The traditional Kashmiri dress is the pheran, a long, loose gown with wide sleeves, worn by women and men. Women's pherans are embroidered at the neck, cuffs and pockets, most famously with tilla (gold or silver metallic thread) for weddings and aari (hooked-needle chain stitch) for everyday wear. Kashmir is also known for sozni, the fine needlework on shawls.
The Kashmiri pheran
- Shape: a long, loose gown from knee to ankle length, with wide sleeves and side slits. Its loose cut was made for Kashmir's cold winters.
- Fabric: wool or tweed for winter; cotton and silk for summer and celebrations.
- Embroidery: around the neck opening, down the front, on the cuffs and pockets.
- Worn with: a shalwar or churidar and a headscarf, often with traditional silver jewellery.
Today the pheran kurti, a shorter, lighter pheran, is a popular modern way to wear Kashmiri style.
Tilla, aari and sozni embroidery
| Embroidery | How it is made | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Tilla | Gold or silver metallic thread couched down with silk, making raised motifs | Bridal and festive pherans |
| Aari | Chain stitch with a hooked needle; larger, bolder designs | Everyday and winter pherans |
| Sozni | Very fine needle embroidery, almost invisible stitches | Pashmina and fine wool shawls |
Like Balochi doch and Sindhi mirror work, the finest Kashmiri embroidery is still done by hand, and a single piece can take weeks.
Kashmiri dress for girls and kids
"Kashmiri dress for girls" is popular for school culture days, fancy dress and dance performances. A complete look:
- A bright pheran (red, pink, maroon or green) with tilla or aari embroidery at the neck and cuffs.
- A shalwar or churidar.
- A headscarf tied at the back, and large traditional earrings or a forehead ornament.
See outfit ideas for every culture in the Pakistani culture day guide.
Kashmiri dress for men and boys
Men wear a plainer pheran, usually in wool and in grey, brown or navy, with little or no embroidery, over a shalwar kameez. Boys can wear a small pheran with a shalwar and a round cap.
Ordering a Kashmiri style dress
Balochify specialises in hand-embroidered Balochi dresses. If you want a pheran-style dress with hand embroidery, send us a picture. We tell you honestly whether we can make it, and the price and time. We take orders from Pakistan, the UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
Questions
What is the traditional Kashmiri dress called?
The pheran: a long, loose gown, usually knee to ankle length, with wide sleeves. Women's pherans are often embroidered around the neck, cuffs and pockets, and are worn with a shalwar or churidar and a headscarf.
What is tilla work?
Tilla is Kashmiri embroidery with metallic gold or silver thread, couched down with silk thread to make raised floral motifs. It is mostly used for bridal and festive pherans.
What is the difference between tilla, aari and sozni?
Tilla uses metallic thread for festive wear. Aari is chain stitch made with a hooked needle, with larger, bolder designs. Sozni is the finest needle embroidery, used on shawls such as pashmina.
What should a girl wear as a Kashmiri dress for culture day?
An embroidered pheran in a bright colour with tilla or aari work at the neck and cuffs, a shalwar, a headscarf, and traditional jewellery such as large earrings.
Want a Kashmiri style dress?
Send us a picture. We reply with what we can make, the price and the time.
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