Salwar Kameez is a traditional outfit worn both in India and Pakistan. It is the national dress in Pakistan. The word salwar is called as shalwar in Pakistan. It is also popular among women in India. The salwar kameez, or salwar suit consists of a kameez (shirt), salwar (trousers) and dopatta (scraf).
SALWAR: Salwar is a sort of loose pajama like trouser. The legs are wide at the top, and narrow at the bottom. There is a drawstring at the top of the waistband to hold up the salwar. The pants can be wide and baggy, or they can be cut quite narrow, on the bias. In the latter case, they are known as churidar pajama.
KAMEEZ: The kameez, in salwar kameez suit, is a long shirt or tunic. The side seams are left open below the navel, which gives the wearer greater freedom of movement. The word kameez is derived from the Latin camisia (shirt or tunic), from which it probably made its way into various European languages (see chemise) and also into Arabic, the likely immediate source for kameez. The kameez is usually cut straight and flat.
DUPATTA: When women wear the salwar kameez, they usually wear a long scarf or shawl called a dupatta around the head or neck. For Muslim women, the dupatta is an alternate to scarves. The dupatta is useful when the head must be covered, for hijab or for prayers.
