What Clothes to Wear in India?

When it comes to India, what comes to your mind first? The ancient Indian civilization? The Mughal Empire? Or the vast Gangetic Plain? Here, glorious historical relics stand side by side with vibrant modern life, ancient traditional customs are upheld over the years and collide with new ideas to create wonderful sparks.

Not to mention the mysterious and magnificent attractions of world class such as the Taj Mahal and Ajanta Caves! If you have the opportunity to travel to India, you will definitely have a wonderful experience! planning a trip to India but don’t know much about the climate and dressing codes in India and are worried that you might be dressed inappropriately, then this blog is for you!

Climate Features in India

The entire territory of India is with tropical climate. Most areas such as the Gangetic Plain, the Deccan Plateau, and the eastern coastal areas have a tropical monsoon climate, while the Thar Desert in western India has a tropical desert climate. The average annual temperature is about 25℃~30℃, and the extreme high temperature in summer can exceed 40 degrees Celsius, and even exceed 50 degrees Celsius in the northwest. The tropical monsoon climate zones have very distinct dry and rainy seasons. Precipitation is concentrated in the rainy season from June to September, affected by the southwest monsoon, accounting for 80% to 90% of the annual precipitation. Cherrapunji in northeastern India is located in the southern foothills of the Himalayas, making it the world's rainiest place, with an average annual precipitation of over 11,000 mm. In the dry season, the northeast monsoon brings less water vapor and the climate is dry, especially from March to May, when the temperature is high and there is little rain, so droughts are more likely to occur.

The tropical desert climate zone is hot and dry all year round, with an average annual precipitation of less than 100 mm, and a huge temperature gap between day and night, sparse vegetation, plenty of sand dunes, and extremely harsh climatic conditions. In addition, the plateau mountain climate is also distributed in the southern foothills of the Himalayas and some high-altitude areas in the northeast. The temperature decreases greatly with increasing altitude. Areas above 3,000 meters above sea level are cold in winter and often snow. Some peaks even have snow all year round. In addition, the windward slope has abundant precipitation, while the leeward slope is relatively dry, and the vertical climate difference is significant.

Therefore, if your focus is on the northern region where New Delhi and the Taj Mahal is located, it is best to travel from October to March of the following year. Because during this period, the climate is cool and precipitation is scarce, which is very suitable for outdoor travel and sightseeing. In summer and autumn, we recommend you to go to the mountains to escape the heat and enjoy the pleasant mountain scenery.

Dressing Codes in India

India is a culturally diverse country, with significant differences in dressing codes and taboos across regions, religions and occasions. It is best to understand in advance before traveling to India to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.

Social concepts in most parts of India are relatively traditional, so it is recommended to wear more conservative clothing styles, pay attention to covering shoulders, abdomen and thighs, and avoid excessive exposure.

From the perspective of different religious sites, you need to be barefoot when entering a Hindu temple, and women should avoid wearing sleeveless tops or short skirts. And due to Hindu beliefs, you cannot wear leather clothing to enter. In mosques, women are required to wear a headscarf to cover their hair in addition to long-sleeved tops and long pants. Non-Muslims are usually allowed to visit mosques, but they need to avoid prayer times and remain quiet.

From the perspective of color, some regions and religions consider black to be an unlucky color, so you need to avoid wearing black clothes when visiting these regions and occasions. White is often used in funerals in India, so you should also be careful when wearing it. Bright colors such as red and yellow are more popular during festivals or daily life, but you need to be careful to match them with the occasion. Even during the carnival-themed Holi festival, women still need to wear long sleeves and long pants.

India's dress code is essentially a reflection of cultural diversity. From north to south, from cities to villages, behind the differences are the long-term accumulation of religion, climate and tradition. Travelers do not need to completely replicate traditional clothing, but following the core logic of conservative, decent, and local customs can not only avoid offense, but also deeply experience local culture with respect. If you have a detailed destination, you can learn more about the local clothing characteristics.

Speciality Costumes in India

Even if you have never been to India, you are sure to have heard of saris and other women's clothing that are full of Indian characteristics. If you want to experience the local costumes and take photos, there are many similar industries now. In addition to saris, there are also many other unique and beautiful women's clothing in India. In this section, we will introduce them to you one by one.

Sari. The first to introduce is definitely Saris. Saree is the most representative traditional clothing for Indian women. It is generally about 4 to 9 meters long and 2 meters wide. It is mostly worn by married women, but now unmarried girls also wear it during festivals and when worshipping their ancestors in temples. In addition, a complete set of sari also includes a bra and a petticoat. When wearing it, fix one end of the sari at the waist, then wrap it around the body and drape it over the shoulders. The remaining part hangs down behind or in front of the body. It can be fixed with pins to form natural folds.

Punjabi suit. It is a three-piece popular among women in the Punjab region. Later, it became popular in other regions as well, becoming the national costume second only to the saris and the most common clothing for unmarried women in India. This three-piece outfit consists of a knee-length gown, a pair of trousers, and a scarf. The collar, chest, and cuffs of the gown are embroidered with beautiful patterns. The trousers are wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. The scarf is usually placed on the chest, with the two ends hanging behind the shoulders.

Lehenga. A lehenga is a long, brightly colored ankle-length skirt worn with a fitted short-sleeved top that exposes the navel and a headscarf that covers the head. The overall style is gorgeous and can show a woman's elegance and nobility. Historically, it was loved by court nobles. In other parts of India, lehenga is only worn on important occasions or performances.

Anarkali. This is a loose dress-style top, usually with exquisite embroidery, prints or decorations, which can modify figure proportions and show the femininity and romance of women.

Salwar Kameez. This is a type of traditional female dress popular in the northern region, which is common in daily life and formal occasions. It consists of a top, a pair of loose pants, and a scarf. The top is usually a loose long shirt, which can be knee-length or longer, and may have exquisite embroidery or decorations on the neckline, cuffs and hem; the pants are loose straight pants or wide-leg pants, with elastic bands or ties at the waist; the scarf can be matched according to personal preference to increase the sense of layering.

Recommended Outfits for Your India Trip

🛕For hiking in the southern foothills of the Himalayas. The layering method is more suitable for the hiking outfit, and you also need to choose some items with good waterproof effect as much as possible. For the upper body, you can wear a white vest as the innermost layer, a hoodie as the middle layer, and a jacket as the outermost layer to protect against severe cold and snow. For the lower body, you can prepare a pair of cargo pants and a pair of non-slip hiking shoes.

🛕For sightseeing at the famous attractions. Maybe you need to walk outdoors for a long time, so a very gorgeous but complicated look may not be suitable for you. Therefore, a set of cozy outfit with a sense of relaxation is more suitable for your outdoor travel. For example, you can choose a loose shirt for the upper body and a pair of wide-leg pants made of cotton, linen or denim for the lower body. As for shoes, you can choose a pair of loafers or even a pair of slippers.

🛕For city walk. If you want to take half a day to wander around the old town of Kolkata, a retro-style look will be perfect. Choose a turmeric corduroy shirt on the upper body and a pleated skirt on the lower body. In addition, a pair of tortoise-shell glasses and a pair of Martin boots are also magic weapons for creating a retro style.