DRESS & JEWELRY OF GUJRAT

Gujaratis change their dress according to the regional and local culture. Old wedding pictures of Gujaratis sometimes show the kurta (called zabbho) and pajama (called lehnghas). Kurtas have changed the appearance to more of national culture from regional culture. For quite some time, fashionable Gujarati ladies enjoyed wearing saris, but now they are switching to wearing the kameez at home and saris outside, wrapped in Gujarati style. Among men and women of the younger generations, western attire is becoming more common.

For jewellery and accessories, Gujarati ladies often hang a bunch of keys on the waist. The keyring holder is usually made in silver. Usual jewelry worn by ladies include the mangal sutra, necklace, earing, bangles, ring. With incidence of theft rising, cheaper costume jewelry is becoming more common. During weddings, Gujarati brides wear a lot of jewellery. It is common to see a Gujarati (Hindu) male wearing a gold chain and a ring. Married Gujarati (Hindu) women also traditionally wear a red 'bindi' (red powder worn in a round shape on the forehead also found in the form of stickers).

Every Hindu woman, married or not, wear 'bindi', married woman wear red powder, called 'sindoor', on the forehead on or near the hairline. In addition to this they will also wear the 'bindi' or 'tika'. During the wedding the priest will have the groom put the first red powder on the bride. Some more traditional woman still apply this red power to their forehead each morning. The red power,'sindoor', is not in a round shape but is rubbed on the forehead near the hairline. The stickers are 'bindi' and any woman, married or not, wear these in many different colors and usually come in the form of a sticker and may match the girls/womans outfits in color and design.