Where to put a name on a kurta: collar, cuff, placket or yoke

A kurta has its own map

A kurta offers more places for a name than a baby set, but each part behaves differently. There is the collar, often a narrow mandarin band; the placket, the front opening with its buttons; the yoke across the shoulders at the back; the cuffs; the side slits; and the hem. Many kurtas already carry embroidery on the collar and placket, and a name looks best when it joins that existing detail rather than competing with it.

The right spot depends on three things: the child’s age, whether a waistcoat will go on top, and whether you want the name seen by everyone or noticed up close.

Collar

A mandarin collar band is narrow, so it suits initials rather than a full name: two small letters near one front tip look smart and a little formal. Urdu names rarely fit on a collar band, because the dots need height. For a hidden touch, a name can go on the inside back of the collar, where it is a private detail for the family and useful for telling cousins’ kurtas apart after a wedding.

For babies and young toddlers, keep collar embroidery small and soft, because the collar sits against the neck all day.

Placket and front

The placket runs from the neck down the chest, and a name can run beside it vertically or sit just below where it ends. Below the placket is one of the nicest spots on a kurta: centred, visible in photos, and clear of buttons. Matching the thread to any existing placket embroidery makes the name look as if it was always part of the design. If the kurta front is plain, this is also where a small crescent or motif sits well with the name.

On lawn and other light summer fabrics, a dense name can pull the thin fabric and pucker it, so lighter lettering suits them better than heavy satin-stitch blocks. On khaddar and thicker winter fabrics, the fabric holds bolder lettering without strain.

Cuffs, yoke and hem

• Cuffs: initials on one cuff, like a monogrammed shirt. Lovely for older children; on babies, sleeves are often rolled up, so the letters disappear.
• Back yoke: the flat area below the collar at the back, big enough for a full name, even in Urdu. It is on show when a child is carried or sitting at a dawat.
• Hem or side slit: a small name near one side slit is a subtle designer-style touch, best on longer kurtas for older children.

If a waistcoat goes on top

A waistcoat covers most of the chest, the placket and the back yoke, so a name in any of those places will be hidden for photos. With a waistcoat, choose the collar or a cuff, which stay visible, or put the name on the waistcoat itself. Many families do both: initials on the waistcoat for the event, and a name on the kurta for when the waistcoat comes off later in the day.

Size and fit come first

Placement only works if the kurta fits well; a name below the placket ends up at the waist on a kurta that is too big. Our kids kurta and kameez size chart and guide to measuring for a shalwar kameez help with that, and kurta, kameez or kurti explains the styles.

Ordering

For a custom kurta, include the name, placement and thread colour in your brief through our custom orders page or on WhatsApp. If you would like the name in Urdu, ask, and we will tell you what is possible before you confirm. Embroidery starts from Rs 500, and the price and making time for the whole piece are confirmed when you ask.

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