Any contemporary Indian wedding is incomplete without this traditional attire. If you are a fan of Bollywood, most grooms in the movies wear this popular, designer outfit. You guessed it right, sherwanis for men are made to make them look and feel like a king on their big day.
Sherwanis have retained their glory over centuries and are still a symbol of cultural heritage. They are uniquely designed with the finest fabrics like velvet, cotton silk, jacquard, and brocade. For the uninitiated, we explain in detail about Sherwanis, so read on.
History and origin
The sherwani’s origin can be traced to Central Asia, where Turkish and Persian nobles in the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire wore them as their dress code. Originally, it was a combination of salwar kameez and the British frock coat. In the late nineteenth century, almost every man wore a sherwani as this attire had transcended the realm of the nobles and had become the common man's traditional attire. It is associated with the Muslim aristocracy during British rule.
During the pre-and post-independence era, sherwani was worn by many Indian and Pakistani leaders. In Pakistan, sherwani was the national dress until 1973. Following Mohammad Ali Jinnah, most government officials started to wear formal black sherwani over salwar kameez. Officers must wear it on state occasions and national holidays, including Eid.
Another historic folklore indicated that sherwani originated from Azerbaijan where locals donned a garment like a sherwani which was called chokha. The chokha then made it to Lucknow and was adopted by the Muslim nobles of that time. Moreover, the word sherwani is derived from “shervan”, which is a place in Azerbaijan.
Sherwani - the make
Sherwani is a long garment somewhat similar to a coat, but it extends down to the knees or even lower. It is widely popular in South Asia, especially in India. It is worn over a kurta, pajama, churidar or salwar. The dress is generally made from heavy suiting fabrics and it is fitted closely to the body, fastened with buttons in the front. Indian men spend extravagantly on the sherwani suit for their wedding as it adds to their charm and grace.
- Fabrics – There are a variety of fabrics that can be used to make a sherwani. The groom's choice will be based solely on his personal preferences as well as his financial constraints. In general, different types of silk and poly-silk are the most common fabrics for wedding sherwanis. Cotton sherwanis are also available, but they do not fit in with the lavishness of an Indian wedding. Indian wedding sherwanis are often heavily embroidered, regardless of the fabric. Stone work, crystals and sequins are often used to adorn it.
- Colours – When it comes to designer sherwanis for grooms, red, maroon and gold are the most common colour choices. Apart from that, many grooms prefer off-white, cream, brown and grey for their sherwani. Then there's the classic black, which goes with just about every wedding. Ultimately, the colour of the sherwani will be determined by the time of the wedding (day or night), the groom's complexion and his personal preferences.
- Accessories – The stole, which is draped around the neck, is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of accessories that go well with a sherwani. Its colour is determined by the sherwani's colour. The majority of the time, red, golden or silver stoles are worn with it. When it comes to footwear, mojris and jootis are the best choices. If you're not happy with them, then you can choose sandals instead. Gold/silver cufflinks, a watch, a gold bracelet and a gold chain are some of the other accessories that can go well with a wedding sherwani.
Wedding attire
- Chipkan sherwani (also spelt as Chapkan)
- Indo-Western sherwani
- Angrakha sherwani
- Achkan sherwani
- Pakistani sherwani
