Today the Indian groom is no different from the Indian bride in his attention to detail regarding the clothes he will be wearing on his very special day. The traditional, ethnic Indian groom’s wear includes the sherwani, jodhpuri suit and kurta pyjama. You can also see some grooms dressed in the western corporate suit.
The sherwani is a long jacket usually of knee length or longer with embroidery on it giving it a classy ethnic look. It is buttoned up in front and has a Nehru (round) collar. The Sherwani is worn with churidhar pyjamas (type of tights) or jhodpurs (breeches) instead of pants. These are usually in a colour in contrast to that of the sherwani. Many a time you will see the groom also sporting a stole that complements the rest of the attire.
The jodhpuri suit is similar to a western suit, the difference being in the jacket. The jacket has a Nehru collar and is buttoned up in front. It is worn with normal trousers matching the colour of the jacket. There is usually embroidery on the collar and in the centre along the button line. Sometimes the groom wears a round neck top either in the same colour or in a contrasting colour to that of the jacket.
The kurta pyjama includes the kurta (top) and pyjama (bottom). The kurta is a long top. Earlier the length of the kurta was worn to the knee but now-a-days you see the groom sporting a calf length kurta. It is worn over the head with slits on either side from the waist below giving freedom for movement. Embroidery work makes the kurtas look rich. The pyjamas could be those that look like tights or a looser version and they are in a contrasting colour to that of the kurta. The kurta pyjama too is accessorised with a stole in a colour that complements the outfit.
Traditionally the colour that the groom wears is off white. But today with the huge influence of the Indian film industry, the groom is moving to darker colours like maroon, dark blue and even black. The fabric used could be anything from pure silk, brocade to terry wool.
The jutis or mojaries (slip on ethnic shoes) complement the ethnic dresses well. They are usually made of the same material as the jackets and have similar kind of embroidery on them. It is common for the groom to wear head gear or a turban called Safas during the ceremony.
All the groom’s dresses, be it the sherwani, the jodphuri suit or the kurta pyjama, are usually made to order to fit him perfectly. He can get these designed and made from boutiques who specialise in wedding or if he can afford it from designers. The groom definitely needs to give time, sometimes months for his dress to be ready.
