Sherwani (Hindi: शेरवानी, Urdu: شیروانی) is a long coat-like garment worn in South Asia, very similar to an Achkan or doublet, and is traditionally associated with the Northern Indian, and especially with the Muslim aristocracy. It is worn over the Kurta and Churidar, Khara pajama, a shalwar. It can be distinguished from the achkan by the fact that it is often made from heavier suiting fabrics, and by the presence of a lining.

The Sherwani originated in Indian Subcontinent and was court dress of nobles of the royals of India, before being more generally adopted in the late eighteenth century. It appeared during the period of British India in 18th century, as a fusion of the Shalwar Kameez with the British frock coat. It was gradually adopted by most of the Indian aristocracy, mostly Muslim, and later by the general population, as a more westernized form of traditional attire.Like Urdu, it also became a symbol of Muslim nobility. Before the independence of India and Pakistan, the Sherwani was closely associated with founders of Aligarh Movement. Following Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, all the professors and students wore Sherwani. The name "Aligarh Sherwani" was also coined, inspired by the popularity of the design at Aligarh Muslim University.[1] At the Aligarh Muslim University, these Sherwanis are still worn to keep alive a long running tradition of academics.

The Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Sir Osman Ali Khan , Asaf Jah VII, the richest man in the world, having a fortune estimated at US$2 billion in the early 1940s.[2] always used to wear Sherwani. He ascended the throne in 1911.[3] In his time, all the nobility at the court and all officers of the state also used to wear Sherwani

After independence of Pakistan, the founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah frequently wore the Sherwani and made it the national dress of Pakistan. Despite the fact that English culture had greatly influenced his personal preferences, particularly when it came to dress. Earlier, Mohammad Ali Jinnah Jinnah donned Western style clothing and he pursued the fashion with fervor. It is said he owned over 200 hand-tailored suits which he wore with heavily starched shirts with detachable collars. It is also alleged that he never wore the same silk tie twice.[4] But after the creation of Pakistan, he started to wear Sherwani.

Following him most government officials in Pakistan such as the President and Prime Minister started to wear the formal black Sherwani over the shalwar qameez on state occasions and national holidays. But as Dr. Tariq Rahman writes about the western style officers that "the impeccably dressed South Asian officers, both civilian and military, never wore in public till the 1970s when Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave respectability to this dress by wearing it in public.[5] However General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq made it complusory of all officers to wear Sherwani on state occasions and national holidays.

It has also become almost customary for bride grooms to wear a sherwani on their wedding almost always accompanied by a turban. Wedding sherwanis usually tend to have embroidered collars and have been popularized in recent times by designers like Amir Adnan and Deepak Parwani. One major difference between Sherwani wearing habits in India and Pakistan is that Pakistanis very rarely wear it with chooridar pyjamas prefering a shalwar instead while their Indian counterparts are distinguished by their preference for chooridars.

In India, it is generally worn for formal occasions in winter by those of North Indian descent, especially those from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Hyderabadi-Muslims. The Sherwani is closely associated with the nation's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. This led to a modified version of Sherwani known as the Nehru Jacket, which is popular in India. Many South Asian grooms wear them as wedding dress. Sherwanis are usually embroidered or detailed in some way. Also, in Pakistan, Sherwanis for women are becoming popular.[6]

Sherwanis have been designed by Rohit Bal for British Airways cabin crews who are on South Asian flights.