Indian Fashion Glossary: 50+ Terms Every Indian Ethnic Wear Buyer Should Know

Quick Answer: This is a comprehensive glossary of 50+ Indian fashion terms covering garments, fabrics, embroidery techniques, jewelry, and cultural concepts. From lehenga and saree to zardozi and chikankari, from bindi and sindoor to mangalsutra and kamarbandh, this glossary defines the vocabulary of Indian ethnic wear. Each term includes pronunciation, origin, definition, regional variations, and modern usage. This glossary is the reference companion to LuxeMia's attires encyclopedia, embroidery guides, and cultural symbolism articles.

A long, flared skirt worn with a choli (blouse) and dupatta (scarf). The lehenga is the most popular Indian bridal garment and is also worn for sangeet, mehendi, and reception events. Flare ranges from 2.5 meters (A-line) to 4+ meters (circular). Fabric: georgette, silk, velvet, brocade. See our lehenga guide for details.

A 5.5 to 9-yard unstitched fabric draped around the body, worn with a petticoat and blouse. The saree is the most widely worn Indian garment, with over 100 distinct draping styles across India's regions. The most common drape is the Nivi (Andhra Pradesh origin), which is what most non-Indian women picture when they think of a saree.

The cropped blouse worn with a saree or lehenga. The choli ends at the underbust or midriff and can be sleeveless, short-sleeved, or long-sleeved. Custom choli stitching costs $25-$60 from an Indian tailor; ready-made cholis cost $15-$35.