Guides & JournalBalochi Dress: Names, Designs and Tradition
The traditional Balochi dress is one of the most beautiful outfits in Pakistan. For women it is the pashk — a long, loose dress covered in dense hand embroidery, with a long embroidered pocket (the pandol) running down the front. For men it is a long kameez, a very wide shalwar and a white turban called the pagg. Here's what each part is called, how the designs differ, what the dress means to Baloch families, and how to buy a genuine one.
The women's Balochi dress: the pashk
The women's dress is called the pashk. It is a long, flowing frock-style dress, and its beauty lies in the embroidery — known in Balochi as doch — which is worked on specific parts of the dress:
- Chest panel — a richly embroidered front yoke.
- Pandol (also called goptan) — a long pocket that runs from the waist down to the hem, often the most detailed part of the whole dress.
- Sleeves and cuffs — embroidered bands at the wrists.
- Pajamak — the loose shalwar worn with the pashk, often with embroidered cuffs at the ankle.
- Sareg or chadar — a large head scarf, sometimes embroidered too.
The men's Balochi dress
Men wear a long, loose kameez with long sleeves and a very wide shalwar that uses several metres of fabric — the width is what makes it instantly recognisable. It is often paired with an embroidered waistcoat, a white pagg (turban), a Balochi topi and leather chappal. We cover each piece in detail in Balochi Dress for Men: Shalwar, Pagg and Chappal.
Balochi dress for girls and kids
Balochi dresses for girls and baby girls follow the same pashk shape in a smaller size, usually with lighter embroidery so they are comfortable and more affordable. Boys wear a small shalwar kameez with a waistcoat and a topi or a small pagg. Kids' Balochi dresses are especially popular for school culture days and Baloch Culture Day on 2 March — see Baloch Culture Day (2 March): Dress and Traditions.
Designs, colours and styles
Balochi embroidery uses dense geometric patterns in bright silk thread, often with small mirrors stitched in. Deep reds, maroons, greens and blacks are classic base colours. Styles differ from area to area and family to family, so no two hand-embroidered dresses are exactly alike.
Today you'll also see newer designs: lighter everyday versions, dresses with lace borders, and machine-embroidered pashks that copy the traditional look at a lower price. Our full guide to the needlework itself is Balochi Embroidery (Doch): Designs and Mirror Work.
Heritage: worn by everyone, from herders to rulers
Balochi dress has been worn for centuries by everyone — shepherds, craftspeople, tribal elders, and the rulers and nobles of the historic Khanate of Kalat. Hand-embroidered caps and fine embroidered garments were traditionally a mark of status, and a bride's embroidered pashk is often one of the most treasured things a family owns.
Because hand embroidery is so durable, an old embroidered panel can even be cut out and sewn onto new fabric, so a dress can pass from mother to daughter.
Hand vs machine embroidery: how to tell
Both are fine — just make sure the price matches what you're getting, and ask the seller directly.
| Look at | Hand embroidery | Machine embroidery |
|---|---|---|
| Back of the fabric | Slightly uneven, knots and thread ends | Very neat, identical backing |
| Pattern | Tiny natural variations | Perfectly repeated |
| Mirrors | Stitched in by hand around the edge | Often glued or absent |
| Time and price | Weeks of work, costs much more | Quick to make, lower price |
Balochi dress price in Pakistan
Price depends almost entirely on how much hand embroidery there is. As a guide, a 2021 Dawn report on Balochi embroiderers put a hand-embroidered everyday dress at around Rs 15,000 and a special-occasion dress at up to Rs 70,000, with a full dress taking about a month to embroider. Machine-embroidered and kids' versions cost far less. Prices have risen since, so treat these as a starting point and compare listings.
Embroiderers who make Balochi dresses at home can reach buyers across Pakistan by opening a free store on dapxop at dapxop.com/sell — dapxop books the courier pickup from their home. If you're planning a brand around traditional wear, see How to Start a Clothing Brand in Pakistan.
See how Balochi dress compares with other regions in Traditional Dress of Pakistan by Province.
Make Balochi dresses or doch embroidery? Open a free store and reach buyers across Pakistan.
Start selling free →Explore on dapxop
Frequently asked
What is the Balochi dress called?
The women's dress is called the pashk. Men wear a long kameez with a very wide shalwar, often with a waistcoat and a turban called the pagg.
What is the pocket on a Balochi dress called?
The long embroidered pocket running from the waist to the hem is called the pandol, also known as goptan.
What is Balochi embroidery called?
Balochi embroidery is called doch, and the women who make it are often called dochgirs.
How much does a Balochi dress cost in Pakistan?
It depends on the embroidery. Hand-embroidered dresses cost much more than machine-embroidered ones; a 2021 Dawn report put hand-made dresses at roughly Rs 15,000 to Rs 70,000.
Are there Balochi dresses for kids?
Yes. Girls' and baby girls' pashks follow the same shape with lighter embroidery, and boys wear a small shalwar kameez with a waistcoat and topi.
How can I tell hand embroidery from machine embroidery?
Turn the fabric over. Hand embroidery has small natural variations and thread ends at the back; machine embroidery is perfectly repeated and very neat.