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While selecting clothes for travelling in India, it is important to understand the prevalent culture and climate in the Indian destinations you are going to visit.

Northern India tends to experience extreme cold during the winter season and hot sun in the summer season. Clothes to be packed for winters need little mention and should include a sufficient number of warm clothes. During the summer season, between March and October, however, you need to counter a sultry weather with pervasive presence of mosquitoes and dust. Not to mention, India is widely acknowledged for a ubiquitously conservative mindset, especially in its small towns/ interiors. Citing these factors, it is advisable to carry your clothes carefully for summer season in India.

To begin with, full sleeved cotton wear coupled with plenty of sunscreen, and mosquito repellent is a safe bet anytime anywhere to stay protected from both undesirable sun tan and red blotches due to mosquito bites. Not to mention, sleeved tops and long dresses will keep you away from unwanted attention and allow you to mix into the local crowd better.

While travelling to the Indian metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Pune, you may find the general dressing sense fairly liberal and westernized. You may find wearing jeans, skirts, capris, t-shirts, tees and even tank tops/ spaghetti tops quite comfortable to wear. In fact, anything reasonably modest is perfect wear in Indian metropolitans. However, in any case, it is recommended to keep a shrug and/ or a scarf handy in your carry bag that can come handy to cover your shoulders and/ or head, whenever you feel the need, and get away with scanty clothes that you may be wearing to begin the day without a hitch.

It is further recommended to keep your packing minimal and light. If there is a need, you can always purchase clothes from local shops, considering that clothing in India is pretty economical and you'd be able to add some authentic Indian ethnic wear to your wardrobe to mingle in the crowd and enjoy tourism better.

Though men could go for shorts too, but considering that your itinerary could as well include places of worship like temples, gurudwaras or mosques, or small towns/ villages – it is advisable to wear full-length trousers at such places. Females are advised to wear long skirts, full length or, at least, knee length trousers etc., tops with full sleeves or half sleeves and carry a stole/ scarf to readily cover your head at such places. As you are also required to remove your footwear at the entrance of each place of worship, it is recommended to wear flip flops or floaters for more comfort at places of worship.

Speaking of footwear, it is always more comfortable to wear flats over high heels in India, wherever you go. It is highly recommended to pack a pair of trainers or sneakers and flip flops in your bag along with a pair of fancy shoes that you may have set your heart on for going to elite restaurants/ malls/ parties etc.