"... and back-to-back with them sat Lata and Malati--both dressed in salwaar-kameez..." (p. 25)
Salwaar-kameez is traditional clothing that has been worn by both men and women in South Asia for at least 2000 years. In India the garment is only worn by women.
Salwaars (or salwars, or shalwars) are pajama-like pants that are wider at the top and narrow near the bottom of the leg.
Kameez is a long shirt with side seems often left open below the waste for ease of movement.
The garment was originally only worn in the North of India, but it has become popular across the country as it provides a convenient alternative to a sari and flatters most body types.
References:
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My glossary for Vikram Seth's novel, "A Suitable Boy"
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Page numbers refer to the 1st U.S. paperback edition published by HarperPerennial (a division HarperCollins Publishers) in 1993.
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