Kurtis a generic term used in South Asia for several forms of upper garments for women, with regional variations of form.Women wear kurtis as blouses, usually over jeans. These kurtis are typically much shorter than the traditional garments and made with lighter materials, like those used in sewing kameez.
A traditional kurti consists of rectangular fabric pieces with perhaps a few gusset inserts, and is cut so as to leave no wasted fabric. The cut is usually simple, although decorative treatments can be elaborative.The sleeves of a traditional kurti fall straight to the wrist; they do not narrow, as do many Western-cut sleeves. However, Kurtis are over-rated due to various reasons as mentioned below.
1) Kurtis are completely over-rated due to various reasons. Sleeves are not cuffed, just hemmed and decorated. Due to these decorations their price is over-valued.
2) The front and back pieces of a simple kurti are also rectangular. The side seams are left open for 6-12 inches above the hem, which gives the wearer some ease of movement. Due to this convenience level provided by kurtis they are in trend are in high demand, which increases its value, making it expensive.
3) The kurti usually opens in the front; some styles, however, button at the shoulder seam. The front opening is often a hemmed slit in the fabric, tied or buttoned at the top; some kurtis, however, have plackets rather than slits. The opening may be centered on the chest, or positioned off center. This wide variety of options and styles make it stand-out. The seller usually demands higher due to these simple changes and creative ideas.
4) A traditional kurti does not have a collar. Modern variants may feature stand-up collars of the type known to tailors and seamstresses as “mandarin” collars. These are the same sort of collars seen on achkans, sherwanis and Nehru jackets.
5) Indian subcontinent has a very popular styling of Mukatsari kurti (getting its origin from the province of Mukatsar in Punjab (India)) which is famous for its slim fitting cuts and smart fit designs. It is very popular among young politicians. Due to its wide popularity, it is often sold at higher prices.
6) Kurtis worn in the summer months are usually made of thin silk or cotton fabrics; winter season kurtis are made of thicker fabric such as wool (as in Kashmiri kurtis) or Khadi silk, a thick, coarse, handspun and hand-woven silk that may be mixed with other fibers. A very common fabric for kurti pajama these days is linen, or linen cotton mix ideal for both summers and winters.The various fabrics used in making these kurtis increases its cost. Furthermore, it is easy to wear which increases its demand. Thus, making it over-valued.
7) Kurtis are typically fastened with cloth balls and loops, or buttons. Readymade kurtis often avoid the use of horn buttons, in deference to Hindu sentiments; such buttons are frequently made from cow or buffalo hooves or horns. Buttons are often wood or plastic. Kurtis worn on formal occasions might feature decorative metal buttons, which are not sewn to the fabric, but, like cufflinks, are fastened into the cloth when needed. Such buttons can be decorated with jewels, enameling, and other traditional jewelers’ techniques.
8) South Asian tailors command a vast repertoire of methods, traditional and modern, for decorating fabric. It is likely that all of them have been used, at one time or another, to decorate kurtis. However, the most common decoration is embroidery. Many light summer kurtis feature Chikan embroidery, a speciality of Lucknow, around the hems and front opening. This embroidery is typically executed on light, semi-transparent fabric in a matching thread. The effect is ornate but subtle. This also adds up to the value of kurtis.
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