Balochi dress: hand-embroidered designs for women, girls and kids

A Balochi dress (often called a pashk) is the traditional dress of Baloch women: a long, loose dress with a large hand-embroidered chest panel, a long front pocket and embroidered sleeve cuffs, worn with a wide shalwar and a large dupatta. The embroidery, called doch, is done by hand and can take weeks for one dress.

Parts of a Balochi dress

A women's Balochi dress is made of a few embroidered pieces sewn into a long, flowing dress. Names vary by region and family, but most dresses have:

• The chest panel (yoke): a large, square or rectangular panel of dense embroidery covering the chest. It is the centrepiece of the dress.
• The front pocket (pado or pandohl): a long, narrow embroidered pocket running down the front of the skirt.
• Sleeve cuffs: embroidered bands at the end of each sleeve, matching the chest panel.
• Shalwar (pajamag): wide trousers, often with embroidered hems.
• Dupatta: a large head scarf, plain or with embroidered or sequin borders.

Some designs, which we call embroidered fronts, come as the embroidered panels plus fabric, so the dress can be stitched to your exact size.

Balochi embroidery: doch, kundi, mirror and sequin work

Doch is the Balochi word for embroidery. Traditional doch uses tiny chain stitches, satin stitches and couched borders, often in black and white, to build geometric motifs: diamonds, stars, triangles and stepped borders. The stitches are so fine that the panel looks woven.

Kundi work

Dense, geometric hand embroidery that fills the whole panel with colour. Our lilac kundi design is framed with copper thread.

Mirror work (shisha)

Small round mirrors held down with buttonhole stitches, surrounded by bright star stitches. Mirror work is shared with Sindhi embroidery; see our Sindhi dress guide.

Sequin and gold-thread work

Gold sequins on the pocket, borders and sleeves. This is the most popular choice for weddings and mehndi.

Balochi dress designs we make

Every Balochify design is drawn by us and stitched by hand by home-based women artisans. You choose the design, the fabric colour and the thread colours. Our current designs include:

• New designs in bright colours: mustard and maroon, lime multicolour, orange, magenta.
• Simple designs: embroidered pocket and borders only, lighter and quicker to make, good for daily wear.
• Hand-work designs: full chest panels in doch or kundi work.
• Designs with dupatta: purple silk with a gold-trim dupatta, magenta with an embroidered dupatta.

See all Balochi dress designs with photos →

Balochi dress for girls and kids

Balochi dresses for girls, baby girls and kids are some of our most requested orders, especially before Baloch Culture Day on 2 March, school culture days, Eid and family weddings. We make the same traditional designs in small sizes, so mother and daughter can match.

For a child, send us the chest, shoulder, sleeve and dress length in inches. Planning outfits for other provinces too? See our culture day dress ideas.

Balochi dress for weddings and brides

For a wedding, mehndi or a bride, choose rich colours (deep green, maroon, purple) with gold sequin or mirror work and a matching dupatta. Wedding dresses take the longest to embroider, so message us as early as you can.

Balochi dress for men

The men's Balochi dress is a long, loose shirt with a very wide shalwar, often with a turban (pag) and a shawl. It is usually plain or lightly embroidered. Balochify focuses on women's and girls' dresses.

Balochi dress price: what affects it

People often search for the Balochi dress price in Pakistan, Karachi, Quetta or the UAE. For hand embroidery, the price depends on:

1. How much is hand embroidered: a full chest panel takes far longer than borders only.
2. The type of work: fine doch and kundi work take the most hours; sequin work is quicker.
3. Fabric: silk costs more than cotton or lawn.
4. Size: women's sizes use more fabric and embroidery than girls' sizes.
5. Delivery: the cost depends on your city and country.

Send us the design you like and we confirm the exact price and delivery time on chat.

Balochi dresses in Oman, the UAE and Saudi Arabia

Muscat has one of the largest Baloch communities outside Pakistan, and many families in Oman and the UAE wear the Balochi dress for Eid, weddings and family events. In Arabic it is called ثوب بلوشي or ملابس بلوشية. Balochify takes orders from Muscat, Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. اقرأ بالعربية: ملابس بلوشية مطرزة يدويًا

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