The sherwani is now the formal dress of choice for most Indian men. It is flaunted at weddings and is preferred by the political class during ceremonial occasions. So how did this garment receive its cult status? History was made on June 24th, 1893 when Mehboob Ali Khan sat down next to the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria for a post-lunch photograph at the Chowmohalla Palace. According to researches, the photograph is the first evidence, of the garment being worn. The 28-year-old Nizam adopted the trend as a true fashionista.
Sherwanis are 2 piece garments for men, the 2 pieces being the jacket and pants. The jacket flows to the knees and the collar is a mandarin style one. The pants are usually fitted and are called churidars. A third optional piece called the chunni or dupatta is worn around the neck. The scarf can be plain, embroidered, embellished, or printed depending on the preference of the wearer. However, most of the scarfs are bright and in contrast to the color of the sherwani. The sherwani can be worn on family functions, wedding ceremonies, and festive occasions.
Types of sherwanis
The sherwani for men may have a lavish design with heavy embellishment or it can be a subtly embroidered and printed one. It depends on the community a person belongs to or their preferences irrespective of the community. Punjabis and Sindhis like to wear elaborate sherwanis with heavy embellishments, embroidery, rich details, and bold designs. Sherwanis for men tend to be costly because of the manpower that goes into its making. The choice of cloth also has a monumental impact on the price of sherwani. Silk and linen are two of the most used fabrics in sherwanis. Both of these fabrics are expensive and hence the sherwani itself turns out to be expensive.
Cotton sherwanis are also available and large preferred as they are less expensive. Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes pride in wearing sherwanis to political meetings. This practice has played a monumental role in the differentiation of Indian men clothing and western fashion. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru also used to sport sherwanis at key political meetings.
The sherwani is a garment with a pretty hilarious and at the same time rich history. There are a lot of factors that affect its styling. The sherwani has become a staple garment for men and is worn during key events like weddings, festivals, family functions, and so forth.