Sari
A sari / saree is the traditional female garment in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. A sari is a very long strip of unstitched cloth, ranging from four to nine metres in length, which can be draped in various styles. The most common style is for the sari to be wrapped around the waist, with one end then draped over the shoulder baring the midriff. The sari is usually worn over a petticoat (pavada/pavadai in the south, and shaya in eastern India), with a blouse known as a choli or ravika forming the upper garment. The choli has short sleeves and a low neck and is usually cropped, and as such is particularly well-suited for wear in the sultry South Asian summers. Cholis may be "backless" or of a halter neck style. These are usually more dressy with a lot of embellishments such as mirrors or embroidery and may be worn on special occasions. Women in the armed forces, when wearing a sari uniform, don a half-sleeve shirt tucked in at the waist.

Salwar kameez and dupatta
The salwar kameez is another form of popular dress for females. It consists of loose trousers (the salwar) topped by a long loose shirt (the kameez). It originates from the state of Punjab in India, but now has become popular all across India, and other South Asian countries. It is commonly worn with a narrow scarf called a dupatta, which can be used to cover the head, or just draped over the shoulders. The salwar kameez is most common in the northwestern part of India.

Lehenga, choli, and odhani
The women of Rajasthan and Gujarat often wear colorful swirling skirts called lehenga, paired with a short bodice called a choli. If they must cover their heads, they do so with bright veils called odhani.