A-line vs straight kameez: which cut suits you?

The straight kameez

A straight cut is the classic shalwar kameez shape and the easiest to wear every day. It usually has a little shaping at the waist, from darts or gently curved side seams, and side slits so you can walk and sit comfortably.

• Looks: long, clean and slightly tailored. It makes the most of a tall frame, and lengthens a petite one when worn over slim trousers in a matching colour.
• Shows off: bold prints, straight embroidered borders and a strong neckline, because nothing competes with them.
• Needs: enough room at the hips. Cut too close, a straight kameez pulls across the seat and the slits gape when you sit.
• Pairs with: cigarette pants, straight trousers, a classic shalwar or churidar.

The A-line kameez

An A-line kameez skims rather than follows the body below the bust. It has little or no waist shaping; the extra width comes from angling the side seams outwards, and sometimes from a narrow panel set into each side.

• Looks: soft, easy and a little more feminine. It moves nicely when you walk.
• Flatters: many women like it over fuller hips or a tummy, because the fabric falls away from the body instead of clinging.
• Needs: shorter slits, or none on a well-flared cut, since the flare already gives room to move.
• Pairs with: slim trousers, cigarette pants or churidar, which stop the shape looking bottom-heavy.

Which one suits you?

These are gentle guidelines, not rules. The cut you feel good in will always look better than one chosen from a chart.

• Hips fuller than your bust: an A-line usually balances the shape. A straight cut works too if it has enough ease at the hip.
• Weight around the middle: an A-line from just under the bust, or a relaxed straight cut, avoids clinging at the waist.
• Straight up and down: a straight kameez with light waist shaping adds definition; an A-line adds movement.
• Petite: both work at knee length. A strongly flared hem can shorten the look, so keep an A-line gentle.
• Tall: a long straight kameez is hard to beat, and a calf-length A-line looks graceful too.

Fabric, borders and what to tell us

Fabric decides how much the cut shows. Crisp cambric, khaddar and cotton hold an A-line out from the body, while soft lawn and viscose drop closer to it. A straight cut behaves predictably in almost any fabric. Borders matter too: a printed or embroidered border runs neatly along a straight hem, but on a wide A-line hem it may need joining at the side seams, so mention any border when you send photos.

How loose each cut should be is a separate question from its shape; our guide to ease covers it, and the length guide helps with where the hem should fall. If you want more flare than an A-line gives, read about kalidar and anarkali cuts. When you fill in the stitching quote form, include:

• The cut: straight or A-line, or “advise me”.
• Hem width: all the way round the bottom edge, which some tailors call the daaman. Measuring a kameez you like is the simplest way.
• Slits: how high you want them, or none. See our slits and hemlines guide.
• A photo: a picture of a kameez whose shape you like. The custom stitching page explains the rest.