Just your normal unmentionables: bra ‘n’ undies.
Unless the kameez (tunic) is partiularly sheer. Good sheer ones are usually either lined or come with a matching slip / undershift, but you do occasionally come across ones that need you to supply your own.
Heh! I’m with you, soul brother; I’ve often wished I could have been a drag queen. Snap!
It’s exceedingly common for American folks to decorate with saris, buying pretty ones off eBay and turning them into curtains, cushion covers, coverlets, etc. There are also many commercially available bed sets (comforter cover + pillowcases =dust ruffle, etc.) made out of what looks like sari material. I think Pottery Barn has some sari-border pre-made curtains, too.
Or you could take up the hobby of cross-cultural crossdressing. The sky’s the limit!
Well, mom and I tried the salwar kameez yesterday… I was disapointed. The fabrics were beautiful, and I loved trying them on, but I couldn’t fine any that looked “right.” Because I’m so short, it exaggerated my shortness unbelievably. I tried the shorter tops, but then the pants didn’t fit! The shop owner said in about a month they will be getting different lengths in, and to try back then.
The owner was very nice, very personable. Very patient, too. I felt completely at ease, and I had been pretty nervous about this before!
Bummer! I’m so sorry.
Could you tell me more about what didn’t look right? Were the tunics too long on you, or too shapeless, or did they have designs with horizontal stripes or whatnot?
Too shapeless, the tunics were too long, and it didn’t help that the pants were too long and bunched around my ankles and made me look even shorter!
Well, I should have told you before you went shopping that it is fashionable for the pants to be extra-long and bunch around the ankles. This style of pants is called “churidar”, which means something like “falling in folds like bangles [chunri]”.
Traditional “salwar” pants don’t bunch much, but are very very full at the hips (in a yoke) and sort of pegged downwards from there, with a thin, stitched-through cuff at the ankle.
You can also sometimes get “parallel” pants, which are identical to American-style slacks, with a waistband and zipper closure instead of a drawstring.
I find churidars uncomfortably clingy and somewhat binding. They’re usually cut on the bias, and cna get pretty tight around the knees.
If you order from someone that takes exact measurements, you can specify pants fitting type, tunic length, tunic fittedness, etc. I think Indian Exotica and eShakti are the best for this, in my experience.
A chunri is the scarf/shawl/veil-like thing you wear with the salwar kameez, aka the dupatta. Basically, it is supposed to “cover your modesty”.
Bangles are called chudiyan (singular - chudi). The pronunciation roughly goes along the lines of “choodiyaan”, where the final “aan” is a nasal sound. Bangles can also be called kangan, though this term is primarily used for gold bangles and the like.
Just clarifying…
Thank you! 
I am wearing my new green and gold salwar kameez from Indianexotica, and I LOVE IT!! It’s absolutely gorgeous. I can’t wait to wear it in public!!
Can you get us pics of you in the salwar kameez? I’m curious to see what other people look like in them!
About a week before this thread was started, I ordered a kameez with churidar pants from eShakti, and was amazed to discover that they tailor your garment to you! My entire ensemble was only $55, too. I could never afford to buy tailored clothing here - even my wedding dress was your basic off-the-rack deal, with alterations (which I believe were extra) made after it came in. At eShakti, I got to select the tunic length, the style of the neckline, the length of the sleeves and the pants type. If you are busty, make sure you get a size large enough to accomodate - they do fit the kameez pretty closely as emilyforce mentioned earlier, and if I had big 'uns they’d be pretty crowded in there (I’m small and short and a size 6, so I entered Small as my general size).
I love my outfit, though the pants do take some getting used to since they are so different from what we Westerners are used to wearing. As emilyforce mentioned, they do also have the ‘parallel pants’ you can order instead if you like, which are Western-style. The churidar I have are plenty roomy at the top - you could wear them right through pregnancy if you wanted to. The dupatta that came with my outfit is big - I’ve been wearing the rest of the outfit without it since I am not used to wearing something like that - I have to learn! I love how the kameez flows when I walk. As mentioned, I’m short and my butt is the biggest part of me, so anything that makes me look more graceful and less like a fireplug is all good with me.
A word of warning about the salwar kameezes/punjabis. As an overweight Indian, I have to say that the pret a porter punjabis are NOT made for those with extra poundage. And even if you’re on the slim side, be careful, as the fancier suits are not cut to be kind to those of us with busts.
Just a note.
Re tiggeril’s comment: I’ve definitely found that to be true for clothing in import shops – it’s rare to find tops/dresses with adequate room for “the girls.” But FWIW, my plus-size salwar kameez from Indianexotica is plenty roomy (I’m about 200 lbs, size 22 or so, 38D). I was wearing it yesterday with a slightly padded bra and there was enough slack to be comfortable.
I’ll try to get a pic or two up later this week.
Yeah, that’s the problem. I usually get mine when we head back to India to visit the fam every now and again. Not too many overweight people for them to design for, ya know?
Interestingly, the online shops that cater to ABCDs and Americans seem to specialize in plus-size salwar kameezes. I think this is partly because they also typically offer custom tailoring, and plus-size Americans don’t have enough options off the rack as it is; and partly because a salwar kameez is just so damn flattering on a curvy body. Or a skinny body for that matter.
Frankly I also think saris look especially good on curvy bodies, but so many curvy Americans would sooner moon the boss than expose their midriff that this seems to be less of a market.
There are a lot of plus size Indian ladies in my area of Vancouver who wear salwar kameez, so someone’s making them around here. Maybe they buy the fabric and home sew. Doubt it though.
Interestingly, the saree seems to have a lengthening, slimming effect when worn correctly. The ideal drape gathers in gently around the knees before swirling back out (as opposed to hanging down like a cylindrical sack). Also, cover the feet. Always cover the feet. That definitely seems to add inches height-wise.
As for baring the midriff, there are many draping styles that end up covering most of the bared area. Refer to the Gujarati style: front and back are both covered up by the pallu.
One of the reasons I love wearing them!
Oh definitely, and it’s also possible to drape a nivi drape for minimal exposurrre, but all the options are still more skin-baring than your typical American outfitts – forrr grrown-ups, anyway; Britttney Spearrs clones excluded.
Nivi drape like aasna descrribes as flattering http://66.33.13.113/ishop/saree/new/l007.jpg
Gujarati drape (sort of) http://www.indiangarment.com/myshop/image.php3?URL=http://66.33.13.113/ishop/fas-show/s002.jpg
(Please pardon my rrrrrrs and ttttttttts… keyboard dying.)
Iin all honesty, I’d never have expected such a long discussion on the sari on these boards!! I think some of my friends could learn a thing or two about Indian attire from all of you
Heck, I learned from the people in this thread, and I’m the only actual Indian woman in it…
Hadn’t the foggiest idea that the normal saree drape was called a nivi…
