The people of Jammu have the following traditional clothing:
Ghagra choli
It is traditional for women to wear ghagra choli and the scarf ensemble which was also popular in the Punjab.<ref name=autogenerated2>Kumar, Raj (10 October 2023). Paintings and Lifestyles of Jammu Region: From 17th to 19th Century A.D. Gyan Publishing House. p. 352. ISBN 978-81-7835-577-1.</ref> It is still traditional for women to wear the kurta with a lehnga,<ref>Singh, K. S.; Pandita, K. N.; Charak, Sukh Dev Singh; Rizvi, Baqr Raza (2003). Anthropological Survey of India. Jammu & Kashmir. ISBN 978-81-7304-118-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)</ref> as an alternative to the suthan and kurta.
Peshwaj
The traditional ghagra choli was then replaced by the peshwaj for women which flows to the ankles which would sometimes be worn with a suthan (very loose pants with many folds).<ref name="autogenerated1">Handa, O. Textiles, Costumes and Ornaments of the Western Himalayas.</ref> The men would wear the Jamma (Mughal style shirt) with the suthan.
Suthan and kurta
The traditional dress for men and women is to wear the suthan and kurta but the styles are gender-specific.
Dogri suthan
The traditional Dogri suthan is wide at the top, roomy at the legs and has numerous pleats at the ankles.<ref>Kumar, Raj (2006). Paintings and Lifestyles of Jammu Region: From 17th to 19th Century A.D. Gyan Publishing House. p. 163. ISBN 978-81-7835-577-1.</ref>
Modern suthan
However, the modern style of suthan worn in Jammu is a remnant of the tight suthan which was once popular throughout the Punjab region. It is very loose at the top but is very tight from the knees to the ankles.<ref>Letters from India and Kashmir (1874) [2]</ref><ref>Kumar Suresh Singh, K. N. Pandita, Sukh Dev Singh Charak, Baqr Raza Rizvi. Anthropological Survey of India (2003) Jammu and Kashmir [3]</ref><ref>Sukh Dev Singh Charak (1983) the Jammu Kingdom, Part 1[4]</ref> However, the style is now more popular in Jammu<ref>Bamzai, P. N. K. (1994) Culture and Political History of Kashmir, Volume [5]</ref> and Himachal Pradesh<ref>Kumar Suresh Singh, B. R. Sharma, Anthropological Survey of India, A. R. Sankhyan (1996) Himachal Pradesh [6]</ref> as the tight suthan is useful in the hills.<ref>Charak, Sukh Dev Singh (1983) Himachal Pradesh, Volume 4 [7]</ref> When worn by men, the drawers are called ghuttana and when worn by women, the suthan (in a variety of colours).<ref>Saraf, D.N. (1987) Arts and Crafts, Jammu and Kashmir: Land, People, Culture [8]</ref> When the tight part of the suthan, up to the knees, has multiple close fitting folds, the suthan is referred to as Dogri pants<ref>Banerjee, Sanhati. The Rockstar Dhoti (15.01.2012)[9] Archived 3 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine</ref> or Dogri suthan,<ref>Kumar, Ritu (2006) Costumes and textiles of royal India[10]</ref> in Jammu and churidar suthan in Himachal Pradesh. It is also worn in the hilly area of the Punjab region.<ref>GORE, Frederick St. John. (1895) Lights & Shades of Hill Life in the Afghan and Hindu Highlands of the Punjab. A contrast ... With maps and illustrations, etc [11] Archived 24 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine</ref> In Jammu, members of all communities wear the suthan.<ref>Sarfi, Maqsooda (2004 Japan From The Eyes Of An Indian Girl [12]</ref>
The traditional Dogri kurta for men is open at the front and flares out from the waist to the knees. The kurta for women tends to be long and cut straight, a style adopted from neighbouring Punjab,<ref name="autogenerated2"/> as local culture shares an affinity with the Punjab region,<ref>Betts, Vanessa and McCulloch, Victoria (2014) Indian Himalaya Footprint Handbook: Includes Corbett National Park, Darjeeling, Leh, Sikkim [13]</ref> especially the southern area.<ref>Biswas, Arabinda 1985) Indian Costumes [a dress of the Dogras in Jammu is greatly influenced by the sartorial ensemble of the State of Punjab.[14]</ref>
Churidar pajama
The churidar pajama, also called churidar suthan, which forms part of the traditional attire of men and women in Punjab<ref>Kehal, Harkesh Singh. Alop ho riha Punjabi Virsa. Unistar Books PVT Ltd ISBN 978-93-5017-532-3</ref> is a combination of the tight suthan of the Punjab region and the traditional Dogri loose suthan. Accordingly, the churidar pajama is believed to be derived from the suthan. The Churidar<ref name="autogenerated2"/> pajama is popular all over the sub-continent and was developed in the Punjab region, and is associated with the Punjab.<ref>Shukla, Pravina (2013). The Grace of Four Moons: Dress, Adornment, and the Art of the Body in Modern India. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34911-8.</ref><ref name=autogenerated2/>