic Wear For Different Body Types

By Reeta on April 20, 2012

Most of the current fashion trends, with a multitude of design and styles, are designed to suit
specific body types. Nevertheless, ethnic wear available in a riot of vibrant colours, styles,
designs, and textures suit most type of figures.
Just by making the right choice, one can enhance the positive aspects and play down the
negatives of a persons physical appeal. However, with a few helpful tips choosing the right ethnic
wear to flatter different body types would sure make shopping a pleasurable experience.

Ethnic Wear For Different Body Types

Ethnic Wear For Hourglass-Shaped Women
The most coveted dream shape of every woman is the perfect hourglass figure, where the bust
and the hipline are similar with a well-defined waist. A body shape desired by every woman, an
hourglass figure looks good in most type of clothing. Therefore, picking the right ethnic
wearwould not be difficult for this type of figure.

Photo Credit: Tabu.ro/haine-care-slabesc

Suggestions
Fit and flared tunics or classic kurtas, in colours to match the skin tones, designed with a narrow
waist to accentuate the curves are ideal for a person with an hourglass figure. Also retro
styled ethnic look wonderful on an hourglass figure.

Avoid
Ill fitted or loose suits and patterned knits have a tendency to add volume on the chest and rear.

Ethnic Wear For Pear-Shaped Women

The characteristics of pear shape with larger full hips exceeding the shoulder width, a well-defined
waist, flat chest and belly the pear shape require styles playing down the lower portions of the
body and focussing on the upper portion.

Photo Credit: Ttdm.org/2010_08__Hip-thigh-rough-pear-shape-in-the-end-of-the-wear-Sha.html

Suggestions
Fit and flared style light coloured anarkalis and tunics that gently flare from waist down and with
lot of details around the collared neck and waist to accentuate the slim upper body. Longer kurtas
add length to the body and hide the wider part of the lower half. Dark coloured Patialas orwide pipe
bottoms hide the large hips and thighs and add proportion to the figure.

Avoid
Tight bottoms that lay emphasis on a broader half and wearing body hugging fabrics are a big no
no.

Ethnic Wear For Apple-Shaped Women

The apple shaped women with a huge midsection and a rear and are generally full busted. A
bulging tummy is the cause of major frustration for women of this shape. Therefore, the idea would
be to draw attention away from the large upper half of the body.

Photo Credit: Christina-gregoire.suite101.com/summer-maxi-dresses-for-women-over-4050-2011sundresses-a345560

Suggestions
Simple A line cut kurtas, in preferably dark coloured, cotton fabrics, designed without pleats or
gathers with deep V necks help distract the eye from drawing attention to the upper part of the
body. Cottons generally impart a slimmer look, as it tends to sit well on the body. Tight churidhars or
tight fitting skinny jeans in light colours, worn below the kurta lend a much slimmer look. For an
elegant charm and grace, drape a Duppata casually on one part of the shoulder.

Avoid
For people with an apple shape avoid outfits with a lot of detailing, yoked kurtas, Patialas loose
salwars and heavy accessories on the neck that tend to draw the focus to the large torso.

Ethnic Wear For Square-Shaped Women

Devoid of curves, the main goal would be to create an illusion of curves in the right places.

Suggestions
Flared kurtis and tunics with deep wide neck in feminine colours and patterns, which do not focus
on the boxy square look good on this type of shape.

Avoid
Loose clothes that fail to show any curves or tight kurtas that lay emphasis on the body
shape.Therefore, with just a few basic ideas one can pick the right ethnic wear and walk away with
great lan.
Ethnic Wear For Different Body Types, 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

All about Salwar Kameez Styles

Behind the sari, salwar kameez is the next most popular item of clothing worn by indian women.
It consists of 3 key elements - kameez (top), salwar ( bottoms), and a dupatta (scarf like garment).
This article provides a brief insight into the many different versions of salwar kameez that exist.
While I cover many of the most commonly worn types, there are many versions that inevitably will be
left out. Every area, region, religion, and eithnic group will render its own version of the salwar
kameez based on how they like it to be. Please let me know if you are aware of variation that I have
left out. I would love to know about it.

ANAARKALI
ANAARKALI - The anarkali refers to the kameez (top). The bottoms are usually churidaars
(discussed in susequent sections..).
In this outfit, the top is tight from the upper body till the waist at which point it blossoms out like an
open umbrella. These types of dresses were worn by dancers in Mughal India. Legend has it that
Anarkali was the name of a slave girl in Emperor Akbars court who fell in love with his son. Currently
there exist many different renditions of this very pretty outfit.

Pink

Churidaar Suit

CHURIDAAR - This word is to describe the bottoms worn with the outfit. Literally translated, it means
"with rings". This is how the folds created by the accumulation of cloth look like- rings !. Although the
most popular version of this is one with numerous churis (folds), other variations like one with fewer
churis, or one with none (straight churidaar) are also worn.

CHURIDAAR

DHOTI SALWAR

DHOTI SALWAR : A Dhoti salwar (Bottom) is as featured in these pictures. It is inspired from a
men's lose garment that is traditionally tied around the waist line, the fall of that garment is
somewhat akin to the way the Dhoti Salwaar looks. It is another variant of the Patiala Salwar.

DHOTI SALWAR

PATIALA SALWAR KAMEEZ

PATIALA SALWAR KAMEEZ - These are the first of the Punjabi style salwar. It is consrtucted using
a large number of pleats and folds to create a voluminous, fanned out look. It is quite heavy to carry
but looks very good. This salwar, as the name suggests hails from the Patiala region of Punjab.

PATIALA SALWAR KAMEEZ

MAHARANI PATIALA SALWAR KAMEEZ

MAHARANI PATIALA SALWAR KAMEEZ - This is the second type of Punjabi salwar. It is just like
the traditional patiala salwar, however it contains even more folds, and has an almost harem pant
look. The only exception being that while harem pants are tightly fitted with cuffs at the ankle, this
salwar has a loose, wide fit at the feet.

PARALLEL SALWAR KAMEEZ

PARALLEL SALWAR KAMEEZ - This is an outfit where the bottom (salwar) is in the shape of
parallel pants- that run the same length from top to bottom. They are quite wide and create a long
sleek look on the wearer. The Kameez ( shirt) can be any type or length. For example - the shirt can
be a -line, short, or anarkali type.

PARALLEL SALWAR KAMEEZ

ACHKAN STYLE SALWAR KAMEEZ

ACHKAN STYLE SALWAR KAMEEZ- The Ackhan refers to the style of the Kameez which is
inspired form Nehrus hallmark outfit. It is open from the front with a slit at the mid thigh to knee level.
It ususally has a high neck, and looks as if two parts of the kameez have been joined together in the
middle. It can be worn with churidaar, straight pajami, trouser pants or parallel pants.

ACHKAN STYLE SALWAR KAMEEZ

CAPRI PANT SALWAR KAMEEZ

CAPRI PANT SALWAR KAMEEZ- Capri Pants are the blueprint for the salwar in this outfit. The
capris fall anywhere from the knee to mid leg. This version is a fusion of indian and western wear
and looks very modern.

CAPRI PANT SALWAR KAMEEZ

KAMEEZ WITH STRAIGHT SALWAR

KAMEEZ WITH STRAIGHT SALWAR - The straight salwar is one where the folds are minimal usually 3 to 4. This creates a salwar that is lightweight and thus very easy to carry. It can be worn
with a short, medium or long kameez. This type is very commonly worn through out India.

TROUSER SALWAR

TROUSER SALWAR- This is another modern rendition of the traditional salwar kameez. The
bottoms in this outfit are trousers or pants. They are not short like capris but long - usually to the
ankle length. They are not wide like parallel pants are, rather they are more slim fit. They look very
chic and formal.

TROUSER SALWAR

A LINE SHIRTS
A LINE SHIRTS - This version of the salwar kameez is another contemporary design and is
borrowed from our neghbours directly west of us. These kameez are long and flowy and have a
romantic yet chic feeling to them. While the kameez is assymetrical, the bottoms can be churidaar,
straight pajami, capris, trousers or parallel pants.

A LINE SHIRTS