Within the Shaiva traditions, there is no single, universally binding dress code that applies to all devotees. What one finds instead is a spectrum of customary appearances, shaped by whether a person is a householder or an ascetic, and by regional and sectarian lineages. Most lay followers simply wear the ordinary clothing of their region—such as sari, dhoti, kurta, or other simple garments—especially favoring clean and modest attire during worship. For many, the emphasis rests less on a uniform of cloth and more on a recognizable vocabulary of sacred symbols associated with Shiva.

Among these symbols, vibhuti (sacred ash) and rudrākṣa beads are especially prominent. Devotees often apply vibhuti in three horizontal lines, known as tripuṇḍra, on the forehead and sometimes on the arms and chest, as a visible reminder of Shiva and of impermanence. Rudrākṣa mālās may be worn around the neck, wrists, or arms, and are treated as sacred objects linked to Shiva’s presence. White clothing is frequently regarded as auspicious for worship, and simple cotton garments are generally preferred by many practitioners who value purity and practicality in dress.

For Shaivite ascetics—sādhus and sannyāsins—the outward form tends to be more codified and symbolic of renunciation. Such renouncers often wear saffron or ochre robes, or very simple cloth such as a loincloth or wrap, and may keep their hair in jaṭā, the long matted locks associated with Shiva. Some groups, such as certain Nāga sadhus, may wear minimal or no clothing at all, their bodies smeared with ash as an expression of complete detachment from conventional social norms. In these cases, dress (or the deliberate absence of it) functions as a living commentary on the transient nature of worldly identity.

Sectarian and regional Shaiva communities add further nuance. Lingayats, for example, are known for wearing a small liṅga in a container on the body, while Kashmiri Shaivites tend to follow local dress customs and emphasize inner practice, sometimes accompanied by sacred markings. Across these variations, a few shared sensibilities can be discerned: clean, modest attire in sacred spaces, a preference for natural and simple fabrics, and a general avoidance of ostentation. The common thread is that external appearance is ultimately subordinate to inner devotion, with dress serving as a support to remembrance of Shiva rather than an end in itself.