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Pakistani clothing & shoes
Pakistani dress changes from region to region: gold-threaded khussa slippers from Punjab, the crossed-strap Peshawari chappal and the rolled wool pakol of the north, the mirror-work Sindhi topi and ajrak of Sindh, and Balochi embroidery so dense the cloth almost disappears. In summer, almost everyone wears lawn, fine printed cotton sold as unstitched three-piece suits.
Sizing is the main worry when buying from abroad. Every page below explains how the item should fit, how to measure, and what separates handmade pieces from factory copies.
8 things
Glass bangles, sold by the dozen
Glass rings in every colour, from the city that makes them for all of Pakistan.
Embroidered mirror-work cap
A round cap covered in mirrors, with an arch cut out at the front.
Photo: Ahub1988The real thingBlock-printed cotton shawl
Indigo and madder, stamped by hand on both sides of the cloth.
Photo: Laila KhaanThe real thingHand-embroidered dress and panels
Needlework so dense the cloth underneath almost disappears.
Printed summer cotton, sold as a three-piece suit
Fine printed cotton for Pakistan’s summer, launched every year like a fashion week.
Embroidered leather slippers
Pointed leather slip-ons, embroidered with gold thread.
Leather sandals with crossed straps
The sandal of the frontier, built to last a decade.
Rolled wool cap
A soft wool cap with a rolled brim, made for mountain winters.
Questions
With shalwar kameez, men wear Peshawari chappals and khussa; women wear khussa, often embroidered with gold thread for weddings. Both are handmade leather.
A three-piece outfit of fine printed cotton, shirt, trousers and dupatta, usually sold unstitched for a tailor to make to measure.
Measure your foot length in centimetres and send it to the seller. Pakistani sizes do not always match US or EU sizes, and leather shoes start snug.
For makers in Pakistan
If you already sell abroad, on Etsy, Amazon, your own shop or Instagram, we would like to tell your story. Listing is free.
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