Visiting family abroad: planning outfits for the trip

Build the list around events

• Everyday days with family: two or three comfortable kurtas or co-ords that suit the house, the market and the school run with cousins.
• Dawats and dinners: one or two dressier suits with delicate embroidery. Our dawat and dinner-party guide explains what works as a guest.
• A wedding or Eid: one formal outfit, ideally with a dupatta or waistcoat that can also lift an everyday suit.
• Religious visits: something modest with full sleeves and a dupatta that covers your hair comfortably.
• Sightseeing and travel days: a co-ord with pockets and trousers you can walk all day in.

Dress for the climate you are flying to

Flying from a British winter to the Gulf, or from a Texan summer to Toronto, means packing for a season you are not living in. Summer in Qatar or the UAE calls for lawn, voile and loose cuts, while a December visit to Canada or northern Europe needs karandi, khaddar or a velvet shawl. Our Qatar page and Canada page give a feel for ordering from each place, and the fabric guide helps you match fabric to weather.

Remember air conditioning too. Homes, malls and masjids in hot countries can be cold inside, so a light shawl or cardigan earns its space in the case.

Respecting your hosts

Families differ. Some relatives expect longer kameez, full sleeves and a dupatta at all times; others are relaxed. If you are unsure, ask a cousin before you order rather than after you land. A modest neckline and three-quarter or full sleeves are rarely wrong, and a dupatta can always come off.

If you want to bring a gift, an unstitched suit is easier than guessing someone else’s measurements. Our guide to gifting an unstitched suit explains how to make sure it can be stitched to fit later.

Packing made-to-measure pieces

Carry the formal outfit in your hand luggage if you can; it is the one piece that would be hardest to replace if a suitcase went astray. Fold embroidered pieces with tissue paper between the layers, embroidery facing inwards, and roll everyday cottons to save space and reduce creases.

Most homes you visit will have an iron, but a small travel steamer is gentler on chiffon and embroidery. Our guide to ironing and steaming kurtas explains the safe settings. Pack one neutral trouser and one dupatta more than you think you need: they rescue an outfit when something gets stained at a dawat.

Order in time to pack

Work backwards from your flight. Production is 5 to 7 working days from approval and full payment; with Stitching Only it starts once your fabric reaches us in Pakistan. Shipping to your home address is extra and varies by destination, so add a comfortable margin before your departure date. The written quote includes delivery and any import duties, taxes and customs or courier fees. Our worldwide delivery page explains how shipping is arranged.

Quotes are in pounds for UK customers, and customers in the USA, Europe and the Gulf choose dollars, euros or pounds. Sending your own suits from the UK? The UK stitching service covers the details. When your dates are fixed, start your quote and list the trip’s events in the notes.