Indian women accouterments or garbs are traditionally saris. A sari is an unstitched single piece of cloth that is graciously draped around the body. It could range from simple cotton to very rich and elegant silk materials. A sari makes for an easy and comfortable wear which also adheres to religious conformity. It initially started off as a Hindu traditional vesture but later crossed the boundaries of religions. Today it is considered an acceptable fashion.
Indian women also accentuate their looks by adorning their bodies with ornaments such as bindi, mehendi, earings, bangles and other pieces of jewelleries. On special occasions such as marriage ceremonies and festivals, they may even resort to expensive gemstones including pearls, silver, gold, diamonds.
The bindi that women apply to their forehead deserves elaboration. It bears special significance for Hindu women as it is considered an auspicious mark. Traditionally speaking, the red bindi was worn only by married women, whereas other coloured bindis were worn by single women. However, today no attention is paid to colours anymore. Red sindoor or vermilion may also be substituted for Hindu married women.
The traditional attire for Indian men is usually a dhoti and kurta. The dhoti is your conventional pants which is an unstitched piece of cloth loosely tied around the waist and legs. The kurta is a knee-length untucked shirt. For special occasions, men may sport a flashy sherwani or achkan, which is a long coat with a collarless lapel. A shorter version of the sherwani is called a Nehru jacket.