Shalwar Qameez

One important thing to understand about Pakistan is the shalwar qameez, the typical style of dress here. It's basically a suit consisting of matching pants (shalwar) and shirt (qameez.) For ladies, the suit also includes a matching scarf called a dupatta.

Shalwar Qameez

My first time coming to Pakistan, I agonized a lot about what to wear. I discussed the issue with my friends--what the weather would be like, how my generally American clothes would be perceived in public, whether an abayah would save me from stares. When I actually arrived, it basically became a non-issue. My family already had some nice shalwar qameez prepared for me which I changed into that very day, and wore almost every day thereafter.

What I hadn't really counted on was how incredibly comfortable they were! The previous suits I'd owned did not fit properly so I wasn't able to realize how relaxing it is to dress this way. In fact, I even wore some of these shalwar qameez once I returned home; they were especially nice while pregnant during the summer's record breaking heat.

A few of my new suits

When I came back this year, I brought a few suits from last year, and expected to have a few more made. As of my fifth day here, I have 9 new suits made already, and a few more on the way to the tailor! It's so easy to have clothes stitched here, I'm thinking of getting a new abayah or two done before I leave.

The suits I got last year had trousers instead of shalwar. The trousers have a mostly straight leg, while shalwar pants are kind of tapered to the ankle with a lot of fabric up top. Of my suits from this year, many will be made with shalwar. Apparently the shalwar style is back in vogue; trousers and a pajama pant that bunches near the ankle have also been stylish here.

Colorful prints on a light and breezy fabric called lawn is also popular, and I'm looking forward to getting more of it this trip. I hear that it's really popular in the summer when the temperatures soar, though I'm much too chicken to brave a Pakistani summer. I've been wearing mostly lawn since I got here because even though the weather is cool for the locals, I'm still acclimated to the Seattle winter and feel pretty warm here most of the time.