When in Rome, do as the Romans do

So my last blog post talked about south Asian dress styles that can be worn to formal functions.

After re-reading that post, I think I need to back up a little bit. I realized there were a few things that might require further explanation to those who are unfamiliar to these types of clothes.

So let me explain:

• Kameez generally refers to a shirt, and more specifically, is the style of shirt that is worn in a shalwar kameez (literally: "pants shirt") outfit by either males or females.
• Shalwar refers to a particular style of pants that can be worn by either males or females.
• Duputta essentially refers to a long, wide scarf that can also be worn by either males or females. I've only seen it worn by males on formal occassions, and in that case, it's simply an accessory to enhance their shalwar kameez. When females buy fabric (for clothing) at the store in south Asia, it's typically sold as a 3-piece suit: 1 piece of fabric for the shalwar, a second piece of fabric for the kameez, and a third piece of fabric for the duputta. Each piece typically has a different design but is in a coordinating (matching) fabric. In the areas of south Asia where I've travelled, the duputta (on females) is typically used to cover their chest (for modesty).

The fabrics for these clothes can be purchased in a wide variety of material (many of which I've never even seen in the U.S.), like cotton, Georgette, silk, raw silk, and so on. The fabrics are then taken to a tailor who can sew the dress in virtually any style based on a person's custom measurements.

The picture on the right shows the thread colors available to the tailor so that when the clothes are sewn, the thread matches so closely that it blends in and becomes invisible. The next picture on the left is of the kaam (literally "work," but refers to beads and other designs when taken in the context of clothes) being put onto 4 different kameez by the kaamwalla (literally: "person who does kaam").

The kaamwalla stretches the fabric between the wooden frame, and then sews (by hand) beads and other "kaam" inside the kameez borders on the fabric.The fabric designs and colors available in south Asia are amazing! If you don't find the exact color you're looking for in the stores in south Asia, you can always find someone who can custom dye fabric for you. Whenever I'm back to shopping in the U.S., I'm always disappointed by the options available in stores.

There are stores in south Asia that sell ready-made clothes -- with or without kaam already sewn on -- where the stitching (sizing) has already been done. However, my philosophy is: if they cost nearly the same price (sometimes tailored is even cheaper!)...and a customizable (exact fitting with desired colors and design) option is available, I'd choose the custom option. There are so many people living in south Asia that labor is cheap, so getting clothes stitched is still a lot less expensive than getting any clothes even hemmed in the U.S.

When I'm visiting south Asia on one of our trips, there's no "rule" that says I have to wear those kinds of clothes. In fact, on a given day, I'm sometimes the only one wearing shalwar kameez in our group. Many people in south Asia prefer to dress in what you might call, American style (jeans and a shirt). I like and prefer to wear shalwar kameez for several reasons:

• They're extremely comfortable, especially when the temperature in south Asia reaches 100+ degrees. In south Asia, they have a form of cotton, called lawn, that's thinner than the regular cotton you'd find in the U.S.
• They're so customizable and fit well. Having my own tailor is awesome -- he advises me about what's in style and sews everything to my measurements (for a reasonable price).

When I'm back in the U.S., I miss my customizable clothes and tailor. Sending clothes to the tailor in the U.S. is so expensive (even for just a pair of pants!).