Sherwani - The Indian Groom's Wedding Attire

History

The Sherwani appeared during the period of British India in 18th century, as a fusion of the Shalwar Kameez with the British frock coat. It was gradually adopted by most of the Indian aristocracy, mostly Muslim, and later by the general population, as a more westernized form of traditional attire.

It is the national dress of Pakistan for men, as it is not specifically associated with any of the provinces. The Founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah frequently wore the Sherwani. Most government officials in Pakistan such as the President and Prime Minister wear the formal black Sherwani over the shalwar qameez on state occasions and national holidays.

In India, it is generally worn for formal occasions in winter by those of North Indian descent, especially those from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Hyderabadi-muslims.The Sherwani is closely associated with the nation's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. This led to a modified version of Sherwani known as the Nehru Jacket, which is popular in India..

Many South Asian grooms wear them as wedding dress. Sherwanis are usually embroidered or detailed in some way.

Wedding Fashion

The traditional Indian wear for men, sherwani signifies elegance and style. The Sherwani is the most traditional of Indian garments. It is a close fitting jacket like garment, of knee length or longer, and has a opening in front with button fastenings, a Nehru collar. They are usually teamed with tight fitting churidar and Jodhpurs, which are a combination of churidars and trousers in a contrasting color. With a khes or long scarf or a shawl draped over one or both of the shoulders. Sherwanis look really regal and elegant because they fuse the best of eastern and western styling. They are the perfect attire for the wedding and also the reception party. They are available in a staggering variety of colours with varying degrees of embroidery from minimal to absolutely gaudy - whatever suits your style of dressing!

In western and central India, men usually wear the dhoti and kurta. A sherwani is a type of Indian clothing specific to special occasions. In Punjab and Northern India, the salwar kameez is a unisex clothing most often made out of plain white cotton, and the top, the kameez, is complemented by a dark waistcoat in male dress. Further on, another Indian clothing element worth mentioning is the lungi, a wrapped garment that is usually worn indoors in some parts of the country.

What is Sherwani?

What is Sherwani : Sherwani is somewhat similar to a coat, but extends down till the knees (sometimes even lower). One of the traditional garments worn in South Asia, especially India, it is worn on top of a kurta, a loose shirt that also reaches till the knees. A sherwani can be paired with a churidar, khara pajama or a shalwar. At times, it might be worn along with a dhoti as well. The dress is made from heavy suiting fabrics, has a close body fit and is fastened in the front, with buttons. Many-a-times, there is a lining underneath the sherwani.

The Fabrics : There are a number of fabrics that can be used for the purpose of a sherwani. The one chosen by the groom will depend entirely on his personal preference as well as the budget. Generally speaking, different types of silk and poly-silk are the fabrics mostly chosen for wedding sherwani. You will find sherwanis in cotton also, but they not gel well with the lavish affair of an Indian wedding. Whatever be the fabric, Indian wedding sherwani is often heavily embroidered. In some cases, stone work, sequins and crystals are also used to adorn it.

The Colors : Red, maroon and golden comprise of the most popular color options, as far as sherwanis for the Indian groom are concerned. Apart from that, many of the grooms also prefer going in for colors like off-white, cream, brown and gray for their sherwani. Then, there is the universal black as well, which goes perfectly with any and every type of wedding. The exact color of the sherwani will depend upon the time of the wedding (day or night), the complexion of the groom and the personal preference of the groom.

The Accessories : Amongst the accessories that go well with a sherwani, the first item that comes to mind is the stole, which is draped around the neck. Its color depends upon the color of the sherwani. However, in most of the cases, red, golden or silver colored stoles are worn with it. Coming to the footwear, mojris and jootis make up the best options. However, if you are uncomfortable in them, you can go for sandals as well. The other accessories that can complement a wedding sherwani are gold/silver cufflinks, watch, gold bracelet and gold chain.