The Indian Saree (a.k.a. Sari, Seere, Sadi etc) is a timeless garment with a history that dates back to over 5000 years. Designs, patterns and even wearing style have changed, but the saree is still the most exquisite single piece garment for a woman. Nothing identifies a woman as being Indian so strongly as the saree; it is the quintessential Indian female garment. The saree is still the most favoured garment worn at most formal occasions or at religious ceremonies.

One of the earliest depictions of a Saree-like drape covering the entire body dates back to about 100 B.C. A north Indian terracota (Shunga period 200 - 50 B.C.) depicts a woman wearing a saree wound tightly around her entire body in the kaccha style.

The Ajanta cave murals (circa 5th Century AD) shows 2 representations of women wearing sarees that cover the entire body. A Portuguese traveller in the early 1500's described women wearing white garments very thin cotton or silk of bright colour, five yards long, one part of which is girt round their below and the other part on their shoulder across their breasts in such a way that the arm and shoulder remains uncovered.

It is commonly believed in India that today's ubiquitous petticoat, worn under the saree, came with the Muslims in the form of the ghaghra, and the tailored choli with the British, despite the fact that blouses were often mentioned in classical Sanskrit poetry.