A kurti top or simply kurti, is an upper garment worn in the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...

that does not leave the midriff bare. It is similar to a

waistcoat A waistcoat ( UK and Commonwealth, or ; colloquially called a weskit) or vest ( US and Canada) is a sleeveless upper-body garment. It is usually worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wea ...

jacket A jacket is a garment for the upper body, usually extending below the hips. A jacket typically has sleeves and fastens in the front or slightly on the side. Jackets without sleeves are vests. A jacket is generally lighter, tighter-fitting, and ...

, or

blouse A blouse () is a loose-fitting upper garment that may be worn by workmen, peasants, artists, women, and children.The Concise Oxford English Dictionary It is typically gathered at the waist or hips (by tight hem, pleats, parter, or belt) so th ...

Kurti

In modern usage, a short

kurta A ''kurta'' is a loose collarless shirt or tunic worn in many regions of South Asia, (subscription required) Quote: "A loose shirt or tunic worn by men and women." Quote: "Kurta: a loose shirt without a collar, worn by women and men from South ...

is referred to as the kurti, which is usually is the attire of females. However, traditionally, the term kurti refers to waist coats, jackets and blouses which sit above the waist without side slits, and are believed to have descended from the tunic of the Shunga period (2nd century BC). The kurti is distinguished from the

choli A choli or ravike in South India is a blouse or a bodice-like upper garment, that is usually cut short or cropped leaving the midriff bare. It is worn along with a sari in the Indian subcontinent. In northern Gujarat is also known as ''polku''. ...

by the latter leaving the midriff exposed. The Kurti can be a unisex garment, in the same way the

Kurta A ''kurta'' is a loose collarless shirt or tunic worn in many regions of South Asia, (subscription required) Quote: "A loose shirt or tunic worn by men and women." Quote: "Kurta: a loose shirt without a collar, worn by women and men from South ...

can be a unisex garment. The main difference generally is that the Kurti Top is much longer, whereas the

is a bit shorter. "''Usually the Kurti was longer than male's Kurta, for sometimes it reached down astthe knees. (Raghoo 1984:3) * She used to wear long dress and kurtee and tie a handkerchief on her head. (Deen 1994:167).''" It is a typical dressing pattern of Indians especially the northern regions. The trend and origin of this clothing style is from the northern India and even today the other parts of the nation though modernalized wear kurti but it is worn by females majorly in north while the south prefers saree. There are a number of styles of kurti which include the following:

Punjabi kurti

In the

Punjab region Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

, the kurti is a short cotton waist coat which is buttoned down the front to the waist. In the past, women wore a chain of gold or silver called zanjiri around the buttons. Men wore the zanjiri on the

in the

. Another style of Punjabi kurti is a short version of the anga (robe). The kurti can also be half or full sleeved and hip length with no front or back opening. Men's kurti is called phatui or wastkot in Punjabi. The kurti of South Punjab, Pakistan is referred to as the Saraiki kurti. Based on the wish of the consumer the length of the kurti can be decided. File:A Punjabi woman in Kurti and suthan visiting the Attar, the pharmacist. 1852.jpg, A Punjabi woman in Kurti and suthan visiting the Attar, the pharmacist. 1852 File:Saraiki children wearing cloths & saraiki Fashion ofr children.JPG, Saraiki kurti

Bihari kurti

Bihar Bihar ( ) is a states and union territories of India, state in Eastern India. It is the list of states and union territories of India by population, second largest state by population, the List of states and union territories of India by are ...

, the term kurti is used to refer to a

bodice A bodice () is an article of clothing traditionally for women and girls, covering the torso from the neck to the waist. The term typically refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to the 18th century, or to the ...

which is a combination of the choli and jacket.

Uttar Pradesh

The kurti in

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...

and the adjoining

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...

region is a short blouse. File:Choli.JPG, Kurti of Uttar Pradesh

Gujarat

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

and Kathiawar, the type of kurti (coat) falls to just below the waist. File:Kutch blouse.jpg, Kutch blouse

Rajasthan

The men's kurt in

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...

is a full sleeved, tightly fitting, buttonless vest.Census of India, 1961: Rajasthan
/ref>

Sindh

Image:Muslim_girl_sind1870.jpg, Woman, in

Sindh Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, southeastern region of the country, Sindh is t ...

, British India, in kurti

References

{{Clothing in South Asia Indian clothing Pakistani clothing Tops (clothing) Folk costumes