Pakistani Party Wear: A Journey Through Decades

Pakistani clothes have always been inspired by the country’s rich cultural values and heritage. Party dresses in Pakistan have undergone a major transformation throughout the years influenced by different social factors. From light, delicate embroidery to silky, dense embroidery, they have changed over time.

As a Pakistani fashion brand with millions of customers from all around the world, we also keep our traditions alive in our collections by using minor, major, or both culturally influenced designs, cuts, prints, and more.

Let’s talk about how Pakistani luxury or party wear for women has changed over the years:

1960’s and 1970’s Pakistani Party wear:

These years consisted of rather simpler times. There was no personal identity of Pakistani party wear fashion clothing in this era. It was majorly influenced by Indian culture. There was also a major influence of Indian cinema till 1965 after which the movies were banned and the influence decreased.

Women at that time wore sarees and ghararas made from luxurious brocade and silk fabric. Embroidery was a very essential part of the outfit at that time with intricate mirror work or gotta on the dresses.

1980’s Shift towards Shalwar Kameez:

In the 1980’s we saw a major shift in fashion, the heavier or luxurious brocade fabric was replaced by lighter and flowy fabric such as chiffon and georgette fabric. In this decade, the female prime minister Bhutto revived the trend of the Shalwar Kameez, and we saw an emerging designer Teejays in the market. This was a brand that offered pret shalwar kameez in the 1980’s and was a dream of every Pakistani woman at that time.

The color palette was also changed at this time. Pastels and light hue colors took place instead of bold colors This decade was a fusion of traditional and contemporary elements.

1990’s Era of Glamour:

This era is seen as an era of Glamour and boldness. The shalwar kameez remained a staple but longer kameez were paired with straight-cut pants or churridars.

In this era, shararas became a go-to for formal events. These were heavily embellished with stones, sequins, and beads showing this era’s love for glitter and glamour.

2000s the Era of Designers:

In this decade, designers emerged and the fashion industry became more structured and organized. The introduction of lawn suits revolutionized Pakistani Fashion wear by giving a simple yet chic clothing option.

However, in this era, formal party wear was dominated by intricate embroidery or luxurious fabric. The designers showcasing their work on international platforms started designing minimalist silhouette designs but Intricate embroidery and rich fabric remained the center of Pakistani party wear.

2010s Era of Minimalism Meets Traditional Wear

This era was the rise of luxury Pret options for women, there was a demand for contemporary yet traditional clothing. The global exposure and the introduction of different social media platforms played a significant role in this evolution and people started demanding similar aesthetics as shown on social media.

People demanded minimalist yet traditional outfits that matched the aesthetics they saw over the internet.

Luxury Pret offered a blend of high-end fashion and practicality with stylish outfits and convenient clothing options. It was the time when people stopped depending upon their tailors.

Instead they started relying on brands for their ready to wear luxury pret outfits that matched their personal taste and latest trend. Thus, they were no more worried about customizing the perfect party wear outfit.

This era saw the return of the saree as an option and women opted for them in different fabrics. The Shalwar kameez was also an option for party wear but designers experimented different lengths, cuts and styles.

2020s Era for Sustainability and Older Aesthetics:

In this era, the concept of modern heritage was gaining momentum, where women went for traditional outfits with a contemporary twist. Additionally, designers and manufacturers used hand-woven fabrics, natural dyes, and hand embroidery in addition to adopting sustainable practices. 

Social media influencers, today, are also playing a role in deciding the fashion trend for this decade. People prefer outfits that are worn by their favorite influencers and follow the aesthetics they see online.

This era brings back the older aesthetics as we saw people wearing heavily embroidered dresses made from brocade fabrics or dresses adorned with beads, stones, etc.

Final Say!

Over the years, Pakistani party clothing has seen significant transformation, most notably with the transition towards the shalwar kameez in the 1980s. Since everyone today thinks they are setting trends, we see people dressing in a variety of ways according to their own preferences.

A significant shift in consumer tastes was brought about by luxury pret collections that manufacturers introduced. These collections were readily available, expertly fitted while preserving trend awareness, and eliminated the need to purchase fabric, design it, and have it stitched.