Kurta

A kurta (Urdu: كُرتا‎), (Bengali: কুর্তা (পাঞ্জাবী), Persian:كُرتہ, Hindi: कुरता, ; (also kurti for a shorter version for women) is a traditional item of clothing worn in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. It is a loose shirt falling either just above or somewhere below the knees of the wearer, and is worn by men. They were traditionally worn with loose-fitting paijama (kurta-paijama), loose-fitting shalwars, semi-tight (loose from the waist to the knees, and tight from the calves to the ankles churidars, or wrapped-around dhotis; but are now also worn with jeans. Kurtas are worn both as casual everyday wear and as formal dress.

Women wear kurtis as blouses, usually over jeans. These kurtis are typically much shorter than the traditional garments and made with a lighter materials, like those used in sewing kameez.

Imported kurtas were fashionable in the 1960s and 1970s, as an element of hippie fashion, fell from favor briefly, and are now again fashionable. South Asian women may also wear this Western adaptation of South Asian fashion.

Formal kurtas are usually custom-made by South Asian tailors, who work with the fabric their customers bring them. South Asians overseas and Westerners, can buy them at South Asian clothing stores or order them from web retailers.