The panjabi story

With the morning Eid prayers in mind, most men will undoubtedly opt for the crisp, white panjabi. This timeless classic will always remain unquestionably trendy. Although, now most fashion houses have brought various twists to make these more attractive. Le Reve has an excellent collection of semi long white panjabis with embroidery or other embellishments in the front. These can be worn with regular white straight pajamas or churidars to maintain simplicity. Aarong is also offering ornate collections of white panjabis with embroidery on the chest and neckline. The embroidery work can be of different colours such as green, blue, indigo, or orange, to stand out against the base colour. Nabarupa, although primarily a sari house, also has a variety of delicately worked white classy panjabis. 

If white panjabis are too simple for you, then you can always take it up a notch with cream or beige as base colours. Lubnan has brought gorgeous cream coloured silk panjabis with emboss print all over the piece. The embroidery work on the button plate and round the collar band is contrasted with the base colour. Younger generation could of course look to wear something slightly trendier during the morning hours. As such, digitally printed white panjabi can be the right choice for them.  It is a regular fit white panjabi with a splash of rainbow colours digitally printed on one side of the chest. It looks subtle for early hours but fashionable enough to stand out in a crowd. 

After the congregational morning prayers, most men would like to change into something more colourful yet comfortable.  It is hot and sunny out there with unexpected rainfall every now and then. While silk may seem suitable for the festive occasion, the fabric may not leave enough room for your skin to breathe. Keeping that in mind, cotton would undoubtedly be your pick this monsoon. During the second part of the day, solid colours --preferably lighter ones such as blue, green and yellow-- can be worn. Yellow has also introduced its new collection for Eid, where the focus is on bold colours and delicate embroidery work on the chest, back and collar. Most young men opt for the colour blue, which is why intricate embroidery of zodiac blue design on a blue base can be their choice. A new style that caught my eye was the "Chicago" panjabi. It is cut and sown with contrast detailing and stands out mainly due to the unique design. Unlike most panjabis, the Chicago has both its front and the back panels' lower cuts done in a curved style instead of a usual straight line, with one with front pocket and buttoned sleeves. Aarong, Kay Kraft and Nabarupa also have a range of solid colour short panjabis with patchwork of contrast or patterned cloth. 

If embroidery is not your style, you can decide on printed panjabis with bright colours, or my personal favourite – Kabulis, or shalwar suits for men. If you are looking for something both unique and trendy, then the kabuli's available at Yellow are a must. There is a wide variety of regular fit monochrome kabulis with front pockets and wide pajamas to combine with. You may also purchase the single kabuli and contrast it with white pajamas. If your intention is to dress simple, then stripes and checks are what you are looking for. Deshi dosh and Shotabdi also have a wide range of hand-embroidered panjabis to choose from. 

At night, there are parties to attend or host which is when all men would like to dress their best. Lubnan has an extensive range of Panjabis with all over embroidery or elaborate embroidery work on the chest, collar and, hands, while keeping the rest of the Panjabi simple. Late hours call for darker colours such as maroon, purple, navy blue or black. There are different materials to choose from including heavy silk, silk, endi cotton, and khaadi or jute cotton. Panjabis with minimal designs are more than suitable to pull off a classy look. Nonetheless, you can always take it up a notch during festive seasons with intricate designs from Nabila or Vasavi. 

The white shalwar is a timeless classic. However, shalwars narrowed around the ankle tend to look good with almost all types of panjabis, and churidars can be worn on special occasions. While panjabi is considered a traditional item, it can also be worn with chinos to create a modern fusion. Yet another comfortable but trendy option would be Indo-Western polo pants. It is baggy from the waist to knees, and narrows from there till the ankles. These can usually be worn with sherwanis or normal panjabis once you get used to the comfort it brings. To pull off a casual wear, you can always toss your Panjabi over a pair of jeans or gabardine pants.  

However, if you find that all the fashion houses or boutiques could not bring something to your taste, you can always personalise. Tailoring places like Top Ten, Sunmoon, Ferdous and such are very good for getting a custom made panjabi for yourself and your near ones. 

Most well-known brands have short panjabis starting from Tk 1000 to Tk 2500, and panjabis from Tk 1500 to Tk 12,000, due the variety of options available. 

Gone are the days when women's fashion wear overshadowed the men's fashion scene. With the broad range of design and style available this season, let's wear panjabi in style.

By Mayesha Raidah
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed
Model: Raj
Wardrobe: Le Reve