The colors of Indian ethnic attires have always been the factor that makes them so charming and attractive. Styles and trends keep changing. What is ‘in’ today; is sure to be ‘out’ tomorrow. This constant innovation in the field of fashion motivates the designers to go into brainstorming sessions and present us with new vogues and grooves. But in Indian fashion, no matter how much the designs and trends change, one thing remains constant – the vivacity of the ethnic wears! When it comes to Indian women’s fashion, every garment is specifically designed to enhance a lady’s beauty in an elegant manner. And hardly anything does it better than chaniya choli!

Though, the honor of originating this gorgeous attire lies with the state of Gujarat, especially Kutch; it is widely worn by the women of the neighboring state of Rajasthan too. Chaniya cholis are regarded as the most versatile of the Indian traditional wears as it not only has the beauty of a saree, but also the ease of a skirt. The entire garment has three consisting parts. The ‘chaniya’ is actually a long skirt, most commonly floor-length, and the ‘choli’ is a waist-length blouse, tied in the back with a number of strings (much like a corset). The entire design is complemented by the last item, a long ‘dupatta’ which is also known as ‘odhni’ or ‘chunri’. Generally, chaniya cholis are fashioned out of good quality cotton fabric, but the designer ones are made using silk, crepe, chiffon, satin, brocade, etc.

They are widely popular for the bright colors and intricate embroidery work. These cholis are available in almost every color; but the most preferred ones are dark or flashy shades like red, maroon, brown, blue, deep orange, deep green, blue, yellow, black, etc. The minute embroidery is usually heavy as it covers the entire length of the skirt, the blouse and borders of the ‘dupatta’ is covered and is entirely done by hand. Threads of contrasting colors, beads and mirror works are used to make the dress look even brighter.

Chaniya cholis are traditionally worn at the occasion of ‘Navratri’. During the nine days and nights of this festival, people wearing traditional dresses dance to their heart’s delight. And as the women wearing chaniya cholis rotate and twirl, it creates a plethora of colorful swirls. That is undoubtedly a sight to be mesmerized by!