How to dress in India: A guide for women
In India, if you can reveal your belly, your back, you must avoid revealing your shoulders, your knees, and forget the too tight or transparent clothes. Indians look at foreigners staring at them without blinking. Especially if they are blonde. It is better to dress in a discreet way and if possible to take the carriage intended for the women in the subway.
Finding clothes adapted to the Indian heat while covering oneself as much as possible is quite difficult in Europe where as soon as the sun is shining, they sell us tank tops and mini-shorts.
As a result, foreign tourists often arrive here with :
- long skirts up to the ankles, not split (example found on Amazon)
- short or 3/4 sleeves tee-shirts
- long and wide alibaba style pants, to buy on the spot for 200 rupees(or to buy on Amazon for 16€)
Or they dress in traditional Indian clothing because it is well adapted to the heat, the patterns are very pretty and it is really cheap (100 rupees the pants, 200 rupees the top), on sale in all markets and souvenir stores.
If you are blonde and don’t like to attract attention, cover your hair with a scarf, like other Indian women.
I am wearing here the Fabindia brand clothes which are more expensive but it is made by craftsmen with the traditional method (the patterns are made with stamps). Fabindia sells them at 600 rupees for pants, 600 rupees for short kurta, 1000 rupees for long kurta. The 100% organic cotton, very fine, is perfect for warmth, without being transparent.
The kurta (long tunic or even dress) with wide pants or leggings is a popular choice. Accompanied by a long scarf that can be used as a hat (or to wipe away sweat). The color of the scarf should be the same as the color of the pants.
Here, for example, I made a taste mistake. My scarf should have been mustard color, and not the same color as my kurta.
Here is an example of a long kurta that you can buy in India (at Fabindia, the colors and cuts are beautiful). To be worn ALWAYS with cotton pants or leggings. The fabric is very light and breathable, you won’t be hot, I assure you.
You can opt for the sari which has the advantage of ventilating the stomach and part of the back. The scarf of the sari also serves as a hat. Attention the sari is worn in several layers so make sure you buy all the layers you need. I didn’t buy any because I didn’t like the fabric which seemed too warm.
The FabIndia site also delivers internationally by DHL, but the prices are x5 compared to the prices displayed in India, so it is better to buy there.
The bindi (red dot on the forehead) also prevents me from trying to flirt. Wearing it implies that I am married. You can buy them in plates of 30 to 20 rupees.
Indian clothes are also easily worn in Nepal so do not hesitate to invest in these ultra comfortable clothes, especially the long kurta which can be used later also as a long dress for the visit of Thai temples.
