History of Salwar Kameez dates back to the Mughal Era, the traditional attire of the Persian and Arab women was salwar kameez, consisting of draped trousers and tunic(Kurti), teamed with a dupatta.

 With the invasion of Mughals in India, it travelled to the northern region and became a part of Punjab.

The salwars come in variations called the dhoti salwar and Patiala salwar. The dhoti salwar is tailored with cowl drapes and pleats, worn with short and tight Kurtis. As the name says, the Patiala salwar is native to the region of Patiala. 

Royal families traditionally wore this style. The pleats of the salwar start from the hip and go down till the end cuffs.

In the earlier days, young unmarried women adapted to the salwar kameez as they grew up to find a leeway from wearing sarees. It became the staple wear of single adults for its modesty and comfort.

To date, the traditionally tailored salwar kameez is the go-to functional outfit of modern women for rotational and festive wear. Along with the comfort factor, the salwar kameez ensemble is preferred for its traditional significance and aesthetics.

Punjabi migrant women in Singapore also embraced the salwar kameez as their staple wear and introduced the style of their community internationally. Later on, Indian women of other ethnicities also continued to wear the outfit as a comfortable and flattering routine wear in different parts of the world.

From salwar kameez was also adopted as a uniform for school girls between the age of 12 to 16 from 1980 onwards in the government schools of India. It later became a standard outfit of grown-up women going to colleges, universities and work.