# Just for fun - salwar kameez



## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

The thread on new designers for salwar kameez in the women's forum reminded me of a photo taken over a year ago on an EU / UNDAC disaster assessment exercise.

Yours truly in salwar kameez playing the role of the Pakistani USAR (urban search and rescue) team leader, requisitioning vehicles for my USAR team from the EU & UN reception officers at the airport.


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## andy b. (Mar 18, 2010)

I apologize, but being new here and also having no idea what salwar kameez is, of the three gentlemen in the above photo, who is Earl of Ormonde?

Andy B.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

I am the chap on the left in the white traditional headwear of the region and the long light blue kameez (shirt = cf. French chemise), and the Pakistani flag round my neck.

The chap in the light blue UN vest is from Bolivia. The chap in the mid-blue EU vest, with the Swedish flag on his arm is from Sweden.


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## Kingstonian (Dec 23, 2007)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> I am the chap on the left in the white traditional headwear of the region


 Those hats have now become a fashion item with the sort of left winger who wears a Palestinian scarf.


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## andy b. (Mar 18, 2010)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> I am the chap on the left in the white traditional headwear of the region and the long light blue kameez (shirt = cf. French chemise), and the Pakistani flag round my neck.
> 
> The chap in the light blue UN vest is from Bolivia. The chap in the mid-blue EU vest, with the Swedish flag on his arm is from Sweden.


THANKS! Now I know what kameez is. 
Is the garment very cool to wear (cool meaning not hot)?

Andy B.


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## turban1 (May 29, 2008)

*jammin' in your jammies*

i wore shalwar kamiz for many years while working in peshawar, jalalabad and kabul. they are indeed cool and comfy, and if properly ironed and worn with a well-tailored waistcoat can be dressy enough.

nowadays in kabul they are out of fashion among the elites in ministries, where people wear western suits almost exclusively, apart from a rare dress-down day or a trip out to the provinces.

i have my tailor make mine with a tunic collar, french cuffs and a black or navy v-neck waistcoat as it looks un-taliban. i used to wear the traditional (sunna) ones with the old-fashioned, open (cuffless) sleeves.

another good look, but non afghan, is either a full shalwar kamiz of kadi/puttee or just a kadi top over ordinary trousers. it is a trendy punjabi or indian thing, kadi or puttee is nubbly, handwoven cotton of the type woven by gandhi. the kadi top over trousers is worn on weekends or around the house. it tends to designate one as an old congress-party politician, an NGO-type or, mercifully, an indian bright young thing.

kadi is the hindi word and puttee is chitrali but used throughout north and west pakistan. puttees, the strips of wool worn as leggings in world war one, came from the winter dress of chitralis and indo-pak army who wound puttee around their legs to keep the snow out of their boots.


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## turban1 (May 29, 2008)

*forgot about the hat*

the earl's hat is a pakhoul. opened up it looks like a horse's feedbag again of wool often handwoven. there is a knack to rolling them on one's knee and a slack one, puffing up like the toque of the pillsbury doughboy, is the sure sign of a tenderfoot ******. the earl's is, of course, impeccable.

these were mountain hats worn in north afghanistan and pakistan by panshiri tajiks or dardic people such as the pagan kalash or muslim chitralis.

they became more popular during the anti-soviet war as worn by panshiri mujahidin commander ahmed shah massood, and often displaced the dashing turban among pushtoon freedom fighters because turbans unravel at inconvenient times and the end gets stuck in the mechanics of a kalashnikov.

today they are popular across afghanistan and pakistan and, in the depths of the pakistani punjab, they come in patterns, loud colours and other curious varieties. the earl's is tasteful, dashing and just a tiny bit fashion-forward by aristocratic afghan standards - a very elegant afghan diplomat and tribal leader who ran for president here wore an identical one in his campaign poster.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

andy b. said:


> Is the garment very cool to wear?
> 
> Andy B.


Yes it is, imagine going out in your pajamas and nothing else. I did try it without another shirt underneath first.

And today, on the cool (not hot) front I'm wearing a black workers kilt. Very airy. You could say very cool and also cool.


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## andy b. (Mar 18, 2010)

turban1 and Earl,

Thank you for the replies!!! I always find it interesting to learn what other parts of the world wear and some of their customs.

Andy B.


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## Centaur (Feb 2, 2010)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> And today, on the cool (not hot) front I'm wearing a black workers kilt. Very airy. You could say very cool and also cool.


Could you show us a photo of yourself in the kilt? I don't think I've ever seen a black one - and how is it specifically a worker's kilt? I'm just interested - also I'd be interested to know how you find kilt-wearing is looked upon in countries where kilts are not generally worn (Sweden?). Thanks in anticipation.


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