Dressing for California: kurtas for coast and valley

Bay Area: layers for the fog

In San Francisco, Fremont and around the Bay, summers can be cool and windy, and the temperature drops quickly in the late afternoon. Lawn alone is often too thin. Cambric or a textured cotton has more body, and a three-quarter or full sleeve keeps you comfortable without a heavy jacket.

A kurta with a neat band collar or a shirt-style front looks right under a denim jacket or trench coat, and a straight cut layers more cleanly than a very flared one. Keep a cotton dupatta or a light shawl for evenings outside.

Fog also means damp. A kurta that dries quickly after a drizzly walk is far more useful than a heavy one that stays clammy all afternoon, so lean towards cottons with body rather than thick winter weaves.

Southern California: easy all year

Around Los Angeles, Irvine and San Diego, the weather is mild for much of the year, with warm, dry spells. This is lawn and linen territory: short kurtas with jeans, long kurtas with straight trousers, and co-ord sets that work from the school run to a casual dinner.

Short kurtis are especially practical here, and our guide to peplum tops and short kurtis shows how to wear them with Western trousers. For a dressier evening, a lined lawn suit with a chiffon dupatta is usually enough; you rarely need winter fabric at all.

Central Valley heat

Inland, in Sacramento, Fresno and Bakersfield, summers are long, hot and dry. Here the priority is shade and airflow: a loose straight kameez, full or elbow sleeves in fine cotton to keep sun off your arms, and wide trousers such as a palazzo or a classic shalwar.

Linen is excellent in dry heat because it dries fast and stands slightly away from the body. Strong sun fades bright dyes, so dry your clothes in the shade and turn them inside out.

Co-ords: a natural fit for California

A matching top and trousers in one fabric is about the most versatile thing you can own in a mild climate. Worn together it looks put-together; split up, the top goes with jeans and the trousers with a plain tee. Our co-ord sets guide covers cuts and fabrics.

Western pieces are part of what we make too: dresses, skirts, tops and trousers cut to your measurements. If you like a relaxed long dress for the beach or a picnic, the tiered maxi dress and the shirt dress are two of our own designs.

Customising and ordering

You can ask for changes to our designs from the choices on the quote form: pieces, neckline, sleeves, kameez length, trouser style, lining and embroidery level. Our customisation page for the USA explains what can be changed, and you can start with customise a design.

If you would rather bring a picture of your own, everything is agreed in writing before cutting, and the USA page explains how ordering, shipping and import charges work.