I have seen a lot of tourists being confused about what kind of clothes to wear in India. They feel confused about what to pack and what to leave out without regret. Especially girls. There is a lot that they have seen in the movies, heard from their friends but in the end it does get confusing. So I am going to try and break it down for you so it gets a little bit easy for you to pack for your trip to India.
But before describing the kind of clothes to wear in India, I think we need to understand the social environment of the country. So the first thing to understand is if India is a conservative society.
And, the answer is that India is a selectively conservative society.
Let me explain. India has a population of over 1.3 billion that speaks over 720 dialects. And the reason why this piece of information is important is that language influences lifestyle. This fact has been proven time and again. So try not to generalize the entire country based on one place (city or state) or one movie (usually it is slumdog millionaire). There is poverty, but not everywhere. There are slums, but not everywhere.
India has metros, multiplexes, clubs, lounges, cafes, and breweries among other things.
There are people here from all walks of life. Some have traveled around the world, some have never even left their neighborhood. For some, television is the only way to know about their surroundings.
But don’t worry, most of the people that you are going to meet on your travels will be the ones that have an open mind and are pretty fun to hang out with!
What kind of clothes do people wear in India?
India has a lot to offer in terms of traditional clothing, but not a lot of people from the younger generation wear traditional clothes all the time. So sorry to disappoint you but people here don’t wear saris all the time. Neither do they wear the tourist’s popular choice – baggy pants.
People in India, like everywhere else, dress according to the occasion. If they are going shopping, then they will wear something comfortable like jeans, a dress, or a jumpsuit. And, if they are going to go street shopping, then they will probably wear something covered because of the sun and the dust. Also, there are a variety of people that you will come across on the streets, so its better to just be on the comfortable side.
But if we talk about going to a nice cafe, club, lounge, or a brewery, you will see people dressed in all kinds of clothes – backless, deep necks, shorts, crop tops, dresses, everything. People in India wear the kind of clothes that people wear in the west as well as their traditional attire. They wear whatever they feel like!
The choice of clothes of an individual in India basically depends on the place that they are going to, and the kinds of people that it is frequented by. I hope you know what I mean.
As a tourist, what kind of clothes to wear in India?
While going street shopping or sightseeing
If you want to avoid unwanted attention, try to keep your torso covered every time you are on the streets or going sightseeing. Which means no cleavage and no crop tops. I know what you are thinking, “with saris the mid-torso is always visible so what’s wrong with crop tops?” I so wish I could explain.
If you are going to go clubbing
If you are in a metro city – Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Goa, Mumbai, Jaipur, etc and going for clubbing, or to a cafe, brewery you are free to wear whatever you like. You won’t feel left out or being stared down.
Beach
It depends on the beach. If you are going Goa, Varkala or Kovalam, take your pick! Anything including bikini is fine. But on the other beaches, it’s not such a comfortable idea. You can carry swimming shorts and sandos/t-shirt if swimming in the ocean is something that you cannot resist.
Myth
Baggy pants and printed kurta is something that mostly tourists wear. It’s not anywhere close to being a traditional Indian attire. But still, they are very comfortable to wear especially in the summer.
You might want to carry
A stole/scarf or a shirt. Because of the sun and the weather, you might not want to wear a closed neck t-shirt all the time, so carry a scarf with you. So that if you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, just wrap it around your neck and keep walking.
Temples and other worship places
For the more strict places, you should be wearing a kurta and legging or a sari. And, some places prefer that you have your head covered, so you can use a scarf.
I hope this helps when you sit down to pack your stuff. And, if there is anything else that you would like to know, or have any more questions, kindly do let me know in the comments below.
Here are a few more articles that you might mind useful;
- Traveling tips after traveling solo in North-East India for 5 weeks
- A week’s trip to Arunachal Pradesh
- Do’s and Don’ts of Backpack Traveling
- How to prepare for a backpacking trip
Why is Journey more Important than the destination?
Why do I feel tired after a vacation? How to get rid of the post-vacation blues?
How to take really good photos and videos of your Travel Journey
How to edit photos like a pro? (Social Media 2020)
The ONE most incredible thing to do in Jaipur, India
