The traditional dress of Kashmir is renowned for its embroidery and intricate designs that reflect the rich of the culture and landscape of the region. The attire in Kashmir found similarities with that of Arabia, Persia and Turkistan. It is believed to have been introduced by Saiyed Ali Hamdani in the reign of Sultan Sikandar. The lower portion of the body was covered with wide trousers called Shalwaar of Persian origin while the upper portion had a shirt called Kamiz with full sleeves.
Over this was a short vest coat which was called Sadri. The outer robe was called Chogha and descended to the ankles. It had long loose sleeves and round the waist was a girdle. The head-dress consisted of a small close-fitting cap covered with a cloth. This formed the turban. On festive occasions, silk was worn. Such a dress sense was prevalent among the rich and the wealthier sections of the society.
The dress for the poorer sections has not changed since the medieval times. Men put on a Skull-cap over their shaven heads and did not wear turbans. They cover their bodies with a long loose large-sleeved woollen garment called Pheran, open from neck to the waist and falling down to the ankles with a belt round the waist. The footwear consisted of shoes made of grass called Pulharoo. Some wore sandles made of wood called Khraw. The dress of women was almost the same as that of a man except that they had a fillet on their forehead and above it was a mantilla which fell from the head over the shoulders. The head dress of the Kashmiri women was called Kasaba. The Kashmiri Pandit women too used
Kasaba but they called it Taranga which was tied to the hanging bonnet, falling to the heels from behind.