Baloch people inhabit in southern Afghanistan, near the Iranian and Pakistani borders. Other Baloch inhabit in Pakistan, Iran, and along the Persian Gulf’s opposite shore (especially in Oman). Baluchistan is the traditional name for their homeland. They moved from what is now northwestern Iran to this portion of the world during the mediaeval period.
Balochi culture, like all other Pakistani provinces, wears the national dress of shalwar Qameez with many changes and embellishments. Balochi males wear a turban, as well as a broad, baggy shalwar and knee-length shirts. A shirt with a huge pocket, embroidery, and circular mirror work on the front is included in the women’s outfit. To cover the shoulders and head, a broad Chaddar/Dupatta is held.
Traditional dress for men:
Many Baluch people continue to live nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyles. The traditional dress of balochistan includes to dress in white or indigo-dyed pants with a long shirt (jama) fastened on the right shoulder. The kurti, an Indian cotton robe with dense pleating around the waist and strings fastened on one side, was worn over this. The shalwar kamiz, which is well-known among other ethnic groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan and comprises of trousers (shalwar) and a long shirt (kamiz) with a front opening, is now the major outfit for men. They’re frequently paired with a wide cotton shoulder scarf (pushti). They may wear an overcoat (qaba), a vest (sadri), and a woollen scarf in colder weather.
Despite the fact that men’s attire is less colourful than women’s clothing, men’s clothing has distinct characteristics that instantly identify the wearer as a Baloch. Baloch men’s traditional attire is normally made of white, creamy, or khaki cotton, but originally they just wore a white shirt and pyjamas, with which the colourful embroidered vest contrasts sharply. The trouser legs are extraordinarily wide, with folds between them. They’re cinched in at the waist and tapered at the ankles.
A tight-fitting cap (topi) and a turban make up the headwear ( sometimes called a lungi). Baluchi caps are frequently made of cotton and embroidered with delicate silk or cotton in floral or geometric motifs. They may include little mirrors on occasion (shisha). Because the Baluch are Sunni Muslims, their foreheads must touch the ground when praying, the front of the topi is frequently formed. Pashtuns in southern Afghanistan also wear similar headgear (especially in the Kandahar area). Baluchi turbans are typically wrapped in a huge number of rolls, giving them a different appearance from Pashtun men’s turbans.
Traditional dress for women:
The traditional dress of balochistan women’s clothes consist of ankle-length, gathered-at-the-waist trousers (shalwar), an ankle-length, loose-fitting dress (paskh), and a wide shawl or outer cover (chador). The needlework, which was formerly mostly done by hand but is now mostly done by machine, is a distinguishing characteristic of Baluchi women’s clothes. This needlework is comprised of four panels: a big yoke that covers the chest, two panels on the sleeve cuffs, and a long, thin, rectangular pocket that extends from the waistline to the dress’s hem.
The sleeves and borders are heavily embroidered. It contains pockets in the shape of a triangle symbolizes traditional dress of balochistan. This traingle-shaped pocket is made of daman and has a lot of exquisite embroidery on it. Baloch garment is distinctive because the embroidery work on it provides a unique taste of Baloch art. Balochi embroidery patterns and designs are distinctive and eye-catching, and you won’t find them in other traditional costumes.
Dress glass of Balochistan:
Multiple coloured threads and a cloth are used to make balochi dress glasses. This fabric can be anything you like, but most people use cotton, silk, or jorchad. When it comes to appealing colours in balochi dresses, let us inform you that red, green, black, yellow, and blue are the most generally used colours, but depending to design requirements, balochi dresses can be made in a variety of hues. Their combo is guaranteed to steal one’s heart.
Balochi needlework is well-known throughout the provinces and is stunning when done by skilled Balochi women. Each doch has a different pattern, and the threads of this embroidery are in different colours, which are referred to as “haft runga.” Embroidery work does not merely consist of plain thread. Women can also use mirrors to adorn their embroidery dresses as a traditional dress of Balochistan.
