Categories: Fashion, Apparel, 
IndiaI have twice (
1, 
2) made reference to our layover at Heathrow Airport. My husband and I were 
en route from India, where we visited his family.
While the 
sari is the dress  most commonly associated with India,  younger women are opting for the 
salwar kameez, which allows for greater mobility.    A salwar kameez outfit consists of the 
kameez, a tunic; the 
salwar, a pair of loose pants (almost like a harem pant); and a 
dupatta, a long scarf or shawl.    Sometimes, a tight-fitting pant called a 
churidar is substituted for the salwar.
Salwar kameezMore recently, young women in India have taken to wearing a 
kurta or short 
kameez over jeans or other western-style pants.   As my niece noted, this outfit has become the working woman's uniform.
Salwar kameez are typically sold as an entire outfit; however, department stores in India such as 
Pantaloons and 
Westside sell the individual pieces as separates. As I was frustrated in my search for simple cotton kurtas in the U.S., I picked up a couple of kurtas at Westside.
According to my niece, tailors can sew custom kurtas at a nominal price.  At the upper end of the price  scale is 
Fabindia, which  does ship outside of India.