Bending the rules with female panjabi
As panjabis have slowly entered womens’ wardrobes, Bangladeshi brands have tailored them to add a unique blend of comfort, tradition, and practicality, making it a popular choice
When you Google the word 'Panjabi', you won't see any female models wearing panjabis. For that, you have to use the word 'female' before 'panjabi'. This explains that panjabi is traditionally a male wear.
For generations, panjabi has been a staple garment in South Asian wardrobes. The female panjabi is a recent phenomenon, which came about from ever-evolving women's fashion, with the influence of local styles.
The panjabi suit, with its loose kurta and salwar, came to the Indian subcontinent during the Mughal era. Recently, tailors converted this outfit for girls, adjusting the sizes and adding decorative elements. Currently in Bangladesh, female panjabi offers a unique blend of comfort, tradition, and practicality, making it a popular choice for girls.
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During the scorching summer in Bangladesh, wearing breathable clothes becomes a necessity. Female panjabis are a great option in this case. It's usually made from light and airy fabrics like cotton, linen, or viscose, which allow air to flow easily. The loose fit allows the wearer to stay comfy and move freely.
Naziat Hossain Promi, a university-going student and regular panjabi wearer, highlighted the facility of having pockets in a panjabi as an important reason to choose it, along with comfort. "I love how breezy panjabis are! And the pockets are super handy to carry compact stuff like keys and coins, which also enhance my confidence," said Naziat.
"Besides wearing panjabis casually, I also like to select them as my formal attire," added Naziat.
For special occasions or festivals, one can choose silk panjabis with embroidery that offer a touch of luxury. There are online shops like Nysa Clothing, Aakor, and Sootlee, where one can buy hand-painted or block-printed panjabis.
The design of panjabi is a bit different from an A-line cut kurta. A-line kurtas have a silhouette that resembles the letter "A". They are fitted at the shoulders and gradually widen towards the hem, creating a flared or tapered look.
Female panjabis, on the other hand, typically have a straighter silhouette in comparison. They may be slightly fitted at the waist, but generally maintain a straight line from the shoulders to the hem. While A-line kurtas can vary in length, they are often longer, ranging from knee-length to ankle-length.
Female panjabis are usually shorter in length, commonly reaching just above the knees or mid-thigh.
The pioneer: Aarong
Aarong is the first clothing brand that changed the game, by introducing a separate female panjabi section for the first time in 2012. Their design was pretty simple. Just the neckline has some variations, and a few of the panjabis have some embellishments on the body. They come with one or two pockets. All their panjabis come under Tk2,500, which has made it affordable for everyone.
Sabrina Sumaiya, a fan of Aarong wear, said, "Nowadays it's quite uncommon to come across an outfit priced around one thousand taka. Panjabi offers a perfect classic look at a budget-friendly price. Meanwhile, salwar kameez or other traditional attires come with a high price tag."
Aarong's panjabi price is in the ballpark of Tk800 to Tk1,600. Nasima Farooque, aged 68, came to Aarong's Lalmatia branch with her husband to buy panjabi for her daughter, a teenager and her daughter-in-law, in her late 20s, "mainly because of the comfort, we are opting for panjabi."
Most of Aarong's panjabis are made in Manikganj district and all of the artisans are women. "Though the quality of Aarong panjabi is not that great, given the price range, it's worth it," said Sabrina.
Nowadays, there are many other shops such as Bibiana and Sadakalo that sell panjabis for girls. There are many popular online shops as well for female panjabi. Most of their price ranges are between Tk600 to Tk3,000, which shows that when it comes to cost, female panjabis offer choices that fit different budgets.
A touch of luxury
There are emerging brands of female panjabi who are striving for a better product and a variety of designs at a premium price point. For example Ethnic and Pret introduced their latest panjabi collection last Eid, available in two-piece and three-piece sets.
The two-piece panjabi set is priced at Tk5,000. Meanwhile, the three-piece set, priced at Tk6,750, provides a dupatta. Both sets come in a variety of colours and sizes.
Tazrian Binte Ishaque Nity, the proprietor of Ethnic and Pret, highlights their commitment to offering top-tier Bexi voile fabric, renowned for its exceptional quality. According to her, the fabric undergoes meticulous block printing and post-dye treatments for superior durability and aesthetic appeal. However, recent increases in material costs have impacted the pricing.
"Formerly priced at Tk180 per unit, Bexi voile fabric now commands Tk230; also the price for block printing and dye has risen," she said.
In terms of design, Ethnic and Pret offers panjabis with and without sleeves. Their signature design is a mixture of Kabuli and panjabi, featuring a subtle round neck design and unique length cut. Notably, the pyjamas come with distinctive rounded ends.
Every year, they introduce variations. They began with plain panjabi, then introduced polka dot designs, and now they offer this new block design. With the new designs, prices also went up.
Miraz Hossain is a staff feature writer at The Business Standard, and Anika Tasnem is a Media Studies and Journalism student at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh.
