Jodhpuri

A sherwani is a long, lined coat that falls past the knee and buttons to a band collar; it is the most ceremonial thing in Indian menswear and traditionally the groom's garment on the wedding day. A jodhpuri suit is a hip-length tailored jacket with matching trousers, closed at the throat in the same way but cut close like a Western suit. The jodhpuri is lighter, easier to move and sit in, and far less showy, which makes it the better pick for a reception, an engagement, or for a guest who does not want to compete with the groom.

Bandhgala literally means closed neck. It describes the mandarin collar that fastens flush against the throat with no lapel and no tie, which is the defining feature of the jacket. The two names are used interchangeably in India, though bandhgala usually refers to the jacket and jodhpuri suit to the full jacket-and-trouser outfit that grew out of Jodhpur court dress.

Yes, and it is one of the most useful things a man can own for the wedding season. It works for a baraat, an engagement, a sangeet, a cocktail evening and a reception, and it suits the groom, the brothers and the guests alike. Pair it with a safa or turban and mojaris when you want it to read traditional, or with leather Oxfords and a pocket square when the function is more formal than ceremonial. The one moment it takes second place is the wedding ceremony itself, where a sherwani is the convention for the groom.